Operation Handshake was a huge success

Celebrating unity and collaboration at Glen Eden's historic Handshake-themed event

Photo by Lauren Grimsley

The three days of peace, music, nudity, and unity at Glen Eden Sun Club (GE) from June 14-16 were great fun, historic, and hopefully the start of something much greater. More than 125 people attended who were affiliated with seven landed clubs and thirteen non-landed clubs from seven states, as well as leaders from the American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR), AANR-West, and The Naturist Society Foundation (TNSF).

It was historic because it was the first Handshake-themed event held since 1969 and included opening remarks from all levels of leadership in organized nudism in the US: GE’s President Steve Spencer, TNSF President Cynthia Holbach, AANR West President Cyndi Tendick, and (now) AANR President-elect Linda Weber. Finally, Mark Storey and Kathy Blanchard of TNSF & N Magazine attended, and Mark also gave opening remarks. 

Fostering club collaboration

Many of the concerns and challenges facing the nudist community were discussed, and participating clubs were given the opportunity to share their history. There was also a brief history of non-landed/travel clubs, their original relationship with landed clubs, and how that relationship has evolved (both good and bad).

In that discussion, one very encouraging message is that we are definitely not starting at square one in terms of clubs partnering with one another. Dennis Crane of the Naturists in the OC (NitOC) spoke about how his club has partnered with nearby Olive Dell and has recently established “cross-pollination” relationships with other local non-landed clubs, including the Southern California Naturist Association (SCNA), the Olympian Club, and the San Diego Camping Bares. (See Dennis’s article about these experiences in the Summer 2023 issue of N Magazine).

The most successful collaborative activity was a presentation on nude hiking followed by a group hike on the trails that surround Glen Eden. There was also a noticeable wellness theme that included a presentation, plant-based options during the brunch, and a well-attended naked yoga class on Sunday morning.

So, how did the attendees feel about the experience? Even before she arrived, Sharron Taylor of the Mohave Sun Club said the event “sounded like it would be like it was in the 70s, and that’s a good thing.” As the event was ending, she said it was everything she hoped it would be. WNRL Life member George Hall said that he "learned so much and met so many” and that the group hike was his personal highlight.

Another attendee, Marilu Haley, posted to Glen Eden’s Facebook page: “It definitely was a great success. Lots of great information, comradery, networking, making new friends, getting reacquainted with old ones and learning so much about landed and non-landed clubs and their history in the Nudist/Naturist realm. Sharing ideas for growth in our shared love of being clothes free is truly something that is needed in today's world!”

Continuing the spirit of unity

Looking toward the future, there was unanimous support for additional unity-themed events but also a realization that we can’t just wait a year and get the band back together for another fun weekend. In the interim, we need to continue to build bridges between clubs and to better communicate with nudists everywhere about the concerns and challenges that brought us together, and to remain vigilant about new challenges that will no doubt surface.

L to R: AANR President-Elect Linda Weber, AANR-West President Cyndi Tendick, and TNSF President Cynthia Holbach. Photo by Judy Tomboc.

Perhaps the best thing about the Handshake weekend is that the senior leaders present all indicated a desire to work together for the greater good of the nudist community. Symbolically, this is shown in these photos by handshakes that include AANR West President Cyndi Tendick, TNSF President Cynthia Holbach, and AANR President-elect Linda Weber. GE President Steve Spencer, who could not attend our cake-cutting ceremony, called the event a memorable success, one that “will certainly serve as an opportunity for new directions.”

Cyndi Tendick issued a call to action for nudists in the Western Region who might support unity-friendly programs and policies to step up to run for a position on the AANR West Board. President-elect Linda Weber expressed a desire for unity projects to be developed in the other regions.

I want to thank those who funded this event as sponsors. They include Glen Eden, AANR-West, Planet Nude, and, most generously, Joel Schraan of the Kalypso Group. 🪐

More background

Join Operation Handshake

A call for unity (and nudity) in California