FUNconventional
Awards, Initiatives, and Fun
Convention season begins each June with our Regional Conventions and culminates with the AANR Convention in August. While our conventions celebrate friendship, education, and the joy of naturism, August also brings one of AANR’s most important advocacy efforts, the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL).
This year, that work was especially critical. As of July 31, our Government Affairs Team (GAT) had reviewed more than 2,000 pieces of legislation for potential threats to our nude freedoms. Representing AANR at NCSL were Erich Schuttauf, Executive Director; myself as President; BG Parkes, Vice-President-elect; Kathy Watzel, former AANR-W Trustee and now AANR-W Director; Joe Rives, AANR-FL President; and Max Schuttauf, AANR office staff member. One of AANR’s traditions is distributing our annual commemorative pins, each designed to reflect both AANR and the host city. Those pins draw people in and provide us with a valuable opportunity to speak with legislators, staff members, and policy influencers. The relationships we have fostered over more than 35 years of attending NCSL have become an invaluable resource whenever legislation affecting nudism arises.
This year was “FUNconventional” as The Willamettans pulled out all the stops to bring back the fun for the AANR Convention. In addition to the business meetings, each day was filled with activities that brought members together to enjoy the fun, friendship, and community that are at the heart of social nudism.
The Awards Ceremony was returned to an evening during the Convention, which gave it more gravitas, and because the recipients represent the best of AANR, it felt more of an honor.
The list of the awards is included in this issue, but I would like to highlight a few of the most revered awards.
Hall of Fame is the highest award AANR bestows, and it recognizes exceptional people and their contributions to AANR and nudism. Please join me in congratulating Gary Mussell, most recently a former AANR-West Regional President, as well as outgoing AANR Vice-President Patty Faber, on this well-deserved honor.
I bestowed the Jim Cossins Award to John and Donna Mollan for their exceptional work as AANR Ambassadors. Long before the current Ambassador Program was established, John and Donna were serving as ambassadors for AANR through their enthusiasm, generosity, and countless hours spent traveling, educating prospective members, and promoting our association both across the country and internationally. Their commitment to AANR continues to inspire us today.
I also had the pleasure of recognizing our dedicated AANR staff. While many members may never have the opportunity to meet them personally, their work behind the scenes supports every member and keeps our organization running smoothly. We are fortunate to have such a talented and committed team.
Thank you to the members who took the time to vote in our Regional and National elections. It is my honor to continue representing the members as AANR President. Your faith in my leadership is the driving force to continue to improve and keep our organization moving forward. The initiatives I will be focusing on are Communication, Mentorship, and Transparency. If you would like to learn more, I invite you to read my Convention speech, available on the AANR website.
As the days grow shorter and the weather begins to cool, I hope you will treasure the memories made during this year’s convention season: the friendships made, the accomplishments celebrated, and the shared commitment to protecting and promoting the nudist way of life. Those experiences remind us that AANR is more than an organization; it is a community, and together we are building an exciting future.
-Linda Weber
AANR President