Nudists May Face New Facts Of Life
by: Boston Herald
The recession has forced a nudist group with a 12-year tradition of letting it all hang out in the Berkshires to find nature somewhere else next year.
The Eastern Naturist Gathering from June 22-28 could become a bittersweet sendoff for the annual event’s accommodating host, the Eastover Resort and Conference Center.
The family that owns Eastover, citing the stalled economy, decided last week to close the 500-acre Lenox resort on Nov. 1 unless a buyer is found. And there’s no guarantee a new owner would put up - or put up with - naked guests on the grounds.
“We’ve enjoyed going there,” said Nicky Hoffman Lee, managing director of the Naturist Society, the Wisconsin-based organizer of the gathering. “I just feel so bad for the family.”
Eastover, a popular setting for proms and weddings, represents more than just a facility to rent, according to Lee: It is that rare “non-naturist venue” willing to show that naturists and “textiles” can co-exist.
“You have to have a place that’s willing to host nude people,” Lee said. “It can’t offend people driving by. Eastover fit the bill perfectly.”
At the gathering, nudists enjoy workshops and activities such as yoga, nature hikes, self-photography and a water slide down Eastover’s north lawn hill. Lee acknowledged there have been some awkward moments at Eastover, given that the 62-year-old resort employs fully clothed college students in the summer.
This year’s Eastern Naturist Gathering is expected to attract more nudists than usual, perhaps as many as 600, because it could be the last hurrah for the location. Lee said the event will likely have to leave New England to find a host that can meet its needs. The group might have to go back to a campground-style get-together.
“It’s the beds,” Lee said of the attraction to Eastover. “Lots of places have the land, but at Eastover we spoiled them. They liked the indoor accommodations. It’s been more like a family reunion.”