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Here’s a suggestion for a Nude Year’s Resolution that can increase acceptance of nudism. Let some of the textiles that you live and work with know you are a nudist. By doing this, nudists are no longer ‘others’. It puts a non threatening face on nudism. Each of us has our own individual comfort level about who knows we participate in social nudism. I propose that each of us takes a small step out of the clothes closet. This will be different for each of us. I am very open about being a nudist. Last year, it was a stretch when I agreed to enter a Toastmasters Humorous Speech contest with a speech titled “How to pack for a nude cruise”. But I did it. It was well received. Afterwards, I was asked questions and was able to to talk about the various nudist venues in the area. I also added that I wrote the AANRMobile app for Android to my professional resume. Now, I have to figure out what to do in the coming year. My challenge to you is “Are you willing to take a small step out of your comfort zone?” Not only will it help nudist acceptance, but it can be very freeing to conquer a personal fear. Send me your ideas karen@laheyfamily.org and I will share
them (anonymously if you prefer) .

Tick, tock. Tick, tock.  The holiday gift buying season is quickly coming to a close.  So here are some fairly easy gift ideas .

• Membership in AANR.  Very easy and quick.
• Certificate for a day at a spa (many are clothing optional).  This is especially nice if you make it a day for the two of you.
• Dance lessons for you and your partner so that you will wow your friends at the next dance at the club (if your partner would like this).
• Membership, a packet of day passes or a weekend at their local nudist club .  I’m sure most clubs would be happy to help you with this.  http://www.aanr-nw.org
• Donate to a charity in their name.  There is the AANR Education Foundation and a host of other worthwhile charities.  You can vet various charities at http://www.charitynavigator.org/ , https://www.charitywatch.org/home or http://give.org/
• Subscription to a streaming service like Amazon Prime, Netflix  or Hulu so they can watch movies at home in their birthday suits.
• Tickets to a film festival (for the avid film enthusiast)
  • Anchorage, AL – https://sunvalleyfilmfestival.org/
  • Boise, ID – http://www.boisefilmfestival.org/
  • Sun Valley, ID – https://sunvalleyfilmfestival.org/
  • Ashland, OR – http://www.ashlandfilm.org/
  • Bend, OR – http://www.bendfilm.org/
  • Portland, OR – https://nwfilm.org/festivals/piff40/
  • Missoula, MT – http://www.bigskyfilmfest.org/
  • Seattle, WA – http://www.siff.net/
  • Tacoma, WA – http://www.tacomafilmfestival.com/

During the recent “Skin to the Wind” Festival at Sun Meadow, I sat down with the musicians to find out how they viewed us, the nudists in their audience.

The first of the artists was David G. Smith.  It was his first time visiting a nudist resort or performing at one.  He had not yet performed.  He seemed perfectly comfortable as a nudist.  He attributed it to work he had done in the medical community.  He often gives back and plays for Seniors.  He said everyone was super friendly and it was like an adventure.  He said it “Feels like Home”.  Giving back is important to him.

The other artist that I spoke with was James Lee Stanley.    He has frequently played at Sun Meadow, so he is definitely not a nudist newbie. He also was comfortable with nudism.   When asked what was different about playing at Sun Meadow, his answer was that he wasn’t supposed to be political.  During concerts, he tries to encourage people to think.  He knows it is important for his audience to like him.

I expected to find some differences in nudist audiences.  You don’t already find what you expect.

If you are an AANR member, you have should have received information on a ballot proposal and instructions on how to cast your online vote for that proposal.  I sit on the adhoc committee that was instrumental in getting this proposal in the ballot. The goal of our committee is to find innovative ways to grow AANR membership.  Nearly three years ago, the presidents of all of the AANR regions presented proposals on ways to streamline the membership process, which would free up office time to work on membership recruitment.  However, to make these changes and other ideas that we have had since then, it would be necessary to hold membership ballots. The purpose of this ballot is to allow the leadership to make changes to improve the membership process in a timely manner.  We do not have the time or money to hold ballots for each of these decisions.

Please cast your YES vote for this ballot.  It is important.

AANR is important.  People ask what does AANR do for me. Yes, there are benefits.  However, someone said it a few months ago.  AANR is insurance.  AANR watches out for Nudist rights and works for the acceptance of nudity.  If you like to be nude, AANR is important.  And for AANR to succeed, we need membership to grow.  Help us to grow.  If you aren’t an AANR member, please join.  Talk to your club or go to www.aanr.com.  If you are a member, vote YES on your ballot.

The AANR-NW Board has voted unanimously to change the deadline for the Man/Woman of the Year and the Hall of Fame Awards to May 1st. This change has been made retroactively, so that it takes effect immediately, even though the forms on the AANR-NW website have not yet been changed.  So please go to http://www.aanr-nw.org/for-members-only/awards/hall-of-fame/  and  http://www.aanr-nw.org/for-members-only/awards/man-and-woman-of-the-year/. to nominate those volunteers that have gone beyond the norm during the past year.  But do it now, there is still less than a month to get the forms completed.  The Man of the Year and Woman of the Year have also been renamed Member of the Year, with up to two awards each year.

