Please note:  Personal info in a ‘comment’ will appear as written.  For private correspondence, please use e-mail.

Badger Naturist Camp-Out

Here’s a link to their homepage: The Homestead Nych.

NAC Alert – Mazo Beach

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NATURIST ACTION COMMITTEE
ACTION ALERT

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http://www.naturistaction.org
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Copyright 2016 by the Naturist Action Committee, which is responsible for its
content. Permission is granted for the posting, forwarding or redistribution of this message, provided that it is reproduced in its entirety and without alteration.

DATE: March 29, 2016
SUBJECT: Mazo Beach Closure
TO: All naturists and other concerned citizens

Attention naturists:

This is an Action Alert from the Naturist
Action Committee (NAC). In coordination with the local naturist activists of Friends of Mazo Beach (FOMB), NAC is asking you to take specific action:

1)
Submit comments to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. The mechanism for this is by commenting on the most recent Master Plan for the Lower Wisconsin Riverway. Although the draft of the Master Plan does not suggest closing Mazo Beach, that draconian edict was announced a week after the new plan was released.

Obviously, this is seen by bureaucrats as a matter of numbers. NAC encourages you to write and to have your friends and family members write as well.

a)
You may fill out the public comment form online:
http://22.selectsurvey.net/DNR/TakeSurvey.aspx?SurveyID=l2K18651#

b) Or you may send your comments by email:
DNRLWSRMP@wisconsin.gov

c) Or you may fill out a comment at one of the upcoming public meetings. Meeting details follows.

State clearly that you oppose the closure of Mazo Beach. Suggestions for your comments appear below. Deadline for comment submission is April 8, 2016.

2)
Personally attend meetings of DNR to oppose Mazo Beach closure. NAC encourages you to speak at these meetings. For guidance, contact Friends of Mazo Beach at (608) 798-1954.

Public Meeting, Tuesday, March 29
   5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Tuffley Community Center
104 Oak Street
Boscobel, WI

   Public Meeting, Thursday, March 31
   5:00 – 7:00 p.m.

The River Arts Center
105 9th Street
Prairie du Sac, WI

BRIEF DISCUSSION
Mazo Beach is located on the upper section of the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway, a 92 mile river corridor stretching from Prairie du Sac to the Mississippi River. Mazo Beach is
one of very few remaining clothing-optional inland beaches in the United States. In addition to local users, the beach draws tens of thousands of summertime visitors from every state as well as some foreign countries.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the governing agency that oversees the management of Mazo Beach. The DNR is currently in the process of revising the Riverway’s 25 year old master plan and is requesting
the public’s input to be involved in helping them make decisions on the future management and use of the Riverway.

The past two decades have seen a series of access policy changes implemented that have incrementally
taken away either land or time from the beach. Monday through Friday, March 1 through September 15, for the past couple of years, DNR has closed the entire property to all public access both from land amd water. During last
year’s summer season, the beach was open only on weekends from 6 am to 8 pm.

Not only has the weekday closure limited the enjoyment of residents and tourists alike, but it has also impacted the livelihood of a number of
local area businesses. Those businesses experienced a decrease in business the past few summers, because with the beach open for no more than two days a week, fewer tourists have come to vacation in the area.

Moreover,
there has also been a great increase in focused efforts from a number of other sources to eliminate clothing-optional use of Mazo Beach altogether. More information can be obtained by contacting Friends of Mazo Beach at (608)
798-1954.

WHAT IS NAC DOING?
NAC asked for, and was given, a face-to-face
meeting in Madison with Department of Natural Resources Secretary Cathy Stepp and her senior staff. That meeting was useful and instructive, but it did not resolve the situation.

NAC retains a permanent professional lobbyist in Wisconsin.

NAC is working with a Wisconsin law firm to assess and fine tune further options.

NAC and FOMB have conducted extensive record gathering and research
into the actual citations issued at Mazo Beach, with particular focus on the outcome at court.

NAC and FOMB have met with the Dane County District Attorney,local and regional officials, and with local business owners in
the nearby Mazomanie and Sauk City areas.

