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January 2017
• The President's message
• SFFB wants your feedback!
• Beach Ambassador training
• God's Garden: Naturist Christian
group in West Palm Beach, FL
• SFFB January Board meeting
• Tampa Area Naturists reactivated
• Mid-Winter Naturist Festival
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UPCOMING EVENTS:
January 1, 2017
Treasure Coast Naturists
New Year's Day
Polar Bear Plunge
Blind Creek Beach
Fort Pierce, FL
January 8, 2017
Sanibel Naturists
Annual Meeting
Northport, FL
January 14, 2017
SFFB Board meeting
Haulover Beach
Miami, FL
January 15, 2017
Crossed Oaks Haven
Travel Club
Annual Bowling Trip to
Cypress Cove Nudist Resort
Kissimmee, FL
January 15, 2017
Tampa Area Naturists
Beach meeting
Location TBA
Tampa area, FL
January 21, 2017
Winter Concert Series
featuring Zak Shaffer
Eden RV Resort
Hudson, FL
January 27, 2017
Annual Membership Appreciation Weekend
Cypress Cove Nudist Resort
Kissimmee, FL
January 27-29, 2017
AANR-Florida Midwinter
Board meeting
Sunnier Palms Nudist Park
Fort Pierce, FL
January 27-29, 2017
Age of Aquarius Weekend
Sunsport Gardens
Family Naturist Resort
Loxahatchee Groves, FL
January 28, 2017
CottonTail Corner Nude Swim
Hardisty Fitness &
Leisure Centre
Edmonton, AB, Canada
January 28-29, 2017
Beach Ambassador training
Blind Creek Beach
Fort Pierce, FL
February 5, 2017
Southern California
Naturist Association (SCNA)
Super Bowl Pot Luck
and Chili Cookoff
Victorville, CA
February 16-21, 2017
Mid-Winter Naturist Festival
Sunsport Gardens
Family Naturist Resort
Loxahatchee Groves, FL
February 18-19, 2017
25th Annual Kite Day
(clothed event)
Skyward Kites, Inc.
Haulover Park
Miami, FL
February 18-19, 2017
AANR / SCNA booth at
Los Angeles Travel &
Adventure Show
(clothed event)
Los Angeles Convention Center
Los Angeles, CA
March 3-12, 2017
16th Annual Super Bowl South
Mega Volleyball Tournament
Lake Como Nudist Resort
Lutz, FL
March 11, 2017
Southern California
Naturist Association (SCNA)
Mardi Gras Party
Altadena, CA
March 18-19, 2017
17th Annual Lovers' Cup
Tennis Tournament
Lake Como Nudist Resort
Lutz, FL
March 25, 2017
CottonTail Corner Nude Swim
Hardisty Fitness &
Leisure Centre
Edmonton, AB, Canada
April 9, 2017
25th Annual Dare to Go Bare
5K Run & 2.5K Walk
Lake Como Nudist Resort
Lutz, FL
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Join South Florida Free Beaches
Beach Education Advocates for
Culture, Health,Environment
& Safety (B.E.A.C.H.E.S.)
501(c)(3) nonprofit educational and charitable adjunct of SFFB
Find a nude beach group to join!
The Naturist Society
Body acceptance is the idea.
Nude recreation is the way.
Learn all about Haulover Beach! Click on above image to download this informative, 20-page booklet, pick up a free copy from a dispenser unit at Haulover Beach, or order by mail (S&H, US$5.00 in U.S. or Canada, US$10.00 elsewhere). Send request to address below (in e-mail version of newsletter).
Bringing Together the Largest Nudist Community in the World
nusasun.com
Gay Naturists International, Inc.
Life is Great; Live it Nude! ©
Find a men's naturist club or naked yoga group to join!
Read GNI BuffBuzz, GNI's official blog, updated semi-monthly.
Looking for naturist places in Florida?
Click on above image to search for naturist clubs, resorts, yoga classes, and other businesses statewide. See alphabetical and geographical listings and an interactive map. Also includes a list of beaches.
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January 2017 President's Message
by Richard Mason
Happy Nude Year 2017!
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As 2016 comes to a close, I want to thank all the members and supporters of South Florida Free Beaches / Florida Naturist Association, Inc. (SFFB/FNA) for their loyalty, volunteerism, and mentoring of Haulover's naturist beach. I also want to thank our corps of Beach Ambassadors (see related article below) that donate their time to Haulover Beach for their commitment to the safety of all beach visitors, for dispensing information to many of them, and for speaking up for naturist beach etiquette.
As we enter 2017, we are into the 26th year of Haulover's naturist beach, founded by members of South Florida Free Beaches and kept open all these years by their mentoring of the beach and SFFB/FNA's successful, government affairs relationship with Miami-Dade County officials. Our professional, paid lobbyist in Tallahassee and Miami-Dade County has helped us defeat anti-nudity legislation in the state legislature and also prevent bills that would have had a negative effect on Haulover from reaching the floor for a vote.