As nudists, we all know that it feels good to sleep nude.  But there are other advantages to sleeping in the buff according to an article last September on Forbes.com, 4 Reasons Sleeping Naked Makes You Healthier And Wealthier

1. You Sleep Better Naked
   According to the University of Amsterdam, by lowering your skin temperature, your sleep is of much better quality.  This type of sleep removes toxic proteins from the brain and improves your thought processes.
2. Sleeping Naked Reduces Stress
   This better quality sleep, as described by the above study, reduces cortisol levels which will reduce your stress levels, thus, improving your immune system and decreasing your risk of heart disease, depression and obesity.
3. Sleeping Naked Is Healthier
   US National Institutes of Health has found that by keeping cool by sleeping in the buff, your body speeds its metabolism not only while asleep, but throughout the day.  Sleeping nude also improves blood circulation which increases growth hormone and melatonin.
4. Sleeping Naked Builds Confidence
   Sleeping naked helps build self-confidence, which The University of Melbourne found leads to higher wages and better jobs.

Other articles mention other advantages. 10 Benefits of Sleeping Naked You Probably Didn’t Know lists some of them.

1. It is easier
   You don’t have to buy or wash pajamas.
2. It forces you to be ready to go out more often.
   You don’t put on your pajamas when you come home from work, so you are more likely to go out in the evenings.  Therefore it is easier to stay active.
3. Skin-on-skin contact is the best
   Sleeping naked means it is more likely that you will have skin-on-skin contact which can lead to a more active sex life.  This releases a lot of oxytocin which helps you feel good about your partner.
4. It can help your skin
   It gives all of the parts of your body a chance to air out and breathe, which lowers the risk of skin diseases.
5. It can keep your sex organs happier
   For men, it helps keep your sperm healthy.  For women, it can help prevent yeast infections.

AANR-NW is a volunteer organization.  There are two honors that can be bestowed on these volunteers.  The deadlines for submitting nominations for these honor awards is March 15.  That is next week. In just five days.  Please put on your thinking cap and thnk about who deserves these awards.

The Hall of Fame Award is the highest honor the region can award a member. It is based on service of a magnitude above average to AANR, AANR Northwest and nudism. It is not intended to recognize club service unless such service was of direct benefit to AANR and AANR Northwest. Nominees must have ten years continuous membership in AANR, with a minimum of five years in AANR Northwest.   To nominate someone, see http://www.aanr-nw.org/for-members-only/awards/hall-of-fame/”

The Man and Woman of the Year Awards are given to a man and to a woman for their contribution in promoting and/or furthering nudism at the regional level during the previous calendar year. Recipients will be presented with plaques at the AANR Northwest convention. Nominees must be AANR Northwest members but need not be members of the club that nominates them. To nominate, see http://www.aanr-nw.org/for-members-only/awards/hall-of-fame/”,  http:// http://www.aanr-nw.org/for-members-only/awards/man-and-woman-of-the-year/”.

During the holiday season, families often gather together and enjoy one another’s company.  Does your family know that you are a nudist?  Have you considered sharing this with them?  There are many advantages to being true to yourself.  Not having to come up with fibs is always easier.  No more making excuses why they can’t come camping with you.  When you realize that you are accepted as you are, it is validating.  Most americans approve of skinny dipping.  See a NEF poll published in 2015. https://youngnaturistsamerica.com/nude-sunbathing-nudity-america-nef-opinion-poll/  So you may be surprised that your family isn’t as shocked as you thought that they would be.  You may even find out that they own a nudist getaway.  A good friend of mine found this out.  But her father hesitated to ask her to visit him.  Coming out of the clothes closet helps mainstream nudism.  The more normalized nudism is, the more accepted we are.  Lastly, your news may help overshadow political discussions at the holiday dinner party.

You can get hints on how to come out of the clothes closet by talking to your friends or by searching for hints on how people from the GLBTQ community have approached their much more difficult problem.

Happy Holidays!

While you’re shopping at Amazon, don’t forget to set the AANR Education Foundation as your smile charity and start your shopping at smile.amazon.com.

It’s that time of the year again.  It’s time to figure out what to give your favorite nudist.  Here are a few things I’d like to find under my tree.

