Volume 1, Number 4 / November 1998

Email List Server
The Sauna SIG
The Recruiter
Naturally Magazine Subscriptions
Naturist Symposium
In Memory of Rick Perkins
Naked Volleyball
Did You Know
Trip Report
Membership Information

Email List Server slugs@listbot.com Remember, this list server is for you, the members, to use as a discussion forum. We have about 90% of our membership subscribed to it. If you're not on it and wish to be, please send an email to slimetrail@yahoo.com and we'll get you added. You will receive an email which you will need to reply to, and you'll be on. We would like to have all our members on it so we can use it as a way of getting current and late breaking news to. Hopefully we can also get some good discussion going as outdoor events again become feasible. But, of course, maybe we can get a nude cross-country ski trip going, or maybe a nude snow-shoe trip as well. How about it - who's interested in that? Let us know. back to top

The Sauna SIG By James Kramer Aspecial interest group devoted to traditional Finnish sauna has been formed in cooperation with Fraternity Snoqualmie. The informal group will have the Sauna facilities at Park Forestia as a sort of home base on the second and fourth Saturdays through the off-season months October through April. Some of these regular meeting dates may have an occasional change of venue in order for us to have a variety of Sauna experiences. The main purpose of the Sauna SIG is to allow each participant to enjoy the many benefits sauna as closely as practicable to the Finnish traditions as they have developed over the centuries. We hope to increase awareness and respect for these traditions and enliven a culture of sauna users. Specifically, we believe that sauna is to be shared by both sexes and all ages in the nude with proper sauna etiquette. Because Park Forestia is generally closed to non-nudist visitors in the off season and the gate house is closed at our meeting time of 7:00 pm on Saturday, there are some restrictions. Only members of Fraternity Snoqualmie, Sun Lovers Under Gray Skies, and those persons who have been screened through the State of Washington sex offender listing will be eligible to meet at Park Forestia. Further, each participant will be required fill out a Forestia Visitor Registration card if they have not done so already. This registration card is a release from liability for any injury. The cost for each session at Park Forestia is as follows: Sun Lovers Under Gray Skies and FM members and pay $7.00 which includes after hours admission to Park Forestia, use of the sauna, and a $1 kick-back to Sun Lovers Under Gray Skies. Fraternity Snoqualmie members are expected to contribute at least $1.00 as a donation to the new sauna building fund at Park Forestia. The costs for other venues will be determined as the plans are made. Sauna should not be a test of endurance nor is it any sort of contest. Each individual person has their own likes, dislikes, limitations, and personal goals. Our goal as a group should be to encourage but not to coerce each other to discover the many variations in the sauna experience. Through our activities together we should seek to strengthen the spirit of naturism between us. As leader of the Sauna SIG I would like to personally extend an invitation to all those interested in Sauna to contact me, James Kramer, via E-mail at slugling@wiredweb.com. Note to SLUGS and Forest Murmers members: When you arrive at the gate at Park Forestia between 6:30pm and 7:15pm, flash your headlights and James will come out to meet you. Please have your club ID at hand. We will ask you to fill out a Forestia Visitor Registration card on your first visit. If you have never tried sauna and would like to experience it in a safe, enlightened setting or, if you have enjoyed sauna for some time but wish you were with a group of serious sauna users, then this is the group for you! Sauna is healthy, relaxing, and fun! Come discover its many benifits with like-minded people and enjoy reduced stress, less illness, and cleanliness of the inner as well as the outer body! Bring at least two towels- one for you to get wet and another with which to finally dry yourself. Here's our schedule for next few weeks: Nov 14th Sauna SIG meets at Park Forestia 7:00pm in the sauna and pool area. James will present the Practical Sauna Workshop! Come and experience sauna like you may have never experienced it before! Learn how to make sauna work best for you and how to enjoy it in a group setting. Find out how to have your own sauna and discover how sauna has evolved into what we know it as today. This is a full participation workshop for both beginners and experienced users! Nov 28th Thanksgiving weekend sauna. Sauna SIG meets at Park Forestia 7:00pm in the sauna and pool area. Note to SLUGS and Forest Murmers members: When you arrive at the gate at Park Forestia between 6:45pm and 7:15pm, flash your headlights and James will come out to meet you. All are welcome to join in on the festivities! back to top

