USAnudist.com

In the mid-1990s, Travelites developed the East Coast Nude Chili Cookoff, the first of which was at White Tail Park in VA as a friendly wager between friends from one of the early online bulletin boards.

The following year, the event was at Serendipity in GA with Whispering Pines next. In 2006, Travelites planned to resurrect the fun and camaraderie and decided to have a Carolina Chili Cookoff. All Carolina landed clubs and some nonlanded clubs were invited to compete. Cedar Creek in SC graciously offered to host it in their spacious new clubhouse. Travelites happily accepted the offer especially since Cedar Creek had an indoor pool and hot tub.

This year, January 13th was the date decided on for the East Coast Nude Chili Cookoff, and Cedar Creek again was happy to fulfill Travelites’ request. The “all natural cooks” using mostly all-natural ingredients started arriving by 2:30 in the afternoon. By the time of the 5pm judging, about 65 revelers arrived with 16 competitors presenting their concoctions. The number of attendees grew by the end of the judging.

Every one in attendance were winners. The certificate awardees for the BARE-able chilis were: 1st Place was given to Richard Allgrim (The Augusta Naturists), 2nd place was awarded to Ron Campbell (Cedar Creek) who repeated his performance from 2006, 3rd Place went to Tom Bella (Cedar Creek) for his entry, and Honorable Mention was given to John and Susan Shaw (Cedar Creek).

Cedar Creek’s social committee will hopefully approve the date of January 12th, 2008 . Make plans now to have a fun time with great people.

Many thanks to the 5 Judges from Cedar Creek and Travelites as well as the Travelites club member who helped to get the tastings to the Judges from the cooking pots.

Photos can be seen in the CherisTravelites Yahoo group. This story and photos have been distributed to TNS as well as AANR.
Hugs, Cheri
http://pages.prodigy.net/travelites
http://www.travelites.info/cheri.html

Club Weekly Report
January 12, 2007

Erich Schuttauf, Executive Director

Martin Luther King Holiday a Time for Reflection
This weekend, as the nation reflects on and honors the memory of this civil rights leader, it’s worth noting that, despite so many advances that have been made towards equality, there is much more to do.

It’s also worth mentioning that, in many ways, your association has worked to preserve important rights that we cherish – from our freedom to speak and publish, to our right to peaceful assembly and to petition government. AANR, its regions, clubs, officers, and members have spoken up for those rights in state legislatures, the U.S. Congress, federal courts, and even in the U.S. Supreme Court.

Some may not be aware that AANR recently assisted an attorney representing a man in his petition requesting asylum in the U.S. out of fear that he will face severe punishment on return to his home country of Armenia simply for having advocated organized nudism there. AANR supplied expert testimony (that was acknowledged as highly credible by an immigration law judge) and case law that is being used to prepare his appeal. Thank you for all that you make possible.

In observance of the holiday, the AANR office will be closed Monday, January 15, but will reopen on Tuesday.

THE DUCK teams up with AANR!
There’s more good news this week on the subject of participating businesses. Now, AFLAC insurance and AANR have inked an agreement to make two insurance plans–one covering accidents and the other providing supplemental cancer coverage–available to AANR members at special member savings. Many of you have heard about AFLAC, which advertises with the quacking duck who always seems to be on hand when people are discussing their insurance needs.

Within just a few weeks, AANR will have a link to AFLAC’s special program description for AANR from our membership benefits page on aanr.com. We will also provide the web address in all-new member benefit “wallet cards” being prepared for our new member kits, as well as a story in the March issue of The Bulletin about all of our participating businesses.

AFLAC is a credible name in the insurance field, and we’re pleased they’re working with the credible voice of reason for nude recreation.

Three FROM AANR attend Partners Outdoors
This week AANR President John Kinman joined Danielle Faber of Shangri La Resort in Arizona and AANR Government Affairs Coordinator Pat Orner in attending Partners Outdoors at the Arrowhead resort in California . Partners is an incredible opportunity for those involved in recreation in the private sector to work in small groups (about 30 people per group with over 100 in attendance overall) with officials from the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, and other agencies. The workshops tackle current issues, most notably of which this year was getting more youth to enjoy the outdoors. Danielle, as a college student, was invited to serve as a PANELIST during one of the public forums with the entire conference gathered. She did a great job representing youth and AANR.

A more comprehensive report will be coming as Pat Orner returns to the office.

Carroll County, Virginia
This week AANR worked to convince the county attorney and other officials to modify language in an ordinance being proposed to regulate adult entertainment. Despite numerous telephone calls and faxes in a dialog between AANR and the attorney’s office, ultimately the measure passed into law as written on Tuesday. AANR and NAC appear to be the only groups who responded, so perhaps nudists and naturists are doing some of the best jobs tracking legislative developments these days! Thanks to all from both groups who are working to make the public aware of the broad-brushed sweeping effects that laws targeting adult entertainment often have on those who enjoy simple nudity. You can read more about how events unfolded in this online account: http://www.galaxgazette.com/articles/2007/01/12/news/news02.txt

NEW PAGE ON AANR.COM IS LIVE
The Nudist Events page at http://www.aanr.com/nudist_events.html is live. This section of the AANR website features news about upcoming AANR, regional, and club events. All regions and clubs are invited to submit upcoming events that are open to the public. Please submit event dates at least one month in advance. Advertising opportunities are also available, and this is a great place to showcase your club as visitors to the website will be checking the events happening in their area. To add an event, e-mail clubhappenings@aanr.com and specify that it’s for the website. For advertising, e-mail bulletinads@aanr.com . Hurry, space is limited on this page.