• Nudist Sunbathers – Preiser HO Scale Model Train Figures 10107 for your model train layouts. http://smile.amazon.com/NUDIST-SUNBATHERS-PREISER-SCALE-FIGURES/dp/B0034FRTD4
• A Legacy AANR Membership for your young nudist.  For those under 18 years old.  Give them their own membership.  http:/www.aanr.com
• Beyond Naked, a documentary about riding with the nuke bicyclist in the Solstice Parade in Fremont. https://vimeo.com/ondemand/beyondnaked
• Naturist Art by Henry Yuen.  Henry is a Northwest Naturist and has many gorgeous watercolors and prints for sale.  http://www.hevanet.com/hjlyuen/beach.htm
• Bodies and Souls:  The Century Project  by Frank Cordelle Photos from the exhibition viewed across the continent featuring nude women from ages 0 to 100 of very diverse shapes, sizes and conditions. http://smile.amazon.com/Bodies-Souls-Century-Frank-Cordelle/dp/0973027037
• The Full Body Project, Photographs by Leonard Nimoy Studies of Full Bodied Women. http://smile.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0979472725
• Pestemal Towels – 100% Cotton, very lightweight and very absorbent.  Wear as a sarong.  http://smile.amazon.com/Paramus-Turkish-Peshtemal-Swimming-Pilates/dp/B01KYXYFJE
• Nudist Caps
  • This is my Outfit https://smile.amazon.com/CafePress-Baseball-Adjustable-Closure-Printed/dp/B00VV2DMU6
  • I’d Rather Be Naked https://smile.amazon.com/CafePress-Baseball-Adjustable-Closure-Printed/dp/B01LO0ME26
• Various nudist signage
  • Nudist Zone http://smile.amazon.com/NUDIST-ZONE-Sign-funny-naked/dp/B001A2IQ3A
  • Nude Only http://smile.amazon.com/NUDE-ONLY-~Parking-Sign~-nudist/dp/B003C2L8WC
  • Nude Zone http://smile.amazon.com/NUDE-ZONE-Sign-nudist-naked/dp/B001GB8DE2
• Something old to read: The Cool Cottontail (A Virgil Tibbs mystery novel).  Written by John Ball, one of the early leaders of ASA. http://www.amazon.com/Cottontail-Virgil-Tibbs-mystery-novel/dp/0060807342
• Something new to read: Barely Retired by Adam Lawler and its sequal Barely Home, Back to the Hills .  This is a fun series about a retred couple who are new to nudism.
• http://smile.amazon.com/Barely-Retired-Adam-Lawler/dp/1495456048 and http://www.amazon.com/Barely-Home-Hills-Carter-Connie-ebook/dp/B00TXT4FNW

Because it is that time of year again (you know, when nudist news is not plentiful) …

I was cleaning out my store of mentalfloss magazines and came across an interesting fact.

The inventor of the Lava Lamp was a champion of the naturist movement in England.  Edward Craven Walker was a Royal Air Force squandron leader. In the early 1960s, his idea for the Astro Lamp, known in the US as the Lava Lamp,  was inspired by an unusual egg timer that he saw in a pub.  His lamp sold millions.   His sloan was “If you buy my lamp, you won’t need drugs”.  http://www.nytimes.com/2000/08/27/nyregion/edward-c-walker-lava-lamp-designer-and-a-naturist-is-dead-at-82.html

He made his first fortune, with the pseudonym Michael Keatering,  with the film “Traveling Light”, a naturist underwater ballet.  Other films were “Eves on Skis” and “Sunswept”.

He started his own naturist club in Matchams, Hampshire.

He died at the age of 82 in August of 2000.

There is a document called the Nudist Bill of RIghts that can be found on the AANR site.  It has a wonderful list of rights that we would love to have.  However, to believe that we, as nudists, will always have these rights would be overconfident. These are privileges that we currently have in some parts of the country; we certainly want to protect them.  In order to protect these rights, we must be vigilant.  We must watch what is happening in the courts and in social media.  If you see threats to them, it is imperative that you call the AANR office or send email to gat@aanr-nw.org.  It is much better to over report.  If you have any doubt that there is a problem, please report the problem.  It is much better to have 10 reports of a problem than no reports.

Why should you join AANR or TNS?  What value does it provide to you?  I could always point out the discounts that you get when you visit various nudist clubs, or the publications that let you know where there are safe places to go.  But the real reason that we need AANR is for insurance.  Our privilege to be able to practice social nudism is constantly being challenged.  Regularly in this publication we see stories that point out examples of such threats.  Without the network of watchdogs that we/AANR/TNS are, we will lose the progress that has been made by those that have gone before us.  As it is, we win some and we lose some.  But we need to keep up this fight.

We can only do this by continuing to grow.  And this means you.  We need you to continue to be vigilant, letting others know when you see a threat and to join so that we have the membership numbers and dollars to be effective in this struggle.

There are various ways to join AANR.  You can join AANR as an associate through AANR.com. This means that you are an AANR member without a club.   Or you can join AANR at a discounted rate by joining through a club.  There are several event clubs in the region that are actively looking for AANR members.  You can contact them at.

• Montana Naturist Organization
• Sun Lovers Under Gray Skies
• Sun Rovers
• Hidden Springs
• The Rogue Suncatchers

If you are an associate member and would like to transfer your membership to one of these clubs, download the transfer form from http://www.aanr-nw.org/Transfer.pdf and send it to the club of your choice.

Spencer Tunick is an American photographer whose work focuses on capturing large groups of regular folks in the nude in all kinds of settings, often in artistic patterns.  His shoots have varied from outside of the United Nations to in the Dead Sea.  His portrayal of nudism is very positive.  After being out of the spotlight for several years, Tunick is back with three new installations in the last two months.
On June 4th, 6132 Columbians braved 46 degree temperatures to pose nude at the Simon Bolivar statue in Bogota for Mr. Tunick.
On  July 9th, in the Sea of Hull project, 3200 people wearing only blue paint participated in the project that was sponsored by Hull’s Ferens Art Gallery for the British city’s City of Culture celebrations next year.  The project celebrates the city’s relationship with the sea.  The photographs will be displayed in the refurbished gallery next year.
On July 18, 100 women were selected from 1800 volunteers to be part of the “Everything She Says Means Everything”  installation in Cleveland.

