GOOD SAM'S • A
large crowd camped out at the Juab County Fairgound
last weekend. The crowd was honored with the
originator of the club, Raymond Joens and is wife.
Joens received a plaque from the group.
AWARD • Bernie Vorhies, state director
right, honored Raymond Joens and his wife, Abbie,
as founders of the Good Sam Club on Thursday.
By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
The Good Sam's Club held their Jamboree in Nephi this
past week.
At their award ceremonies on Thursday evening, they
honored Raymond Joens and his wife, Abbie, as founders of
the Club.
They also honored the Ute Salt Shakers as Chapter number
one, a distinction the group has held for the past 35
years.
Bernie Vorhies, state director of the Good Sam's Club,
said the Joens were living in Roy when Raymond Joens had the
idea of contacting a camper's magazine and requesting that a
way be devised for all campers who would be interested in
being helpful if another camper broke down on the road.
"He contacted the 'Trails-R News' and requested that
subscribers to the magazine have a way to identify each
other so they could be helpful to one another," said
Vorhies.
Art Griffin, editor of the magazine, decided to print a
Good Samaritan Bumper Sticker and offer it to the first
1,000 to request a sticker, said Vorhies.
"Within 10 days all the bumper stickers were gone," he
said.
That is where the logo originated for the Good Sams.
Unfortunately, Raymond Joens, even though the idea was
his Joens was not granted the first number, but Bill Wilson,
Idaho Falls, was granted number one.
Since the bumper stickers were so popular, Griffin
decided to form clubs with free memberships, and present
those members with the logo bumper stickers.
In this instance, the first three chapters formed were in
Utah. The chapters were formed in the Vista Parking lot in
1968. Salt Lake City, Provo, and Ogden all were formed that
day.
Later, said Vorhies, "Trail-R News" was merged with
"Trailer Life Magazine." At that time, the editor of the
publication wanted to charge a membership fee for all those
belonging to charters.
Some did not like that idea, thinking the formerly free
memberships should continue.
"Some quit paying memberships, but the Salt Shakers did
not, so they kept the number one designation," he said.
Joens now lives in Sunset but was honored for the
beginning idea of creating a group of Good Samaritans who
would help one another and thus being responsible for the
camper's organization which is now worldwide.
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