The Naturist Action Committee and Friends of Mazo Beach continue to work closely together,as well as with other local naturists, naturist groups, area residents, and business
owners.

WHAT IS NAC ASKING YOU TO DO?
NAC is asking you to partner with us
in this crucial time and take the following specific action. The final deadline for your public input to the DNR is April 8, 2016.

Information on the Master Planning by the DNR is here: http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/Lands/MasterPlanning/LowerWisconsin/

The current draft of the Master Plan does not propose any specific change to the traditional clothing-optional usage of Mazo Beach. The Plan calls the consideration of
that matter an “administrative” matter that’s beyond the scope of the plan. However, the Plan does call for “improvements” that are calculated to appeal to a crowd other than skinny-dippers. “Changing
rooms?”

Most importantly, just one week after the most recent draft was released, DNR announced that it was immediately closing the Mazomanie unit to ALL access.

WHAT SHOULD YOU SAY?
When you’re writing, be polite and concise. Share your personal perspective of the specialness of
the beach. Explain how you are a good steward, and you care for the beach and area. Include how you improve the local economy in whatever ways you do (gas, groceries, motels, restaurants, tourist attractions, etc). Beyond their
economic importance, naturists are a responsible part of the community, participating in road cleanups, clothing drives, food drives, and other worthwhile projects.

Here are some other simple points you may wish to make:

1.
The American public supports designated areas for clothing-optional recreation. A public opinion survey commissioned in 2015 by the nonprofit Naturist Education Foundation and conducted by the prestigious Zogby polling organization indicated that SIXTY-FIVE PERCENT of Americans believe that “people should be able to enjoy nude sunbathing on a beach or other location that is accepted for that purpose?”

2.
The same survey revealed that FIFTY-SEVEN PERCENT of American adults believe areas should be set aside by state and local governments for people who enjoy clothing-optional recreation such as nude sunbathing and swimming.

3.
In its media release announcing the closure at Mazo, the Wisconsin DNR has alleged that the reason was illicit activity. Here is the historical list, from DNR’s own records, of the numbers of arrests for categories of illicit activities at and near Mazo:

..2010.2011.2012.2013.2014.2015
  A:.10…26…19…13….7….4
B:..5…16….3….0….3….2
C:…………………19…23
D:..1…22…19…34….3….4

E:..0….0….0….0….0….4
F:.16…64…41…47…32…37

A: disorderly conduct/lewd & lascivious
B: drugs
C: closed area
D: other
E: operating while intoxicated
F: total arrests

Note that after DNR created its weekday closures and declared the adjacent woods to be off-limits, arrests for the new category of entering a closed area became roughly two-thirds of the total numbers of arrests. In
their statistics, the DNR has combined arrests for disorderly conduct and lewd & lascivious behavior (DC/LL), but in 2015, therre were no arrests for LL. In 2015, arrests for DC/LL and drugs, combined, amounted to no more
than a half dozen.

4.
No facts have been provided to support the notion that nude sunbathing is a cause for the effect. No comparison has been made with crime in mandatorily clothed areas on public land. Obviously, if the “crime” is the act of public nudity itself, the reasoning is circular and flawed. There is also no evidence that clothing optional recreationists are criminally inclined or commit more crimes than other beach visitors. If other criminal conduct is in fact occurring, other enforcement or prevention options are available short of barring one class of beach visitors – on the ONLY public land in the state that has historically accommodated traditional skinny-dipping.

5.
Both our state constitution and the public trust doctrine assure us that the river is to be held in trust for us, and that we have the right to use and enjoy it forever. For the sake of the tens of thousands of beach users who enjoy the clothing-optional beach each season, as well as the local business owners who benefit from the money beach users spend while in the area, please do not close the beach.

PLEASE COPY NAC AND FOMB ON YOUR CORRESPONDENCE
You can help the effort
by letting us know what you’ve said. Please send copies of your correspondence to NAC and to FOMB. E-mail works best.

     mazocomments@naturistaction.org

friendsofmazobeach@yahoo.com

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
You can find additional information, including this NAC Advisory, at http://naturistaction.org/mazo or by visiting the NAC web site www.naturistaction.org and clicking on ALERTS.