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We want your feedback.
SFFB is interested in your comments and recommendations. Send us an e-mail or write to us at the address at the bottom of the left-hand column. |
South Florida Free Beaches is entering its 37th year since a small, hardy group of skinny-dippers at Virginia Key incorporated in the State of Florida as a nonprofit to fight the City of Miami's closure of their clothes-free beach. That lawsuit failed, but lessons were learned that led to the establishment of Haulover Naturist Beach.
Haulover Beach has had many attacks on it from the Florida Legislature over the years, with anti-nudity bills and other clothing modification amendments being introduced in efforts to make mere nudity a serious crime. SFFB/FNA, its lobbyist, its allies in and out of the legislature, and our grassroots efforts have been successful in defeating all legislative efforts, and the right to be nude in our designated, ⅓-mile (536 meters) beach area continues.
First serious concern: We are now faced with a new threat to our naturist beach. The percentage of visiting and regular beachgoers who wear clothing appears to increase each month. Haulover's naturist beach is a public beach and therefore requires the label of a clothing-optional beach. But "clothing-optional" are the code words for a nude beach.
New visitors who want to try the nude beach experience as well as old-time naturists feel uncomfortable when they find themselves surrounded by clothed beach visitors. Most are minding their own business, but there are always a few that ruin a naturist's beach experience by their rude behavior.
Secondary issue: These clothed visitors take up the limited parking spaces in the North Parking Lot as well as at the north end of Parking Lot No. 1. (That is the lot with several "Lake Haulovers" in the middle of it.) We have received phone calls from visitors complaining about the issue. One new visiting couple stated they would not be returning because they did not want to be "eye candy" for gawkers.
SFFB/FNA's position: Haulover Beach's designated naturist beach was established by naturists for naturist recreation. That means Haulover's naturist beach is a nude beach. There are exceptions for couples of whom only one person wants to be nude and for visitors with a medical condition or a physical handicap.
• Florida has over 866 miles of sandy beaches for beach visitors who prefer to wear clothing while at a beach.
• Florida has only one-third of a mile of an officially designated naturist beach where patrons can be nude.
• Haulover Park's coastline has 1.7 miles (2.7 km) of sandy beach. Of that, 1.4 miles are reserved for people who want to wear clothing on the beach.
• All the amenities on this beach were obtained through efforts of SFFB/FNA and B.E.A.C.H.E.S Foundation Institute.
• The shower on the beach near Lifeguard Tower 15 was designed and built by B.E.A.C.H.E.S with its funds and funds donated by SFFB/FNA plus a small grant from the Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department.
This subject will be discussed at the January 14, 2017 meeting of SFFB's Board of Directors as we seek solutions to the issue. See below for the dates, times, and location of Board meetings in 2017. In the meantime, if you want to discuss the issue with a clothed beach visitor, be very careful in the words and tone you use and be attuned to their sensitivities.
The Florida Legislature
The elections are over and the new members of the Florida Legislature are meeting before this year's legislative session to establish committees, vote on leadership, and set priorities for 2017. Our Tallahassee-based lobbyist, Ramon Maury, is on the job already, introducing himself to the new members and renewing friendships with members returning from previous sessions. With 60 new members out of a total of 160 in the House of Representatives and Senate combined, this session will be eventful, and we will keep you informed through this newsletter.
If you are not a current member of South Florida Free Beaches, please consider becoming one — numbers matter. At $35 per year for your household, it costs just 67¢ per week. A key benefit is the continued, clothing-optional use of Haulover Beach. How much is that worth to you? Join at sffb.com or fill out an application on printed page 7 of the Naturist Beach Guide booklet found in the news dispenser boxes on Haulover Beach.
Even if you're not ready to (re)join just yet, please consider donating to SFFB/FNA's Legal Defense & Political Action Fund (not tax-deductible) to help with current challenges. Thanks!
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Beach Ambassador training in Fort Pierce, FL
Do you spend a lot of time on Miami's nude beach? If so, you have a chance to give back by volunteering as a Beach Ambassador (BA) to help maintain naturist standards on Haulover Beach and keep it safely nude for all to enjoy. Sign up for and attend a training to become part of a wonderful corps of volunteers.
BAs serve as beach monitors and greeters, a combination of block watch and welcome wagon. For their service, BAs at Haulover Beach get a cool hat, ID badge, and free parking on their duty days. Seasonal residents are welcome to participate in the Haulover Beach Ambassador Program.
Trainings usually take place on Haulover Beach. The next Beach Ambassador training, however, scheduled for Saturday, January 28, 2017, takes place in Fort Pierce, FL (with in-service training and social time on Blind Creek Beach the next day). Led by SFFB and B.E.A.C.H.E.S., it is hosted by the Board of Directors of Treasure Coast Naturists (TCN) for current and prospective BAs from Friends of Blind Creek Beach (a subsidiary of TCN). Current Haulover BAs are also welcome to attend.