The Recruiter Every member of the SLUGS is encouraged to look for opportunities to recruit new members. SLUGS brochures will soon be available to give to friends and associates. On October 24,1998, the SLUGS had 49 active members: 23 single memberships, 11 couple memberships, 1 family membership; 32 male and 17 female. That is a 20% increase in members since the last newsletter. Keep up the good work and invite new people to join and encourage other SLUGS who have not renewed their membership to do so. back to top

Naturally Magazine Subscriptions for SLUGS Members The publisher of Naturally magazine has made subscriptions (4 issues per year) available through the SLUGS, with a small amount to be retained by the SLUGS. Naturally normally has a subscription price of $21.95. As a member benefit, we would like to offer a 10% discount on that price. You get Naturally for $19.50. For each subscription purchased through the SLUGS, your club will retain $2.50 to support our activities. If you would like to subscribe, just send a check for $19.50 to the club address. back to top

Naturists Host First-Ever Legal Symposium to Study "Non-Sexual Nudity" Contact: Bruce Frendahl E-mail: brujude@juno.com Website: www.sffb.com MIAMI-Over one hundred people including 27 expert speakers from a wide range of human endeavors spent this Columbus Day weekend 'discovering' whether the unadorned human body is a natural state of being or a threat of some sort to society. The occasion was the first-ever national legal symposium on the subject entitled "Non-Sexual Nudity: Threat or Benign?" Held at the Florida International University campus in North Miami Beach, the symposium attracted psychologists, writers, anthropologists, sociologists, historians, artists, and theologists, as well as members of the public and naturists from the U.S., Canada and Europe. All were concerned about legislation in recent years which disrespects the U.S. Constitution, makes criminals of people who engage in innocent noninjurious activities and recreation, and severely hinders body acceptance. Playing a major role during the sessions were several well-known attorneys from across North America, who presented documented legal cases over the years regarding the human body and its exposure in various societal situations. The symposium, sponsored by the Naturist Education Foundation and South Florida Free Beaches, also offered CLE credits for lawyers interested in familiarizing themselves with the subject matter. A number of attendees from the legal profession seized the opportunity to earn 10 to 15 CLE credits from various state bar associations. Also in attendance and addressing the conference were attorneys and Florida State Representatives Sally Heyman (D.-North Miami Beach), whose position as Vice Chair of the Florida House Crime and Punishment Committee makes her uniquely aware of anti-nudity bills and public and government attitudes; and Barry Silver (D.-Boca Raton), who once successfully represented Gloria Gonzalez, the thong-wearing hotdog vendor in Palm Beach County. Attorney David Wasserman, known statewide for his representing both naturists using traditionally nude beach areas and adult entertainment interests, told the group to be active politically, and to "keep doing what you're doing to insure freedom for future generations of Americans." He warned that a small minority in America "want to impose their narrow religious views on everyone.' Attorney Jim Green who has long represented naturist issues under the banner of the ACLU of Florida, and most notably Palm Beach area naturist activist T.A. Wyner, said that unfortunately most judges don't treat naturists like other people in legal situations. He suggested poking fun at restrictive clothing-based laws, asking what government's interest might be in covering the human body. Professors Dr. David Allyn of Princeton and Dr. Paul LeValley of Florida State and Florida A&M Universities, and anthropologist Dr. Dana Raphael of the Margaret Mead and Human Lactation Institutes, among others, testified to the long history and societal acceptance of the nude form in both everyday life and in art. Documented evidence indicated that bathing suits were only invented in the mid-19th century, and prohibitions against public nudity are fairly recent. Retired University of Connecticut clinical psychology professor Dr. Donald Mosher cited an 18-year Family Lifestyles Project study at UCLA in which children brought up in a body-accepting environment were deemed to be better adjusted and prepared for adult life than their peers. Even the Christian religion, the speakers pointed out, from whose politically-active wing comes most of the legislation seeking to cover the body, has a solid history of accepted public nudity. It was noted that the church commissioned artists to depict nudity dating back to Biblical times. Attorney Doug Triggs, who has closely studied religious political groups behind such legislation, advised naturists to continue to separate simple nudity as practiced on beaches and in nudist resorts, from sexuality, which is often tied to negative secondary effects on communities. The symposium included a bus tour of South Beach, where topfree usage and thong swimwear became popular in the mid-80's due to the strong influence of European and South American tourists seeking to bring their bathing customs to Florida. The tour also stopped at Haulover Beach's northern end, declared clothing-optional since 1991 by symposium co-sponsor South Florida Free Beaches, and sporting county signage to that effect since last year. The consensus of the symposium was that the nude human body, devoid of sexual behavior or intent, offered no real threat to society. In fact, physical, emotional and spiritual benefits participants derived from activities such as skinnydipping and nude sunbathing, or merely being in a nude state, clearly outweighed any perceived need for clothing-based restrictions. Equally clear was the inherent benefit of familial nude recreation, as documentation presented by social experts denounced fears of children's exposure to non-sexual nudity, as often claimed by detractors. A number of speakers also advocated freedom for women to be topfree in Florida and elsewhere, pointing out its general acceptance in Dade County and a landmark New York State Supreme Court victory in 1986. Symposium organizers were clearly pleased with the successful results and the keen interest generated over the weekend. Director Shirley Mason declared that the symposium was only the first in a continuing series to be conducted in the near future at other sites around the country. "This issue is too important to ignore, because it affects every individual in our society," stated Mason. "It must be brought out into the light and studied, even if it disturbs the comfort of some people. Too much is at stake here—constitutional rights, personal freedom and the future of humanity." back to top