NAC, the political
adjunct to The Naturist Society, helped establish Friends of Mazo Beach in 1992. Since that time, FOMB has worked on behalf of and represented naturists, non-naturists and business owners who appreciate and benefit from the
beach to help protect and maintain the long-standing traditional clothing-optional usage of the area. If you would like to fill out a survey and be on their mailing list, or for any other inquiries you may have about the beach,
email FOMB at friendsofmazobeach@yahoo.com.

Naturist Action Committee board member Jim Dickey is a coordinator of Friends of Mazo Beach. Local information is available on the web site of FOMB: www.friendsofmazobeach.wordpress.com

PLEASE HELP NAC CONTINUE HELPING NATURISTS!
The Naturist Action Committee is a nonprofit volunteer adjunct to The Naturist Society, a membership organization.
NAC is committed to vigorous activism on behalf of the responsible clothing-optional use of public lands. NAC has no membership roster and receives no dues money. NAC relies entirely on the voluntary financial support of
concerned naturists like YOU.

The essential response to the frightening threat at Mazo Beach has already become expensive. Won’t you please send a generous donation to NAC?

   NAC

PO Box 132
Oshkosh, WI 54903

Or call toll free (800) 886-7230 (8AM-4PM, Central Time, weekdays) to donate by phone using your MasterCard, Visa or Discover Card. Or use your credit card to
make a convenient online donation:

   www.naturistaction.org/donate/

Thank you for choosing once again to make a difference.

Naturally,
Jim Dickey
Board Member
Naturist Action Committee

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Naturist Action Committee (NAC) – PO Box 132, Oshkosh, WI 54903
Executive Dir. Bob Morton       – execdir@naturistaction.org

Board Member Jim Dickey        – jamescdickey@yahoo.com
Online Rep. Dennis Kirkpatrick  – naturist@sunclad.com
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Best of the ‘Burbs

LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!

VOTE FOR “MAZO BEACH”

DO IT NOW!

YOUR RIGHT TO GO TO MAZO BEACH

MAY HAVE BEEN TAKEN AWAY, BUT

YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE FOR MAZO BEACH

AS THE 2016 BEST OF THE ‘BURBS

TOP ATTRACTION / LANDMARK

CANNOT BE TAKEN AWAY!

A BIT OF HISTORY:

Last year we had an opportunity to show our support for attractions and businesses in the Mazomanie area when Madison Magazine (known for its “Best of Madison” annual readers’ poll) did an inaugural “Best of the ‘Burbs” poll asking people about their favorite suburban spots.

A BIG THANK YOU to all the beach users who logged in and voted to let their love for the beach be known along with their support of local businesses in the Mazo area.

 

For those who may not know, the end result was…

“2015 BEST OF THE ‘BURBS” ATTRACTION / LANDMARK: (drum roll, please…)

MAZO BEACH!!!   Yes, MAZO BEACH – FIRST PLACE!!!

 

In addition, our votes helped get a dozen local businesses the recognition they greatly deserved:

Best bakery – The Old Feed Mill, Mazomanie (3^rd place)

Best bed & breakfast inn – Walking Iron Bed & Breakfast, Mazomanie (1^st place)

Best bowling alley – Black Earth Lanes, Black Earth (1^st place)

Best restaurant & burger – Wall St Gallery & Bistro, Mazomanie (2^nd place)

Best community newspaper – News-Sickle-Arrow, Mazomanie (2^nd place)

Best fish fry – Bay 5 Diner, Mazomanie (2^nd place)

Best florist – B-Style Floral & Gifts, Mazomanie (1^st place)

Best grocery store – Carr Valley Cheese, Mazomanie (2^nd place)

Best hair salon – Cloud Nine Salon, Mazomanie (1^st place)

Best library – Mazomanie Free Library, Mazomanie (1^st place)

Best neighborhood bar – R&J’s Saloon, Mazomanie (1^st place)

Best neighborhood bar – The Shack Bar & Grill, Black Earth (2^nd place)

 

As you know, this past year more than ever before there have been ongoing attempts to portray Mazo Beach in a bad light – claiming that it damages the reputation of the area, it hurts local businesses, and is an embarrassment to local residents.

