E-NEWSLETTER

August 2009

Guinness World RecordTM skinny-dip at Haulover Beach

Greetings!

Thanks to all 787 registered participants in the Guinness World RecordTM skinny-dip at Haulover Beach. Sponsored nationally by the American Association for Nude Recreation, the event was held simulataneously at more than 130 locations throughout North America on Saturday July 11, 2009 at 3 PM EDT to establish a total world record. The national count is still ongoing but as of July 23rd was 12,942.

You may view 3 online photo albums of National Nude Weekend and the skinny-dip taken by our official event photographers from our EVENTS PAGE. (Those who purchased the commemorative photo should receive it in the mail by the first week in August. Additional copies will be available at Haulover Beach.)

KEY WEST EFFORT MOVES TO THE CITIZENS

Our thanks to all those who responded to our letter-writing appeal to Key West officials. Many of you shared some truly impressive and cogent letters with us. A rather balanced account of the issue appeared in the Sunday July 18th Miami Herald.

At a Key West Commission meeting on July 21st, supporters of a c/o beach were marshalled by our ally the Key West Business Guild; unfortunately Commissioner Rossi, a supporter, was out of the country. Commissioner Teri Johnson moved to institute a c/o beach for a 1-year trial period; this motion was defeated. Commissioner Bill Verge moved to refer the issue of a c/o beach to a public referendum; that motion was approved (with Commissioner Joe Pais voting 'no').

While we would have preferred a favorable direct commission vote for a 1-year trial, the referendum keeps the issue open. Our task now is to generate positive publicity among the citizens of Key West, many of whom are dependent on tourism dollars, yet may still have skewed ideas on the concept of a naturist beach. Some public opposition is expected from some groups, although we don't know how vocal that may be.

Current SFFB/FKFB plans include several public town hall meetings to present the issue to the public; some advertising in the local media is desirable to insure a good turnout.

FUNDRAIDING APPEAL

We're going to forego further "feel-good" naturist news in this issue and instead hold out our hat for a fund-raising appeal. We wish we didn't have to, but our funds are really low.

Please read the following and if you can, please make a donation in whatever amount you can afford. (And for those who can't afford to do so, we do understand.)

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

In these tough economic times, we're all hurting, and South Florida Free Beaches is no exception. Our funds are now at an historic 10-year low. South Florida Free Beaches/Florida Naturist Association is a FL non-profit Political Action Committee. We'd like to thank those who've contributed over the years to our efforts.

We ask those who are not already SFFB sponsors or contributors to consider joining and/or making a donation to our Legal Defense/Political Action Fund.

SFFB is not a big concern with a fancy office. (Our "office" is distributed among spare bedrooms in various members' homes.) However, we try to do the best we can with very limited funds.

CONTRIBUTE ONLINE OR BY MAIL HERE

What do we spend money on?

To pay our Tallahassee legislative lobbyist Ramon Maury. Since 1994, Ray has kept us informed of legislation of concern and worked with us to defeat or modify such legislation. For more information, including our activities in the 2007, 2008 & 2009 FL legislative sessions, see our online GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS PAGE. Five skinny-dippers were arrested at Haulover in February 1992; SFFB successfully fought those charges based on standing FL law. Since 1994, attempts have been made to change that law periodically in Tallahassee. Our continued vigilance is essential.
To print and distribute naturist educational packets that are annually given to new legislators and administrators in state and local government - a necessary program to counter negative information from lobbyists employed by those hostile to naturism.
To cover expenses involved in our current programs to obtain a clothing-optional beach in Key West, and to restore traditional clothing-optional use areas in select Florida State Parks. Our Gov't Affairs Committee members are unpaid volunteers, but there are travel expenses involved in the trips to Key West and Tallahassee toward these efforts. Again, an additional expense is the production of naturist education packets distributed to concerned government officials and business leaders.
To maintain our naturist educational & informational efforts through our website, email newsletter and print publications. While we sollicit advertising to attempt to cover some of these expenses, that revenue has fallen short of costs.
To allow us to make small token campaign donations on behalf of all naturists to candidates for public office who have proved helpful in dealing with negative legislation.

Donations in any amount are needed and greatly appreciated! We want to work with you to keep Haulover's naturist beach and to move forward to provide additional public naturist use areas in Florida.

We cannot do it without your support, and we are at the point where we will have to consider eliminating some of the programs noted above.

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