There are four bylaw amendments.  These are my interpretations of them.

1.   A “yes” vote on this motion would move the province of Ontario, Canada, to the Eastern Region.   A “no” vote would support leaving this Section of the Bylaws as it is currently.  This bylaw moves the clubs in the province of Ontario from AANR-Midwest to AANR-East.  The rationale for this bylaw is that the clubs are physically closer to AANR East.  The  PRO statement was written by the president of AANR East.  There is no CON statement.
2. A “yes” vote on this motion would support specifying that only a plurality (as opposed to a majority) is required in selecting a convention site.  A “no” vote would support leaving this Section of the Bylaws as it is currently.  This bylaw will change how conventions will be voted on.  For example, suppose three clubs are bidding for an election,   Club A gets 45% of the votes, Club B gets  35% of the votes and Club C gets 20% of the votes.  Currently, there would have to be a revote until a compromise could be reached and one of the clubs received more than 50% of the vote.  This amendment would change it so that Club A would be awarded the convention after the first vote.
3. A “yes” vote on this motion would support changing the existing wording regarding tie votes and when the president is allowed to vote.  A “no” vote would support leaving these sections as they are currently.  This change allows the president to cast a ballot when it would affect the result rather than just in the case of a tie.   For example, the president’s vote could force a tie.   This change in wording brings our ruling documents into accordance with Robert’s Rules or Order.
4. A “yes” vote on this motion would support the appointment of an interim Executive Director in the event of a vacancy.  A “no” vote would support leaving this Section of the Bylaws as it is currently. This bylaw will allow a sitting president to appoint an interim executive director when necessary.  Currently, the president must take on the responsibilities of both the executive director and the president.

I am running in one of the two contests that have competitions in this year’s AANR election and I ask for your vote.  Please also pass on this information and ask your friends to vote for me as well.

I am running for Club Trustee for club tiers 6-7.  Club Trustees are elected at large across all of the regions and represent clubs of different sizes.  Tiers 6 and 7 are the two smallest tiers.  I have served as the AANR Northwest President for the last four years, the maximum allowed.  While president, I had the privilege to work with the AANR board on several committees as well as participating in the AANR board meetings and conventions.  I have become familiar with the AANR officers and the other trustees, as well as getting to know the presidents in all of the other regions.  I know that I can work effectively with our board and contribute to AANR in many concrete ways.

1. I have ideas that I want AANR to explore:  I would like to find ways for us to be able to let all members renew automatically.  It is much too easy to forget to renew.  I would like to find a way to count all AANR members in new clubs towards their minimum counts in order to make it easier to get new clubs started.  Being able to facilitate new clubs would give AANR a way to better serve nudists in underserved areas. I would like us to simplify our membership strata so that it costs our office less time in keeping our data updated.
2. Having been a software developer since 1972, I have significant technical skills that I am always wiling to donate to AANR.  For example, I am the author of the first AANR Android App,
3. I have many years experience collaborating on teams and exploring new ways to improve collaboration.
4. .I am a finisher.  When I take on a task, I follow through and get the job done.  One example is this newsletter that you are reading.  I am the person that has been writing and publishing the Nude News for the last several years.

I have a website that has my resume and my candidates statement.  It can be found at http://www.laheyfamily.org/karen

Several important legislation changes were decided at the Spring AANR-NW Board meeting at Sun Meadow earlier in April.

1. There will no longer be a convention fee charged for attendees to conventions.
2. From now on, there is no longer a minimum length of time required before a scholarship can be applied for. However, the length of AANR membership of the student’s parent (or the student), will be considered during scholarship evaluation.

In addition to having a great time, the board made changes to be responsive to the needs of our membership.

With your May bulletin, you will get your AANR ballot with instructions on how to vote.  To be eligible to vote, you must have been an AANR member on March 31st of this year.

All of our incumbent officers are running unopposed.  Our regional trustee, Kathy Smith, is also running unopposed.  However, there are several contested elections: Group 4 Club Trustee and  Group 6/7 Club Trustees.   There are also four motions to amend the bylaws.

Two years ago, the Northwest had the largest turnout of all of the regions for the election, just over 10%.  While that is in keeping with other membership organizations, we can do better.  This year, let’s redouble our efforts and make a difference.  (To be transparent, I’m in one of those contested elections and would like to see lots of voting happening).

The voter’s guide for this election is at http://www.aanr.com/blog/welcome-to-the-2016-aanr-voters-guide/.

The Nude News will publish any reasonably sized statements from any of the candidates in one of the next few week’s issues as well as explanations of the proposed legislation so that we can all make informed voting decisions.

But, please take the time to vote.  It will be as simple as logging into the voting site and pushing a few buttons.  Easy to do.  Worth the effort.

