Minor found at nudist gathering
Seth Loy
news editor
Minnesota Naturists, a nudist group, caused a tiff at Southview Athletic club one recent Saturday night by allowing an underage boy to attend a "Swim & Fun Night."
Southview owner Scott Richardson said the group has booked his facility, located at 260 Marie Ave. E., West St. Paul, nine times since he took over the club a few years ago.
The organization has about 180 members, and on average around 40 to 50 attend the swim nights. They rent the athletic club after other patrons have gone home, Richardson said, and arrive like regular gym-goers, pay their admission fees and use the club's swimming pool, volleyball court, hot tub and other amenities.
When asked about sanitation issues, such as bare bottoms on weight-machine benches and exercise bicycles, Richardson said there was no need for concern as the group's members must wipe down the equipment just like everyone else. They even tape over the gym's doors and windows during the two-hour gatherings, so that passersby can't observe their activities.
"They rent the gym after hours on a Saturday night. They come and they swim, play volleyball, do whatever it is they do," Richardson said.
The nudist group's occasional Saturday night rentals were fairly routine, Richardson said, until Nov. 18.
"I got a call from the manager who was out there (during) the event and she said one of the families brought one of their children, a 14-year-old boy."
A representative from the group told the manager that the gatherings are "not sexual" and that it isn't illegal for a child to attend.
"I said I had a problem, regardless of what (the group does) - that it was against better judgment in my opinion - and it was left at that," Richardson said. "I called police to back myself up, and the police assured me it is not illegal - if a family wants to raise their kid that way they are free to - but if I wanted to put an end to (the group's meetings at the athletic club) it was certainly within my right."
Richardson told the group that children aren't permitted at future social gatherings. The nudists are still welcome to use the athletic club, he said, but so far he has not heard back from them.
It costs about $400 to rent Southview for a few hours each night. Richardson also rents the club to church groups, school groups, for dances and other activities.
Don Kelly, president of the Minnesota Naturists, said there is nothing unusual about a child attending one of the club's Swim & Fun Nights, though it's not a common occurrence.
"This was the second time (that female employee) had been managing one of these events," Kelly said. "We don't have a lot of kids that come."
According to one of the group's brochures, children usually are "very matter of fact and accept nudism for what it is, something perfectly natural."
"Being a naturist and nudism are the same thing," Kelly explained. "Nudism is not a sexual activity, and people get confused sometimes and equate nudism with sex."
Kelly said his group has decided to look for another club at which to host its Swim & Fun Nights.
Members of the Minnesota Naturists are both young and old and come from a variety of backgrounds: a human resources manager, an employee at Andersen Windows, couriers and office workers. Some naturists are devout churchgoers, while others are not, he said.
Their mission is to "expand the opportunities for people in our region to be nude (individually and socially), to increase public acceptance of nudity, and to advocate public policy that is more accepting of nudity."
North of the Twin Cities, the group has two campsites - Oakwood and Avatan - where large nudist gatherings are held and couples go to relax. Other Minnesota Naturists activities include trips to the beach, an annual volleyball tournament, strawberry-picking excursions and get-togethers at members' homes.
Seth Loy can be contacted at sloy@lillienews.com or at 651-748-7815.
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