AANR Marketing Consultant Program Update
By Sharon McLeod

You want the application process streamlined and AANR makes it happen!

We listened to you and to our highly skilled Marketing Consultants. We heard you say that the application for this program is easy to fill out, but doesn’t share the right information. Without the “right stuff,” the process can take a wrong turn, often consuming unnecessary time before getting back on track.

The new application removes unnecessary requests for information, adds queries for needed details, and provides faster ways to transmit the information directly to the AANR office.

AANR and its Marketing Consultants are eager to provide your club with valuable marketing assistance. For many clubs, this is the perfect time of year to start—before the busy summer season gets underway!

You can access this application today simply by saving the file attached to this report. You can also get the application anytime in the Club Services Library of Materials section of the AANR Web site, by calling the AANR office, or by sending an e-mail request.

So what are you waiting for? Send an e-mail now (www.MarCon@aanr.com) or call 1.800.trynude for marketing assistance!

Linda Berry, Director of Publications
THE BULLETIN
The February issue is in final production. We’re scheduled to go to the printer on Wednesday morning.

Carolyn Hawkins, Public Relations Coordinator
AANR Board Meeting
The board meeting is rapidly approaching. Lake Como is having their Bike Week the same weekend so you will need to make reservations early.

Lake Como 813-949-1810
Paradise Lakes 866-794-6683 – 1-866-swim-nude or 1-813-949-9327
Caliente 800-326-7731 or 1-813-996-3700
Gulf Coast Resort 727-868-1061. If you are interested in camping, Gulf Coast may have a little more camping space.

Remember the cruise will be returning on February 13th and the board meeting follows. If you are planning to stay at these resorts, I would suggest making reservations as early as possible as they offer packages for the nude cruisers before and after the cruise.

Publicity
Check out the link below regarding the interview with the author of the book, Over Achievers, on O’Reilly Factor. Go to http://www.foxnews.com/video/0,4861,4,00.html then scroll down to O’Reilly Factor, & click on Party Naked.

I had an interview with Marcus Tilley on the “Tilley Talks Travel” show out of St. Petersburg . This was very positive and Marcus is very much a nudist himself.

We are still working with a show called “Spotlight On” and will keep you posted as we continue.

Tasha Diamant, an artist, writer, and teacher, is not a nudist. She is not comfortable with her body, but does share many common nudist ideals. Her Human Body Project is an outlet for her concerns about the condition of humanity.

Diamant stands naked in a room, while people walk in, look at her, and silently spend time thinking and observing. For those with a need to write, paint, draw, or speak, there are “self-expression stations” available.
Explaining her reasoning for the project, Diamant says “At its most essential, in this project I have decided to use my own (non-professional, non-cosmetically altered, 45-year-old) naked body to create a felt, as opposed to intellectual, understanding of what we all are: flawed human beings in a fragile physical package.”

In her HBP event January 13 in Calgary, participants get a bonus. Diamant is eight months pregnant. “I knew when I found out I was pregnant that I wanted my pregnant body to be part of my project,” says Diamant. “If you’re addressing the issue of vulnerability, as I am, pregnancy adds a deeper layer.”

“As a mother, most particularly, I feel an ever-deepening urgency to do whatever I can do to move humanity forward—and I need to believe that movement is possible. As a person, I struggle with what appears to me to be a common condition, disconnection: disconnection from myself, from my fellow humans, from joy, from life. As an artist, I started the Human Body Project to create healing, awareness and connection for myself and for others.”
The Human Body Project website is http://www.humanbodyproject.com

Nudism or Naturism is one of the fastest growing types of outdoor recreation in America. The benefits of nude recreation are something you have to experience to appreciate.

No matter what your feelings before, when you first try nude recreation, your attitudes will forever be different. There is usually very little time required to gain confidence and begin to enjoy your new life. Nudism is a well known, legal form of recreation, as well as a lifestyle for many people. There are Resorts and Clubs all over the country providing a safe and comfortable place to experience the clothing optional or nudist experience.

Nudism is not a sexual adventure; it is more a self-discovery like none you’ve dreamed of. You will find no material on this site that is inappropriate for any member of the family. There are no images depicting anything other than healthy nudist behavior.

Nudists are your neighbors, your children’s teachers, your Doctor, the old lady down the block, the kid delivering your newspaper, your Minister or Priest, your waitress, the Police Officer… In other words, anybody you meet on the street or anywhere in your life very likely could be a nudist.

Nudists demographics point out the average nudist is just that; AVERAGE. We are found in all walks of life and every socio-economic class. Don’t be surprised to meet an old friend or business acquaintance in a nudist resort. It is a very common occurrence.

If you are not familiar with nudism, or naturism as some call it, please take the time to read the material presented here. There are many misconceptions about Nudism that may be answered for you in these pages.

If you are already familiar with nudism, please grab your towel and make yourself at home. You know the rules.