It is with a very sad heart we say good bye to our friend Darrel Brown, who passed last week after suffering an extended illness.
Darrell was a beloved participant at both AANR-NW and AANR meetings.  He is a member of the AANR-NW Hall of Fame and was an AANR-NW Man of the Year.    As well as serving as the AANR Finance Chair, he served as both the AANR-NW Treasurer and AANR-NW Finance Chair for many years.
Darrel’s wife, Pat, is a past president of AANR.  Our thoughts are with her.
Darrel will be missed.

Sad News in Wisconsin.  – Mazomanie Beach, familiarly known as Mazo Beach, has been a favorite nude beach in Southwestern Wisconsin since the 1950s.  The DNR closed the beach in early March.  Supporters of the beach have an informative website at https://friendsofmazobeach.wordpress.com/.  The loss of this beach is felt greatly by the Nudist community.  Public comment is being sought.

Meetings are not everyone’s idea of fun.  And that’s OK.  But getting to know the people that come to the meetings can be.  You don’t have to sit in the meetings, but you are certainly welcome to be part of the meetings.  The upcoming board meeting is at Sun Meadow and there are many other fun things do to while the rest of us are in meetings.  In the evening, the entertainment will be stellar.

During a typical AANR-NW board meeting weekend,  we reconnect with friends.  Even during the actual meetings, we laugh a lot.  For example, will I be able to get through the introductions without making a mistake?  While we don’t always agree, our discussions and forums on Saturday are the time that we usually come to consensus on what the group wants.  We respect one another and it shows.  Actual votes happen on Sunday.

If you can’t make it for the Spring Board meeting on April 8-10, come for the AANR-NW Convention at Sun Meadow in July.  It follows the week after the “Skin to the Wind” Festival July 12-17. http://www.sunmeadow.org..  And for the second time in a row, the AANR convention is in our region.  In August, it will be at the Willamettans. , August 8-15, 2016.  http://willamettans.com/2016-Convention.html

I will be traveling to the AANR Winter Board Meeting at Cypress Cove later this month (February 19-20).  At that meeting, the presidents and trustees from across the organization discuss ideas both on the agenda and not on the agenda.  If you are in Florida then, you should come to the meetings.  One of the topics that has been discussed is finding out what members want from AANR.  So my question for you is “What do you want from AANR?”  Send what you think to president@aanr-nw.org,  I would really appreciate your feedback.

Nudity is being challenged on many fronts all over the country and you have opportunities to voice your support of nudism.

If you haven’t sent comments to the Oregon State Forestry Department, please ask them to not add restrictions to nudity in state forests.  The discussion about these proposed rules can be found in the special alert that was sent out to this list (Subject: ALERT: Proposed New Rules for Nudity on Oregon State Forestry Lands ) and archived at http://www.aanr-nw.org/?p=1808936

Naturists in the OC in Orange County California are also asking for action on a policy reversal that bans their successful nude swims program from continuing in Huntington Beach, California. The full details on the January 19 meeting and how you can help can be found on their website at http://www.nitoc.org/

Wasaga Beach Ontario is one of the most popular beaches in Ontario and is one of the Ontario Provincial Parks System’s premier parks. The secluded eastern end of the point has been used for nude swimming since the 1900’s.  The Wasaga Bares, which formed 10 years ago, is proposing to have that section of the beach officially designated as clothing optional. See Sunbathers want clothing-optional area at Wasaga Beach.

An organizing committee that came out of the discussions from the one day Unity Summit on February 11 in Miami continues to meet via phone conference. Two ideas are being pursued. One is how the various nudist/naturist groups can collaborate to support the Celebrate Nude Art Festival that is being planned for the Miami area in the fall. The intent is that this event can be put on in other areas in future years. The organizing committee is also looking into forming an ongoing way for our various nudist/naturist groups to work together, taking form as some sort of industry council.

I sit on this committee and will let you know as more information becomes available. Please email me if you have questions, concerns or suggestions.

AANR-NW will be having a group conference call next Sunday, 11/23/2014 at 4pm. Club Presidents, directors, officers and chairs have been sent invites. Even if you have not received an invite, you are welcome to join us. Just email president@aanr-nw.org for an invite.

We have a few topics to discuss
– Background checks. Can we band together for better rates and service?
– Advertising credits
– Nacorba http://www.nacorba.org/
– Outcome of Fall AANR board meeting
– Would it be ok if we are willing to host the aanr-florida website? They are willing to pay us.
– Online Nudescene
– A chance to talk with one another

Please let me know if you have anything else you want to add.

There may be a lot of people on the call. It is an ‘opportunity’ to see if we can handle a large call effectively.

Feel free to let me know if you have questions or concerns.

I’ve got an idea on how we can better understand one another and be happier. We would all be better off if we assume the best of intentions from our fellows. Much of the time, when we hear something that doesn’t make sense, we immediately assume that it has been decided with some mean or manipulative reason. We don’t wait to get the facts. However, if we don’t jump to conclusions, we can realize that maybe we don’t know everything about the situation. Perhaps there are good reasons for such decisions. Maybe we don’t really understand the situation. Maybe we could wait to get answers to our questions. We can take time to confirm our assumptions. And sometimes we may just need to trust since there is a valid reason why our question shouldn’t be answered. One way to slow down our jump to a conclusion is to take the time to think of ways that the decision or action might make sense. As Alan Alda said, “Begin challenging your assumptions. Your assumptions are the windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in awhile or the light won’t come in.” Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/assumptions.html#VxIMzleDfj65sXaH.99

Now I just need to remember to not jump to conclusions when someone else has jumped to a conclusion that I don’t agree with.