In Memory of Rick Perkins You'll Always Live On In Our Hearts A man once touched into my life, Just for a very short while. The reason he affected me so, was His gregarious, inimitable style. We had some deep conversations About some very rare things. We philosophized and wondered About love and even usual dreams. We'd both touched upon subjects Few Americans ever explore. We'd discussed Eastern philosophies and how For Americans that usually was an unopened door. The Ancient One even claimed We left him in the dust, But maybe he was just shyer And didn't have our trust. We seemed to let it all hang out And left no stone unturne1d. Now as I look back and see It was getting close to his end, And he needed to know in his soul, He had an unflinchable friend. We talked about personal things Which most people try to avoid, But every part of us believed That all of life is sacred, you see And we surely weren't hiding anything When we felt okay to be naked & free. Rick seemed to understand That all of life should be open And not even covered by a fan, Or hidden away in our hearts & minds Because all of life is so worthwhile And all is a part of the divine. So as I end this poem of mine, Remember our friend Who was part divine, yet Very earthy, you see. He tried to teach us all By being an example and free, And just know within your hearts We'll meet him again to share eternity. In Memory of Rick Perkins Written on September 24, 1998 By Joi Joi is the former bodypainter of Black's Beach in San Diego, Ca. who has kept the art form alive for 20 years there. She is at it again in, now in central Florida. Joi met Rick in his chatroom enjoying deep conversations with Rick. "We definitely got more said than, 'How's the weather out your way?' I have missed his room already. Trying to keep his Slugs alive will be a tribute to him also. It might take a whole team of you to do it, but that will be ok, I think with Rick. Artistically & Naturally, Joi." Dear SLUGS, Rick had such a healthy mind about the world in general and the harder subjects to discuss, so his father needs to be very proud of him, as I am sure he is. The poem was also a tribute to how well a stranger could communicate his healthyness to strangers. He is one of the few, rare people to help me feel comfortable with him so fast. He helped me reveal many of my personal thoughts so quickly and help me have the trust in him to do so, with such ease, due to this trust. In the next newsletter let the Slugs know Cybernude Dave told me he was putting in the poem about Rick this weekend & so they can see it there along with other poems by me, mainly about our beloved Black's Beach. Also feel free to include my bodypainter_joi@yahoo.com address with the poem next month, in case anyone would like to write to me about the poem or poems, ok? Artistically & Naturally Yours, Joi Wreck Beach has placed a small article about Rick on their main page. Dear SLUGS, It is with sadness that I read of the passing of Rick. Rick had been active in nudist chat rooms for years and has a large number of friends. I had heard Rick was ill but was unaware of the seriousness of it. We had not communicated since the chat room on his web page went down. Sincerely, Bob Burns Portland Oregon Dear SLUGS, Great thanks will flow from all Naturists, as well as others touched by the inimitable spirit of Rick Perkins, for ministering and administering at his passing. Lee Baxandall President, The Naturist Society A letter received from: Events Unlimited Publishing Company PO Box 317 Newfoundland, NJ 07435-0317 (Publishers of Naturally Magazine) Dear Slugs: Our heartfelt condolences go out to you on the loss of Rick Perkins. We have not yet learned how or why he died, only that it was untimely and therefore so much more sorrowful. He has also been a good friend to us over the years, and we will miss him too. Rick wrote a number of articles for Naturally magazine and had kept us informed about naturist activities in the Washington and Vancouver areas. We were also supportive during his development of RLP2 and the Northwest Nudist Notebook. I have to smile at Mark Storey's mention of his long telephone calls. His phone bills must have been astronomical. I never met Rick face to face — which I deeply regret — but I knew him to be a warm, gentle, and dedicated man, whose naked soul will be well received. Yours in Kinship, Bern Loibl back to top