For the past three years beach access was restricted to weekends only, and a few weeks ago the DNR announced Mazo Beach would be completely closed every day of the week effective immediately until further notice. With that abrupt decision, they are clearly ignoring the fact that this very popular clothing optional beach draws in thousands of people literally from all over the world and greatly helps the local economy.

Thus, last year’s recognition of MAZO BEACH as the MOST POPULAR “LANDMARK / ATTRACTION” came at an ideal time.

BUT EVEN MORE IDEAL WOULD BE

IF MAZO BEACH IS ABLE TO REPEAT

THE HONOR AS MOST POPULAR TOP

“LANDMARK / ATTRACTION” THIS YEAR!

HOW CAN YOU HELP MAKE THAT HAPPEN ???

Go IMMEDIATELY to madisonmagazine.com/burbs

Register and sign in

Vote once a day / every day until March 31^st

for your favorite places.

Most important –

Write in MAZO BEACH as your favorite Attraction/Landmark

While at the site also please consider voting for other businesses you want to support in the Mazomanie and Sauk Prairie areas.

Again, this year with the DNR’S closure of the beach, its more important than ever before that the beach finish in 1^st place. 

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE vote every day,

Get the word out immediately online so others can vote,

and help your beach loving friends get signed up to vote.

*** Click here to Vote ***

(Note:  Voting can be done daily!)

WANT TO KNOW MORE SIMPLE WAYS YOU CAN HELP THE BEACH?

Contact Friends of Mazo Beach

friendsofmazobeach@yahoo.com

608-669-1952

And watch FRIENDSOFMAZOBEACH.WORDPRESS.COM for an upcoming Action Alert

Closed

You heard correctly — Mazo Beach has been closed by the DNR on 3/8/2016.

DNR Press Release Link

 

Friends of Mazo Beach is meeting with the DNR to address this decision, as well as working together with the The Naturist Society’s Naturist Action Committee and legal counsel.  Contact FOMB for the latest and most accurate information regarding beach closure.  Much needs to be done very quickly, so if you care, let it be known in order to be added to the database.  If you haven’t submitted a beach survey within the past 12 months, DO SO IMMEDIATELY! (link to a survey form)  If you want to be more actively involved in ensuring the beach’s future, clarify what you are willing to do – ie: be on the steering committee, help behind the scenes, write / call various officials, etc… IF NOT YOU, WHO?  IF NOT NOW, WHEN?

OK TO BARE FEST – Halloween Party

OK TO BARE FEST

ITS TIME TO PARTAY !

October 30^th – November 1^st, 2015

THREE DAYS / TWO NIGHTS !!!

West of Madison

FEATURING

spacious pool – hot tub – steam room – sauna – health club –

games – quizzes – contests – dancing – food – fun

BRING

Creative spooktacular Halloween costume *

Devilishly delicious dish to share *

Jack-o-lantern for contest *

Room decorations *

Towel and lawn chair

BYOB: bring your own brew (no cash bar)

Green energy ($) for Skinnydipper Shop purchases

Food or money for our annual food pantry contribution

* great prizes given to quiz and game winners and food pantry contributors

as well as best potluck items, costumes, jack-o-lanterns, & room décor.

DIRECTIONS

Yadda Yadda Hwy Blah Blah Blah:

[ie: Directions upon confirmation of reservation.]

BN & FOMB respect the request for discretion

expressed by the management of this 5-star facility

It’s mandatory that all participants also respect & honor this request

Please be sensitive to the preciousness of this winter activities facility

BONUS

Saturday night is the big partay,

but there are extra treats and games for those arriving Friday

RESERVATIONS

For more info, call: 608-798-1954

Admittance by reservation only

ABSOLUTELY NO WALK-INS.

