At this time of year we are usually waiting for the President of the United States to give us a report on the State of the Union.

I thought this would be an appropriate time for the President of AANR to give you a similar report.                      
The year of 2011 was a challenging one for AANR from an operational perspective, although the Association as a whole has never been stronger. We have seen membership num¬bers decline over the past several years, so your office instituted a year-long series of membership incentive programs that dem¬onstrated incremental but positive results in direct membership. The Membership Reach Out Program, in which letters with special re-join rewards were sent out to those who membership lapsed within the past two- to three-year period, demonstrated excellent results, bringing back a significant number of former members and donations from others.
 

If I were to define 2011, I would do so by calling it the Year of Technology Advancements. The new website was designed to maximize use of technology for public outreach, use of social media, and optimal benefits to clubs in publicizing themselves and their events. The Geek Team and Blog Squads were cre¬ated to solicit professional member support in maximizing the use of internet technology for the key AANR missions of advocacy and education, as well as marketing.

The new customer relations management/ financial database system that will be imple¬mented this year was the result of hundreds of hours by staff and volunteer AANR members who are professionals in the field of technol¬ogy. It will replace a legacy software system that seriously restricted data management, collection, and analysis by AANR staff. The new system will make it possible for members to join online in a more efficient manner. It will also make it possible for clubs to send in membership data electronically, eliminat¬ing the need for the outdated membership transmittal forms, which will go the way of the dinosaurs. Reports will be sent electroni¬cally, eliminating costly and labor-intensive paperwork. Automatic renewals, membership upgrades, and many other new functions will be available to members and clubs.

Public relations, always a strong point with AANR, has entered a new phase in which so¬cial media as well as traditional media pitches are being used. Training for regional officials and clubs is available to encourage profes¬sional and efficient use of social media for marketing.

Government affairs will also be impacted by technology. Tracking legislation has al¬ready been made easier by search engines and electronic communications of legislative agendas. Technology also has facilitated bet¬ter communication between members of the Government Affairs Team (GAT). The next goal is to utilize member support and pro¬fessional guidance in creating an electronic lobbying system. GAT has also accepted the challenge of raising the bar and increasing AANR efforts to establish nudist rights as a civil liberty in homes, clubs, campgrounds and resorts, as well as designated areas of public lands. This will be a major shift in AANR governmental focus, but one that is timely, and we are ready for the challenge.
 

The AANR office has undergone many changes. While we regret those of our col¬leagues and AANR friends who have moved on to the next stages in their personal and professional development, we have identi¬fied and selected an outstanding individual, James (Jim) Smock, to take over the position of Executive Director. Jim was selected from over 180 applicants for his diverse experience, his legal knowledge, his commitment to nudist rights, and his skills in association, financial, and office leadership. The new resources we are giving to the AANR staff will enable them to expand customer service and marketing. Already I am seeing an exciting blossoming of creativity and initiative on a daily basis.
 

I believe that 2012 will be the Year of Change. After all, change is the only constant in life. No matter how much we may find comfort in the way things “have always been done,” we cannot afford to rest in the past, but must push ourselves to make use of the resources available to us in order to grow and continue to be effective in this 21st century in which we live. Was it simpler and happier in the “old days?” Only in our memories, which have a strange way of focusing on the good times and forgetting the struggles. AANR was born in the struggle to obtain public recognition of our rights as nudists. We are continuing that struggle but are using all the tools available to make us stronger and win additional rights for our members and clubs.

Believing is Seeing By Tobin Quereau
Beliefs influence perception
Perception structures reality.
Reality suggests possibilities.
Possibilities generate choices.
Choices initiate actions.
Actions affect outcomes.
Outcomes impact beliefs.
Awareness facilitates change.
Change anywhere becomes change
Everywhere.
© 1994 Reprinted with permission.