Thanksgiving is either in a few weeks (if you live in the US) or it was a few weeks ago (if you live in Canada). So here’s the question: As a nudist, what are you thankful for? Send your answers to nudenews@aanr-nw.org with a note whether you want to be identified or not. They will be compiled in the Northwest Nude News sent out on US Thanksgiving. Let’s see how many different things we can be thankful for. As the editor, I will be thankful for help in writing copy for this newsletter.

According to Dr. Richard Weller, a dermatologist in Edinburgh, sunlight could be good for your heart. In addition to supplying Vitamin D, sunlight causes the release of nitrous oxide on the skin, which benefits blood pressure and the cardiovascular system. You can watch Dr. Weller at http://www.ted.com/talks/richard_weller_could_the_sun_be_good_for_your_heart . And an article in the Scottish Express http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/526739/Sunlight-key-fighting-diabetes-Scots-scientists-reveal , that references Dr. Weller, suggests that experiments also show the benefits of moderate exposure to sun light as fighting obesity and Type 2 Diabetes. But skin cancer can kill, so stay in the sun in moderation.

So, what do Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan and Brad Pitt all have in common with you?  According to RadioTimes, they are all nudists.  See http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2014-09-19/celebrity-nudists-the-stars-who-like-to-let-it-all-hang-out to see which other of your favorite artists like to enjoy life naturally.

If you are an attorney or know of an attorney that would be willing to represent nudists that have been wrongly discriminated against, please let us know. We are building a current list of such lawyers so that referrals can be made. Please send this information to president@aanr-nw.org

The city of Auburn, WA passed Ordinance 6514 that defines mere nudity as a lewd act and makes it a misdemeanor in any public place in the city of Auburn, WA.  This ordinance was introduced and passed on July 7, 2014.  Unfortunately, we were not aware of this ordinance before it was passed.  We will now need to contact the Mayor and City Council to make our concerns known.  If you live in the city of Auburn, or know of other nudists in that city, please send email to president@aanr-nw.org so that we can organize attending a city council meeting en masse to make our concerns known. City Council meetings are on the first and third Mondays of the month.

Contact information for the Mayor is

Mayor Nancy Backus
c/o City of Auburn
25 West Main St.
Auburn, WA 98001

253-931-3041 (p)
253-288-3132 (f)
Email Mayor Nancy Backus (e)

City council members are:

One of our readers sent in a link to an article Why skin cancer rates continue to increase, asking that it be passed on. Additionally, not mentioned in this report, but reported by the World Health Organization is the link between Climate Change and Skin Cancer. Studies also indicate that tanning beds contribute to the rise in the numbers of skin cancers. This increase is also reported in other publications, for example, Skin Cancer Foundation . For ideas on how to reduce the risk of skin cancer, including how to pick a good sunscreen, checkout the Environmental Work Group Guide to Sun Safety. .So, while you enjoy summer, don’t forget to practice safe sun.

At last weekend’s AANR-NW board meeting, the board made the decision to sponsor a photography project that will take place on our own Rooster Rock beach.  This project is a book that explores man’s (or women’s) need to reconnect with his or her primitives self by covering their bodies with mud and being present in nature. It is being crowdsourced atIndegogo.  If you would like more infomation or to help sponsor this project, go to https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/tribal-id#home.  The deadline for sponsoring on Idegogo is April 21, which is Monday.

The AANR Education Foundation is a charitable partner of the American Association for Nude Recreation whose objectives are to:

• Seek partnerships with individuals, groups and organizations in support of the creation of art, literature, and scholarship, relating to the nudist world, its practices, and the wholesome nature of the human body.
• Endeavor to develop educated persons and leaders in broad areas of society; and aim to improve people’s lives by developing community support for nudist resorts, clubs, groups and areas.

At its Mid-Winter Meeting in Kississimme, The AANR Education Foundation approved a grant that was requested by AANR-Florida, for partial funding of a study of the economic impact of nude recreation in Florida. Having such a study will allow other locations to point to the economic success of nude recreation in Florida. The final report will also contain a blueprint identifying how the study was done. This will enable the study to be repeated for any geographic area.

Contributions, which may be tax deductible, will help to provide scholarships to our young nudists as well as supporting similar studies.
Please see http://www.aanr-ef.org/ for more information.

As a follow up to the Northwest Nude New’s article from two weeks ag o, please see an “Maybe Facebook Would Let Photographer Spencer Tunick Post Naked Pics If He Worked for “Sports Illustrated”,written on the Village Voice blog, shows the art of Spencer Tunick that is not acceptable on Facebook, as well as the body painted bikini that is acceptable on the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Facebook page.