TCN is seeking BA volunteers who:
• deal well with others and want to participate in the Blind Creek Beach Ambassador Program
• reside year-round in St. Lucie, Martin, or Indian River County
• frequent Blind Creek Beach
• accept TCN's Beach Etiquette and Mission statements
• will join TCN ($20 per household) prior to the above training.
If you have any questions, or qualify (as outlined above) and wish to sign up for this month's training session in Fort Pierce, contact TCN immediately to request an invitation to register. (The registration deadline is January 14.)
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Naturist Christian group in West Palm Beach, FL
God's Garden is a naturist Christian community in West Palm Beach, FL. Its motto is "Connecting Christians through Naturism." Nudity is welcome but not required.
Moderators Mike and Victoria Stewart say, "We seek to further our understanding of the Creator and connect to Him with like-minded, authentic Christians. We strive to be an alternative to organized religion. Please join us in God's Garden as we celebrate life the way He intended."
Benefits of God's Garden:
• Hope, peace of mind, and growth through faith-based discussion
• Increased levels of self-acceptance and confidence
• Friendship and support of each other as unique children of God
The people of God's Garden believe that salvation is through Christ and personal acceptance of His Gift.
"The man and his wife were both naked and they were not ashamed." (Genesis 2:25)
For more information, e-mail Mike and Victoria or call (954) 829-9911.
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SFFB Board meeting
The Board of Directors of South Florida Free Beaches meets on the second Saturday of every month at 2:00 p.m. under the North Chickee (thatch-roofed shade structure) near Lifeguard Tower 15 on Haulover Beach unless another date and time or location is announced. See below for the long-term schedule. Any planned exception to this pattern is noted with an asterisk.
The meeting is open to SFFB sponsors / members, supporters, and invited guests. Prior to setting out, check the upper left-hand corner of SFFB's home page at sffb.com (under Today's Beach Reports) for any change in date, time, or location due to unavailability of Board members or in case of inclement weather, when the meeting may take place indoors.
Don't miss an SFFB Board meeting — add the schedule to your calendar now!
| January 14, 2017 |
February 11, 2017 |
March 11, 2017 |
| April 8, 2017 |
May 13, 2017 |
June 10, 2017 |
| July 8, 2017 |
August 12, 2017 |
September 9, 2017 |
| October 14, 2017 |
November 11, 2017 |
December 9, 2017 |
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Tampa Area Naturists renews drive for nude beach
Tampa Area Naturists (TAN), a B.E.A.C.H.E.S. chapter group, is getting reactivated to pursue a clothing-optional beach in the Tampa Bay area. TAN is looking at potential new locations. Here's how you can help right now:
• "Like" and share TAN's new Facebook page at facebook.com/TampaAreaNaturists.
• Visit TAN's website at tanfl.com and either join TAN (select Membership) or ask to be added to its e-mail list. TAN is also looking for Beach Ambassadors (see related article above) and other volunteers.
• Attend a beach meeting, tentatively scheduled for Sunday, January 15, 2017. For more info or to get involved, contact John Palm, TAN President.
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Six days of fun, growth, and community in the nude
29th Annual Mid-Winter Naturist Festival
Thursday – Tuesday, February 16-21, 2017
Sunsport Gardens Family Naturist Resort
14125 North Rd, Loxahatchee Groves, FL
(14 miles west of West Palm Beach)
Reminder: Join other naturist men and women and their families from Florida and the rest of North America for the continent's first regional naturist gathering in 2017. Come for any or all of the days — it's up to you!
This nude gathering features more than 280 scheduled activities, including a broad array of seminars, workshops, sports, music and dance (including nightly drum circle around a huge bonfire), and social activities. There are also several off-site events, which include canuding on the jungly Loxahatchee River and excursions to Haulover Beach in Miami and Blind Creek Beach in Fort Pierce, FL.
The Mid-Winter Naturist Festival is one of a series of Naturist Society-sanctioned nude events each year. Diversity is valued, and all are welcome. Pre-registration is encouraged for planning purposes, but not required. (It makes check-in quick and easy.) Proceeds of the Festival benefit The Naturist Society and South Florida Free Beaches. Get details and/or register.
Be sure to visit the SFFB / B.E.A.C.H.E.S. booth in the vendor area. Volunteers are needed to help staff the booth each day of the Festival. If you can spare some time to cover one or more shifts, please contact Richard Mason.
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Click above for a video tour of Sunsport Gardens
Family Naturist Resort with Morley and Anne.
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Help get the word out! The Festival has a listing on Facebook. Click on Going or Interested if you will or may attend, and use the Share button to invite your friends, post the event on your timeline and in other naturist groups you belong to, and send it in a message.
Meanwhile, try Sunsport Gardens' nude drumming circle, every Friday from 9 p.m. to midnight. (The first Friday of every month is a little more elaborate.) Free entry starts at 5 p.m.; visitors must depart by 2 a.m. Includes use of amenities such as the café, showers, pool, spa, and sauna. You must present your government-issued photo ID for admission. Get directions.
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