Edited by Mel Kanner AANR Trustee ———————————————————— ———————————<br>AANR Weekly Report for 01 14, 2005=20=20=20<br> From the desk of Erich Schuttauf, Executive Director: <a href=/group/AANR-NW-eNews/post?postID=tge_ho_bG0sjB1wCv2LnoIkQolerdWnScTN5wJjqvrXlZyMADIGF8r3ukOyQmf08XQr72aEQZ3o>Execdir@aanr.com</a> I am pleased to be traveling to White Tail Park today to join the AANR East team for their winter board meeting.=A0 There is a lot to talk in that region, about AANR / AANR East's progress in working for a nude beach on Assateague. =A0 This week the results of a poll of Maryland voters conducted by the same polling company using the same methodology as last year shows that we have gained another 2% support statewide for a beach there, and now have a MAJORITY who favor a beach!=A0 A=A0press release touting the new numbers has gone out, which should spur some great press. (See Below) =A0 GREAT PRESS FROM FORBES Speaking of GREAT press, FORBES.com – the website for the highly respected business magazine, has just released an article on the popularity of topless beaches, which cites the American Association for Nude Recreation as a source on the growing trend!=A0 For more information, click here:=20<br><a href=http://www.forbes.com/travel/2005/01/13/cx_cv_0113feat.html>http://www.forbes.com/travel/2005/01/13/cx_cv_0113feat.html</a><br>This marks the second time in recent years that we have been cited and nude recreation has received good exposure from Forbes.=A0 Stories like this will not only spread awareness, they help new clubs get financing, and can help us defend nudism when communities claim &quot;public nudity&quot; causes adverse effects.=A0<br>We had a recent reminder this week that this still occurs when Melbourne, Florida proposed an anti-nudity ordinance.=A0 While AANR / FANR couldn't stop that ordinance, the team was there and succeeded in getting some favorable information in the record and the city's expert's agreement on some critical issues with respect to future nude clubs and areas.=A0 For more information, please see Pat Orner's report below. =A0 AANR Kicks Off Marketing / Branding research project.=A0 This week we held our first meeting with the branding team at YPB&amp;R to discuss the (rapid!) process that the project will take.=A0 We delivered several large bags of background materials for the branding team's review including copies of our strategic plan, all the marketing materials we use, and the results of AANR membership surveys.=A0 We are eager to get started! The capable team at YPB&amp;R was selected for the project based upon their proposal, expertise, and prompt follow-up to questions posed to them.=A0=20=20 We will keep you apprised of developments in the research project as they unfold. =A0 Maryland Poll – the following press release was sent out by YPB&amp;R. It also appears on our Cyber Bulletin.<br>Contact: Carolyn Hawkins Mason Moore/Mary Jane Kolassa AANR YPB&amp;R Public Relations 800/879-6833 407/875-1111<br>SUPPORT FOR NUDE SUNBATHING UP IN MARYLAND Nude sunbathing is preferred over gambling by Marylanders.<br>KISSIMMEE, FL (Jan. 14, 2005) — According to a recent poll conducted for the American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR), by Gonzales Research &amp; Marketing Strategies =93Maryland=92s leader in public opinion polling,=94 permission to grant nude sunbathers a designated area of Assateague Island beach, if sufficient signage was posted, was favored by 50% of respondents, an increase of 2% over last year=92s results. Details of the poll can be viewed at AANR=92s website: www.aanr.com.<br>The freedom to enjoy Assateague =93au naturel=94 seems to be slightly more popular a pastime among Marylanders than gambling, whose support for allowing slots in Maryland dipped to 49% in favor, 45% opposed, and 6% with no opinion=85a slip from 55% favoring slots in 2004.=20<br>=93Apparently, Marylanders would prefer to lose more than just their shirts,=94 quipped AANR lobbyist, Don Murphy.<br>=93Enjoyment of Assateague — as the early indigenous peoples did, unencumbered by clothes — is a freedom the legislature should ensure for Marylanders and its beach visitors when the issue comes up during the current session,=94 said Carolyn Hawkins, PR Coordinator for AANR.<br>The poll surveyed 804 registered voters in Maryland who vote regularly and were interviewed by telephone.=A0 A cross section of interviews was conducted in each jurisdiction within the state to reflect general election voting patterns. In particular, approval in Baltimore City/suburbs increased from an average 39% in 2004 to nearly 50% in 2005.<br>The American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR) has nearly 50,000 members nationwide and is working to find a management or legislative solution to formalize the practice of nude sunbathing that has been an informal practice for years along certain empty stretches of Assateague Island.=A0 Membership in this organization is a passport to fun and can be purchased for less than the price of a bathing suit.