Facebook seems to have a problem with nudism. Recently, one of our Palm Springs’ resorts, Terra Cotta Inn, had their Facebook page deleted by Facebook. The reason given for this was that it had links to a no longer available 21 month old article on the Microsoft site msn.com and to a recent article, The naked truth about nudity among the over-50s in the Guardian(a prestigious UK newspaper) which contained no nudity but were stated to be obscene. While it was restored after appeal, it is not the first time that this type of censorship has occurred. Two years ago, the same Guardian posted an article about Facebook’s censorship entitled Facebook’s nudity and violence guidelines are laid bare. The guidelines that they refer to are available on various sites, such as http://www.scribd.com/doc/81877124/Abuse-Standards-6-2-Operation-Manual

Last weekend the AANR Board Meeting was held in at Cyprus Cove in Kississimee, FL. At this meeting, the budget was approved. The budget reflects the changes that are expected from the membership incentive program. This program was sent to all clubs in a letter that is quoted below.

The Program:
A commission of $25 will be paid for each new member to a club (excluding all transfers) based on total year-end membership. Commission payments for 2014 will be paid by check in February, 2015, after the official year end membership count has been tallied. The program will continue for a minimum of 3 years. All AANR clubs are eligible for this program!

The annual commission will be based on the increase in AANR membership either since December 31, 2013 or the highest year-end membership in a later year, whichever membership number is greater.

Thinking about being a 100% club?
Now is your chance to upgrade your status! When you are a 100% club until December 31, 2016 you will receive a BONUS commission of $10 for every AANR club member. That’s $35 per new member! This will be paid in February of 2017.

So, if you aren’t yet an AANR member, or you can encourage a friend to join AANR, you will be really helping your club.

There are a variety of ways that AANR and AANR-NW use to communicate with our members about our nudist rights. AANR publishes “The Bulletin”, our monthly newspaper/magazine which goes to all AANR members. It always has reporting by our Government Affairs Team, and by AANR’s president and Executive Director. AANR also sends out via the internet, the “eBulletin”, which often contains articles related to nudist rights. You can sign up to receive the eBulletin by visiting the AANR website, www.aanr.com.

AANR-NW publishes the “Northwest Nudescene” four times per year, an insert to The Bulletin sent to all AANR-NW members. However, the best way to keep up with events and what is happening related to nudist rights is this eNews that you are reading. Please encourage your nudist and non-nudist friends to subscribe to the eNews. Visit the AANR-NW website, aanr-nw.org, and sign up. OR send an email to eNewsSignUp@ eNewsSignUp@aanr-nw.org?subject=subscribe%20eNews>aanr-nw.org with the subject: “subscribe eNews”.

As law-abiding citizens who are friends of nudism, including many members of the American Association for Nude Recreation, we proudly affirm that we have and are entitled to exercise the following rights.
These are self-evident and based on the Constitutions of the United States and Canada, the laws of those countries, and their court rulings.

* Nudists have the right to hold their values and beliefs.
* Nudists have the right to petition and be heard by their governments.
* Nudists have the right to responsibly enjoy nudity within their homes and on private property.
* Nudists have the right to exercise decision-making in the upbringing of their families in a manner consistent with their beliefs and without interference from others.
* Nudists have the right to assemble in the nude within appropriate settings.
* Nudists have the right to decisions about what constitutes acceptable nudity to be made free from considerations of age,
gender, marital status, religious beliefs, ethnic origin, or sexual orientation.
* Nudists have the right to responsibly enjoy being nude within appropriate locations on public lands.
* Nudists have the right to be free from adverse actions by their employers as a result of their lawful enjoyment of nudity when away from work.
* Nudists have the right to experience accurate, life-affirming portrayals of the human body in all its stages as depicted in the
performing arts, the fine arts, literature, and human history.
* Nudists have the right to be treated as law-abiding citizens.

You can add your name to show your support of these rights on the
AANR.com website at http://www.aanr.com/government-affairs-updates

We welcome comments about these statements of rights. Please send your
thoughts torights@aanr-nw.org <mailto:rights@aanr-nw.org></mailto:

At the AANR-NW fall board meeting (9/28-29/2013), the board decided to  explore means to better inform our members and the public on the efforts that AANR and AANR-NW make on behalf of nudist rights. The preliminary focus will be on providing short articles on significant nudist rights issues in the weekly eNews and other AANR-NW publications. These
articles may include news items, links to other publications or websites, and pending legislation at federal, state or local levels.
Assistance would be appreciated. If you see any related news items please forward the information to the committee:
rights-chair@aanr-nw.org <mailto:rights-chair@aanr-nw.org></mailto:

Next weekend, September 28-29, is the AANR-NW Fall Board Meeting. All are welcome. The meeting is at the Willamettans
.
On Saturday, there is the opportunity to discuss the work of the various committees. The official meeting is on Sunday morning. There will be Karoke on both Friday and Saturday nights and a reception on Saturday afternoon. Attendees should call the club at 541-933-2809 for reservations for campsites and rental units.

At the AANR convention there is a proposal to change the name of our organization. Since our major purpose is advocacy:  protection of our right to go nude in appropriate places, the name, American Association for Nude Recreation, does not adequately state what we are about. One proposal is that we change our name to American Association for Nudist Rights. A major advantage of this name change is that we would retain the initials AANR.
After this meeting the staff will research the legal requirements, internet domain names, etc. The intention is prepare a motion for the 2014 membership ballot. Please visit the AANR website to comment on this proposal. Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.