Reservations from

Badger Naturists & Friends of Mazo Beach honored first

Reservation form & payment deadline is October 26^th

COST FOR SATURDAY/SUNDAY

( party from 11am-11am, potluck dinner, & Sunday brunch )

Rooms available for 1 to 4 people

Call 608-798-1954 for info.

COST FOR FRIDAY NIGHT OPTIONAL

(TNS MEMBERSHIP APPRECIATION NIGHT)

If you have a room for Saturday night, this adds the same room for Friday night.

Call 608-798-1954 for info.

COST FOR SATURDAY EVENING ONLY

( no room; party only from 5 pm – midnight, and potluck dinner )

Call 608-798-1954 for info.

COST FOR KIDS

As always, all younglings are welcome to come for free

(for they are crunchy & taste good with ketchup)

Final 2015 Adopt-A-Highway Cleanup

The final adopt-a-highway cleanup this year is scheduled for October 10^th.  Meet in the parking lot around 10am.  Let us know if you plan to join in with other wacky road warriors in their efforts to find unusual “treasures” while ridding a small area of the world of garbage. As usual, treats and drinks provided to fuel the body, followed by a trip up the road to Sauk to enjoy the customary free treats so generously provided by Culver’s.

Mazo “Wild West Days”

September 11-13

As many of you know, besides being a fun event, Mazo Wild West Days – a staple event for 57 years – is the community’s annual fundraiser for all of the local non-profits. These organizations are an important part of what makes Mazo a great place to live, work, and play. The efforts of the non-profit organizations have helped make Mazo one of the “Top Ten Coolest Towns” in the nation. This year’s theme is “Keep Mazo Wild!”

Friends of Mazo Beach is a member organization of the Mazomanie Chamber of Commerce (as well as the Sauk Area Chamber of Commerce). As a member of the Mazo Chamber we have an opportunity to fund raise while contributing to an important awesome event that is a strong traditional part of Mazo.

One way of contributing is for us to be a sponsor for the Wild West Days. Some of the sponsorship benefits include having Mazo Beach and logo on the official WWD T-shirts and Mazo Beach being promoted in a News-Sickle-Arrow ad as well as website and sponsor signage.

Since this is an ideal opportunity to get great “exposure” for Mazo Beach we have chosen a sponsorship level of either Gold ($750) or Platinum ($1000) – depending on how much can be raised quickly. THIS CONTRIBUTION NEEDS TO BE DONE RIGHT AWAY TO BE ABLE TO GET MAZO BEACH PROMOTED ON THE T-SHIRTS. With only about a half dozen sponsors on the shirts, we will be prominently displayed. T-shirts are given to all volunteers and will also be sold at the event.

PLEASE!  ANY AMOUNT, LARGE OR SMALL WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED…

CONTACT US RIGHT AWAY FOR MORE INFO ON HOW YOU CAN FINANCIALLY CONTRIBUTE TOWARD OUR GOAL.

CONTACT INFO:     608-798-1954    FRIENDSOFMAZOBEACH@YAHOO.COM

Another way of contributing is to volunteer your time to help make WWD a successful event. In addition, for every hour you put in, the WWD Association will pay back an hourly wage to our designated organization. VolunteerSpot is being used to organize the event, so with a simple online signup you just choose your spots and will receive an automatic confirmation and reminders. Volunteer spots are still available from Tuesday, Sept 8^th thru Wednesday, Sept 16^th.

AGAIN, CONTACT US FOR MORE INFO TO VOLUNTEER.

On Saturday (Sept 12^th) the Community Corral provides space to help promote local organizations, groups and businesses. We have an opportunity to set up a display table and give out information about Mazo Beach if we so choose. This would require people getting involved in the planning process as well as some people to man the table.

IF INTERESTED IN HELPING PLAN OR MAN THIS PUBLIC RELATIONS TABLE, PLEASE CONTACT US.

On Sunday (Sept 13^th) the WWD parade will be showcasing bands and floats, and we have an opportunity to have a Mazo Beach float in the parade if we so choose. We have some absolutely fantastic ideas for a float, but need more people with ideas, skills and time involved in the creation to pull it off as well as people to be in the parade.