Naked Volleyball Northwest’s “Nude Night Out” By Ernie Ludwick and Claudia Kellersch Starting November 14th, we will be initiating nude volleyball night at the Northwest Volleyball Center in Tukwila on Saturdays when no nude swim is scheduled. The heated, indoor facility features 5 professional quality courts, showers, and a vending lobby. We are renting the facility from 8 PM to midnight. Admission will be $7.00 for members of any naturist organization, $9.00 for others. There will be beginners' classes, and one court will be reserved for beginner play. Refreshments will be offered as well as board games and other less strenuous activities for the less athletically inclined. League play will be organized between teams representing their clubs, or organized at large. In addition to several teams formed from open play, we hope to have 2 Fraternity Snoqualmie teams, 2 from Lake Bronson, 1 from LARC, and others from naturist clubs as far away as Kaniksu and the Willamettans. If all goes well, the league will continue with outdoor play rotating among the landed clubs when the sunny season begins. To register your team, fill out the team roster below and return with the first night's admission fee of $7.00 / $ 9.00 per person to: Ernie Ludwick, 4083 156th Ave SE, Bellevue, WA 98006. Phone: (425) 641-9824. To register as a single player, or partial team, mail the names with $7.00 / $ 9.00 each. You will be added to a team or have players assigned to your team. Note that USVA or equivalent rules will be used. There is no requirement that teams be coed, although we recommend it! Teams will provide their own officiating. Further events will depend on the level of participation, so invite all of your volleyball-playing friends or those interested in learning or bettering their game. Directions: NW Volleyball Center, 18475 Olympic Ave S, Tukwila; from I-405, go about 1.7 miles south from exit 1(on the West Valley Hwy). Turn right on Todd Blvd into the South Center South business park. Turn left at the "T" (Olympic Ave), NWVC is on the right. To Newbies: Although clothing is optional, this is not sexually oriented or voyeuristic. It is for the enjoyment of athletics in the nude tradition of the original Olympic games and to promote clothing optional beach play and free body culture. You will be asked to leave if you make anyone uncomfortable. Bring: 1. a towel to sit on between matches 2. Gym shoes 3.. An open mind. Team Name: _______________________ Sponsor, or Club Name:_________________________ Players' Names (plus alternates): 1) Captain:_________________________Phone:__________________ 2)________________________________ 3)________________________________ 4)________________________________ 5)________________________________ 6)________________________________ 7)________________________________ 8)________________________________ # of players _____ x $ 7.00 / $ 9.00 = $_________ (enclose check) We must collect first night admission in advance to gauge interest and secure the facility. If pre-registration fees do not cover facility rental expenses, we reserve the right to reschedule or to refund fees. You will be notified. back to top

Did you Know? In the book of Genesis, Noah is caught naked by Ham and old Noah condemns the literal hell out of him for it? But..., if you read it again carefully, Ham made fun of his father. That was the big sin. Shem and Japheth, on the contrary, showed proper respect for their father who was not merely naked, but stone drunk, by covering his condition with a sheet. To make it clear that it was not the mere fact that he was naked that they covered him, Michelangelo, in a mural in the Vatican apartments, painted both good, reverent sons walking backwards to cover Noah, just like Bible says, but he painted them totally naked, too! There's also a Rafael mural in the Vatican showing Noah supervising the construction of the ark, and although he happens to be clothed in that one, all the workers building the ark are stark naked. Must've been how carpenters worked in those days. back to top

Trip Reports Howard Williamson There haven't been too many trips taken in this transition period of our weather cycle, but I did make one exploratory trip to an area that I've been wanting to check out. It is called Juniper Dunes Wilderness area and is located northeast of the Tri-Cities. It is desert sand dune country and has about 8,000 acres fenced off to motor vehicles. The great thing about this place is that, for all practical purposes, there are no people there. I hiked nude there on two subsequent days and the sign in sheet showed I was the only person that had been there for an entire week. I'll be doing a feature article, with photos, in an upcoming issue. Stay tuned for the announcement of an overnight SLUGS trip into this area next spring when the desert flowers are blooming. back to top

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