=A0 For more information, call AANR at (800) TRY-NUDE, or visit them on the web at www.aanr.com<br>———————————————————— ———————————<br>From the desk of Pat Plumstead, Executive Assistant: <a href=/group/AANR-NW-eNews/post?postID=4Qenvwq9u57EogUaDn_0MCf9lxuMDzm8tzDkqJp6MQoW6Did9v3foLj3cpU__fq_Mm3ls1hFbPg>ExOffice@aanr.com</a><br>The AANR Office will be closed on Monday, January 17, 2005 in observance of Martin Luther King Day. The office will reopen on 01 18th at 8am EST.<br>EMT =96 Electronic Membership Transmittal has taken some giant steps due to the work of Mel Kanner. Mel has been updating the look and feel of this program with software tools that are now available. It has been a pleasure to work with this knowledgeable man. So get your mouse ready =85it=92s coming soon.<br>Our new website is undergoing the =93tweaking stage=94 and will soon be unveiled. If you have any changes that need to be made to your club name/address/phone/fax/e-mail or website, please send them to my attention. =20 Paradise Lakes Resort, in sunny, warm, tropical Florida is ready to welcome the attendees of the 2005 Winter Board Meeting to be held 02 17, 18 &amp; 19.<br>Has your club hosted a Chamber of Commerce or civic group function? We=92re considering an article about the value of such outreach efforts. Please let us know about your experience. Email me at <a href=/group/AANR-NW-eNews/post?postID=fcNWUTPxp-7Q3s359xY7_QDJ01ep_QOeJYntcRcu-G_LagIt3w7If_I3XUyw1OP6d1qs6chAB58>Exoffice@aanr.com</a>. Thanks to several clubs who have already e-mailed information about their experience with a Chamber of Commerce.<br>———————————————————— ———————————<br>From the desk of Linda Berry, Director of Publications: <a href=/group/AANR-NW-eNews/post?postID=9ph3boSe-SLB1xcLslLdAPIvfRIjJW6j3_8Edo6afpU2p70yX5aZokuMnpdGtmbi54diomGDWxM>Editor@aanr.com</a> The Bulletin The final proofs on the February issue will be done this weekend.=20<br>Miscellaneous The youth camp brochure has been sent to the graphic artist.<br> ———————————————————— ———————————<br>From the desk of Carolyn Hawkins, Public Relations Coordinator: <a href=/group/AANR-NW-eNews/post?postID=ObwGpdZoMONfKLGya31-QHCGawXgD6SOmC7CKPMGn5WJg7ghjoOYJsFngScp4iPyiX8Ko1K6ie7Qwbc>Clubinfo@aanr.com</a><br>We met our new representative from YPB&amp;R and look forward to working with him. There was an article in &quot;The Gazette&quot; of Baltimore, Maryland regarding the Assateague Beach poll done by Gonzales Research. You can view the article at this link.=20 <a href=http://www.gazette.net/200502/weekend/asection/255298-1.html>http://www.gazette.net/200502/weekend/asection/255298-1.html</a><br>George Morrison had a great interview with WCCO, a radio station out of Minneapolis MN. This will air at several intervals during the weekend.<br>There will be 2,150 nudists on the Bare Necessities All Saints Tour onboard Carnival=92s cruise ship Legend when it leaves Ft Lauderdale on February 7th for St Thomas, St Martin and St Lucia.=A0 This is the largest ship Bare Necessities has ever offered.=A0 Many will be first-time nudist and when they return home on 02 15 they will be looking for a club or resort near their home to continue their enjoyment of the freedom and relaxing experience they enjoyed. AANR will be on board the Legend to promote your club with your brochure at our booth.=A0 Please send your brochure to the AANR office, attention Carolyn Hawkins, by January 18th so that we can promote your club.=A0 Don=92t miss this opportunity. We will have giveaways for those passengers who register at our booth. If you are on the cruise, please make sure to stop by our booth. A special thanks to the many clubs who have already sent in their brochures.<br>We wish to thank Bare Necessities who have donated cabins which raised thousands of dollars for the government affairs program.=20=20<br>A volley of good news. —– FANR Legal Council, John Callender and I took first place in the 50 =96 64 =93B=94 division, in the tennis tournament at Cypress Cove. Since =93volley=94 means to move rapidly =96 well, that=92s what we did!<br>———————————————————— ———————————<br>From the desk of Patricia Orner, Government Affairs Assistant: <a href=/group/AANR-NW-eNews/post?postID=y7cdkXe_lzellwH7QCx6YRyGwdGjx3TkkE3SmHSPW3wmCjDy06kJ1S1aM73iNJ29y2UVzR2KXhuE1zUGHQ>Govtaffairs@aanr.com</a><br>A small success as the City of Melbourne, FL responded to our protests by including for the record that if there were an AANR club within the City limits =96 it would be exempt from the ban on nudity they passed this week. Disappointedly the press only reported that =93thongs=94 are illegal =96 which was already the case under Brevard County laws. Don=92t forget that registration will close soon for the GAT Training/02/20-21 at Paradise Lakes as seating is limited.<br><br>I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meeting of its creed:=20 =93We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.=94 I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood.=20<br>Martin Luther King, Jr.<br><br> </td>