IF YOU WANT TO TAKE PART IN THE CREATION OF A MAZO BEACH FLOAT FOR THE PARADE, CONTACT US.

Even if you can’t help make it happen, hopefully you can support the event by coming and having some fun (fireworks, carnival, helicopter rides, karaoke, western costume contest, live music, etc). See their website for more information.

MILLION POUND CHALLENGE – Results

A BIG THANK YOU to all who participated in this event!

This spring 50 beach users formed a Friends of Mazo Beach team to participate in the Princeton Club / Second Harvest “Million Pound Challenge”. This is an annual event in which group participants choose a food pantry they would like to help, and Princeton Club gives $10 worth of food to that pantry (thru Second Harvest Food Pantry) for every hour participants exercise. Participants exercised wherever they chose, any way they chose, and weekly logged in exercise times on their computers. We had participants on our Mazo Beach team from as far away as Miami, Florida and Vancouver, Canada!

For those who may not know, the end result was…

TEAM FRIENDS OF MAZO BEACH finished the competition in FIFTH PLACE out of 195 teams!   WAY TO GO!!!

More importantly, together we reported enough total exercise hours to provide over TWO TONS OF FOOD delivered from Second Harvest to Sauk Prairie Area Food Pantry in our name! Not only were we able to help local residents in need, but at the same time provide another example of beach users being good stewards of the area we love and care about.

Let us know if you want to join in the “Million Pound Challenge” next year to break our own record. Let’s make next year’s goal “FIRST PLACE”!

HILLBILLY FEST

HILLBILLY FEST

July 11th 2015
Come celebrate Nude Recreation Week!

Bale Hay
Skinny Dip
Play Games
Play Volleyball

Catered Dinner Saturday – 5 pm
Live Band Saturday Night – 5:30 pm

Toadally Natural Gardens
Call 262-673-2919 for details
Hartford, WI

2015 FOMB Survey

Please take the time to fill out the FOMB 2014 Survey / Mailing List Update as soon as possible.

Click the link below for the Word document:

FOMB SURVEY 2015

Mail the completed survey to:
FRIENDS OF MAZO BEACH, PO BOX 42, SAUK CITY WI 53583-0042
or e-mail to friendsofmazobeach@yahoo.com

All information provided is kept strictly confidential, but valuable information has been gained by being able to number crunch and provide statistical information to the DNR, legislators, and others who have power to decide how the beach is managed.

As always, if uncomfortable answering any question at any time, just don’t answer it and move on to the next question.

Remember, a survey must be filled out each year to be on the current mailing list.  (Also, in addition to keeping you updated with current accurate beach information, the mailing list is used for sending off-season activity invitations – the infamous Halloween Party, etc…)

With all the arrows pointed at the beach from various directions this year, it is more important than ever before to both let your voice be heard and to be able to stay informed as changes occur.

Thank you for caring and letting your voice be heard!

And thanks to the tens of thousands who have taken the time to do surveys since 1992. The statistical information provided in the surveys has many times proven invaluable in providing information to the various powers that be, and continues to play a major role in helping keep Mazo Beach clothing-optional.

So, if you agree with the following statement, click on the above link to be a part of making a difference.

2015 FRIENDS OF MAZO BEACH SURVEY / MAILING LIST UPDATE

(kept strictly confidential)

“I support FOMB’s efforts in representing me and my interests, and working on my behalf and behalf of other naturist and non-naturist users from various user groups along with local business owners to help maintain our rights to use the public lands of Mazo Beach in a harmonious, respectful manner. I support the continued inclusion of long-standing traditional clothing-optional usage of Mazo Beach on the Wisconsin River as a part of a multi-use management plan for the Mazomanie Unit of the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway. Whether or not I choose nude recreation as my personal option, I oppose any action by the DNR or any other public officials to restrict or eliminate such usage. I strongly urge public officials to allocate the resources to make my visits to the beach safe and enjoyable, and I request that priority be given to preserving this site for the many who use it each year in a clothing-optional manner.”

[If uncomfortable answering any question at any time, do not answer it.]