If you are going to be on the Big Nude Cruise, please stop by and say hi. My husband and I will be in cabin 2252. Also, there is going to be a NW Meet and Greet on our first day at sea from 1:30pm – 2:30pm. Be sure to come and meet friends and get back into contact with others from the Northwest. Other regions will be having their Meet and Greets at other times, which will be listed in the schedule.

Don’t forget, we are going to skinny dip together on July 13th. What a great way to celebrate Nude Recreation Week with our fellow nudists at TNS, as well as to get positive publicity! Encourage your club to participate.

Now for a more serious matter, I also have a challenge for you. AANR-NW membership is down 4.5%. Our percentage loss was the greatest of any of the regions. We need to find a way to turn this around. What can you do to help your club and AANR grow? Will you call some of your friends that no longer belong and urge them to come back? Do you have any ideas? If you do, bring them to your club boards. If it is something that the region can help with or if you want to share a great idea, send me an email. We want to stop this decline and we need your help to do it.

AANR-NW has a new club. Wine Country Bares became a provisional club this fall. Wine Country Bares is a new travel club centered around Yakima and Moses Lake. You can check out their website at http://aanr-nw.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=cc7f511b492b87d55fd7619fb&id=8a01d8401d&e=924052214d or get information from info@winecountrybares.org. I know that they will appreciate any support that we can give them.

For those of you who are cruising on the Big Nude Boat, there will be a meet and greet opportunity for travelers from the Northwest. Look for more details to follow.

The World Record Skinny Dip is returning on July 13, 2013. It is being cosponsored by AANR and TNS. Keep visiting http://aanr-nw.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=cc7f511b492b87d55fd7619fb&id=8b62460c99&e=924052214d for more details.

During this holiday season, I wish to all of you and yours great joy, peace and happiness. And a very happy, naked, new year.

he AANR-NW Fall Board meeting is this coming weekend, September 29 and 30, at Lake Bronson.

As always, all AANR members are invited to come.

Before I became active on the AANR-NW board, I would see those words, but I don’t think I really believed them. However, I have discovered that I should have believed them and you should believe them too.

You don’t have to be an elected director to be active at the regional level. Your ideas and energy are more than just welcome, they are sought after.

Come to the meetings. Learn what AANR-NW does. We have fun as well as just working at the meetings. I have found that I value the friendships that I have made from being active at the regional level. If you can only make one day, you should make it Saturday. Typically, Saturday we get started about 10, with forums, discussions, get-togethers and evening entertainment. Sunday is the formal meeting and runs from about 9 to noon.

Our region is very special in some ways. As opposed to other regions in AANR, your board is comprised of a director from each club in the region. In other regions, directors represent more than a single club. This allows us to operate in a much more cooperative way. Since each club is represented, all clubs have an opportunity to work together and learn from each other. And it is much easier to work in cooperation with friends than with strangers.

So, please, come to our meetings. If you can’t make it to Lake Bronson this weekend, join us in the spring or next summer or next fall or …

It is with sadness that I report the passing of Jerry Trauntenberg on August 23rd of a very aggressive brain cancer. He was President at Lake Bronson in the 90’s and served on many regional committees when his wife, Nancy, was NWNA president. He would always travel with her to the AANR conventions as her right hand “man”.

Jerry was born in Newark NJ, and got his Masters in Chemistry from Rutgers’ in 1958. He is survived by three children, two daughters and a son, from previous marriages. Nancy is his third wife. He and Nancy had celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary on August 7, 2012.

His wishes were that he be cremated and his ashes be strewn at his farm.

A memorial service will be held later this year. An e-mail will be sent when it has been scheduled.

Please do NOT send flowers – Nancy is allergic to fragrances.

If you miss the nude swims in Seattle and you’re looking for a winter nudist activity in Western Washington, or if you want to support another nude venue, here is your opportunity.

The SLUGS travel club has enjoyed monthly winter swims in the Seattle area for several years. The events have been so successful that it was necessary to restrict them to SLUGS and guests only. Beginning next weekend, the facility they use will be open a second time monthly for other nudists. On the third Saturday of the month from 6 to 10:30, swims will be open to current members of AANR or TNS and to current members of AANR recognized landed clubs. The fee is $20/person. Please bring your ID and AANR/TNS/club membership card. The plan is for the monthly swims to continue through April and resume in the fall.

The swims take place at the Richmond Retreat in Shoreline, just north of Seattle. See http://therichmondretreat.blogspot.com/ . The facilities are all indoors and include a large pool, hot tub, sauna and a gathering room with tea and coffee, and tables to sit and chat or play games. If the parking on site fills, you can also park along the street.

The facility is also open to individuals and groups on Wednesdays and Fridays from 3 to 9pm for $25/person. Please make reservations in advance for the weekday events. No unscheduled drop ins. Call (206) 369-6116 or email therichmondretreat@gmail.com for reservations.

For more information, visit http://therichmondretreat.blogspot.com/ or call (206) 369-6116 or email therichmondretreat@gmail.com