by PAUL RAYNER

For some, the good times, friendship and different experiences provided by the various Good Sam Samborees are enough to spend a good portion of the summer traveling long distances.

This is true of Bill and Joyce Holmberg. From Aztec, New Mexico, in the northern part of the state, they were in town for the Boissevain Good Sam Samboree, a trip of around 1300 miles. The couple joined a New Mexico chapter of the RV traveling club in 1982, and started going to the Samborees a decade later. According to Bill, there are reasons for membership that exist on different levels.

“When you join, you get a few benefits,” Bill explained. “You get discounts for camping, insurance, road service. Things are reasonably priced, so there are the financial incentives.”

As well, Good Sam is an organization that stretches across the continent. He said there are around 1500 chapters in the US and Canada, with each state or province having organizations with 10 to 150 chapters depending on population.

“There are about a million Good Sam members. There are the fun reasons for being a member. Chapters get together for smaller events like campouts and smaller trips, and then there are these bigger things. There is fellowship and good times. It is an RV club that promotes the RV lifestyle.”

For the Holmbergs’, that lifestyle has included many Samborees. Joyce said they have traveled to many over the years – Texas, Arizona, Washington, Wyoming, Indiana, Minnesota and Kansas in the US and Manitoba, Saskatchewan and BC in Canada. In fact, the one in Boissevain is their 53rd Samboree.

“Generally,” Joyce stated, “we have been going to nine or ten a year the last few years.”

Where Samborees are located varies, they said. Bill said they are often in fairgrounds, like the Ag Society grounds in Boissevain, as it helps with parking. The size of the community differs as well. Sometimes they are located in larger centres, like Saskatchewan Samborees in Regina or Saskatoon, or smaller ones like their present home.

“It is wherever we can get a place we can afford,” Bill stated. “Personally, I like the smaller communities. They are friendlier.”

Size also varies in participation, with some attracting 100 rigs, others as many as 800.

One of the attractions for the Holmbergs’ is the chance to see different sights. As Joyce stated, they often do not travel directly to a Good Sam event, but check out other areas along the way. As well, when in a community, they take advantage of tours offered. In Boissevain, that has meant things like mural tours, the community museums, and the International Peace Garden.

“We see as much as we can.”

The Samborees themselves provide entertainment opportunities. Events like beanbag baseball, card games, crafts, concerts and simple visiting are drawing cards.

They also feel Samborees contribute to the community that hosts them. The one they are involved in in New Mexico is smaller than some, with 170 rigs showing up, but their receipts typically show around $19,000 going to the community it is held in.

In fact, New Mexico has two events, a smaller one in the north held usually at Gallup, and a larger one in the south, which moves around. Next year, the southern site is a unique one indeed. They will be gathering at one of the most famous sites in that state – Roswell, the home of a suspected 1947 UFO crash and following controversy.

“We are calling it the ‘Alien Connection’,” Bill stated.

They feel people go to Samborees because of a combination of itchy feet and a desire for company.

“A lot of people do like to travel around. Good Sam people like to travel and mingle. You see new people and old friends.”

Joyce, who is the driver, said they plan to continue attending these events.

“As long as our health holds up,” she said, “and as long as my GPS system (Bill) holds up, we’ll keep going.”

As for the Manitoba/Northwestern Ontario Samboree, provincial director Bill Darvill said things were going well. The weather is not as good as it was in the community the previous year, but he hopes it picks up later in the week. The Samboree is scheduled to last from May 30 to June 4 and they have their usual array of events, including Peace Garden tours and on-site games. Their big event this year is the InClineation concert on Saturday night. Two hundred tickets are available to the local community, and Darvill hopes they take advantage of it. As well, he feels Good Sam members will also take part in the Customer Appreciation supper on Friday evening, like they did last year.

“I am sure we will have good numbers down to it,” Darvill stated. “Last year, there were about 220 people went down, so I would feel it will be similar.”

He said the turnout should be as good as the 2006 edition, where they drew around 130 trailers. There is a good mix of license plates, including American states like Wisconsin, Washington and Colorado.

On June 1, they will once again be sharing the Ag Grounds with the 4-H Rally. Darvill feels the arrangements have worked out amicably, and in fact, the annual event has been a hit with Good Sammers.

“Actually, we had people say last year they really enjoyed the 4-H part of it. They enjoyed attending the events.”

Darvill said they have been well accepted by the community as a whole.

“The cooperation with the community has been excellent,” he stated. “We have had really good support from Ed (Mayor Anderson) and his people. The cooperation from 4-H has been fine. Everything has worked well.”

Although the two-year stint of Samborees is over, with the event moving to Gladstone next year, Darvill feels participants will take home good memories of Boissevain.

“They enjoyed it here last year, and we got real good feedback. People enjoyed Boissevain. That’s why a lot came back.”

That is also true of Bill and Joyce Holmberg. This was their second Boissevain Samboree, and despite the fact they come from the Land of Enchantment, this community has also enchanted them.

“We were here last year,” Joyce said, “and it was just like coming home. We feel like we’re a part of the town.”