Good Sam Club
{{Short description|Organization of RV owners}}
{{For|the warehouse store chain|Sam's Club}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = Good Sam Club
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| image = RGB-GoodSam-Membership-Horiz SignageGreen.jpg
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| formation = {{start date and age|1966}}
| founder = Art Rouse
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| type = Organization of recreational vehicle owners
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| headquarters = Bowling Green, Kentucky
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| membership = Over 1.8 million, world's largest RV organization
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| owner = Good Sam Enterprises
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| parent_organization = Good Sam Enterprises
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| affiliations = Camping World, NASCAR
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| website = {{url|http://www.goodsam.com/club}}
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The Good Sam Club is an international organization of recreational vehicle (RV) owners and the largest organization of RV owners in the world.{{cite web | url=http://trib.com/business/good-sam-samboree-in-rock-springs/article_2ec0957e-9738-5e97-823d-77a75a6d12d6.html | title=Good Sam Samboree in Rock Springs | publisher=Star Tribune (Casper, Wyoming) | date=June 1, 2013 | accessdate=24 August 2014 | author=(Staff)}} It is focused upon making RVing safer and more enjoyable, also, saving money for members through club-endorsed benefits and services. It states that it has over 2.185 million members.[http://www.goodsamclub.com/about/Default.aspx What is the Good Sam Club? RV Camping Club, RVers Online Community] It was founded in 1966, and is currently owned by Good Sam Enterprises. The organization is affiliated with RV parks and campgrounds.
Overview
=History=
Credited as the founder of the Good Sam Club is Art Rouse,{{cite web | url=http://www.nipawinjournal.com/2009/06/03/rv-enthusiasts-to-visit-nipawin-for-their-samboree | title=RV enthusiasts to visit Nipawin for their Samboree | publisher=Nipawin Journal | date=June 3, 2009 | accessdate=24 August 2014 | author=Butt, Shannon}} founder of TL Enterprises, a California-based publishing company responsible for Trailer Life magazine and MotorHome magazine. Rouse and his two sons acquired the organization in 1968 and further developed member benefits and RV-related services for which the club is known. Rouse sold TL Enterprises in the 1980s and died on June 19, 2007, following head injuries suffered as a result of a fall, at 89 years old.{{Cite web |url=http://www.resorttrades.com/news.php?act=view&id=1794 |title=The Resort Trades |access-date=2014-08-24 |archive-date=2014-08-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140826115358/http://www.resorttrades.com/news.php?act=view&id=1794 |url-status=dead }}
=Today=
Good Sam Club is based in Englewood, Colorado. The organization is currently owned by Good Sam Enterprises, which also owns Camping World (an American corporation specializing in selling parts and services for recreational vehicles and supplies for camping), Coast to Coast Resorts,[http://www.coastresorts.com/learnmore.cfm "Who is Coast to Coast?"]. Coastresorts.com. Trailer Life Publications, MotorHome Publications and the Good Sam RV Travel Guide & Campground Directory.[http://www.woodalls.com Woodalls campground guides and directory] The organization also offers additional services such as roadside assistance, RV insurance, and RV extended warranties for additional fees.[http://www.goodsamclub.com/services/ Good Sam Club Services – Roadside Assistance, RV extended warranty, Insurance, Financial, Travel Assistance services]
In 2022 Good Sam clubs across America were closed by Camping World executives.
=Membership=
=Nomenclature=
The club's name comes from the Bible parable of the Good Samaritan, which tells of a traveler from the region of Samaria who helped a person along the road who had been robbed and beaten.
RV park affiliations
In 2017, there were over 2,100 RV parks and campgrounds affiliated with the Good Sam organization in which club members receive a 10% discount on the nightly rate for staying in their parks.[http://www.goodsamclub.com/whyjoin.aspx Good Sam Club – Money Saving RV Discounts] These RV parks have to meet a minimum standard of services and appearance to be considered for association.[https://www.goodsamnetwork.com/rating/index.cfm Good Sam Network: Rating System]
Good Sam also publishes information to help members find parks that provide stated levels of services.
NASCAR
File:Marcus Lemonis at Good Sam Club 500 - November 2012.jpg at the NASCAR Good Sam Club 500 in 2012]]
The club sponsored the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race Good Sam Club 500 at Talladega Superspeedway[http://radio.foxnews.com/2011/10/21/fox-in-the-fast-lane-good-sam-club-500-at-talladega/ FOX in the Fast Lane: Good Sam Club 500 at Talladega - FOX News Radio] and the Camping World Truck Series' Good Sam Roadside Assistance Carolina 200 at Rockingham Speedway.{{Cite web |url=http://blog.goodsamclub.com/2011/08/goodsam200/ |title=Join Us for the Good Sam Club 200 NASCAR Race {{!}} Good Sam Club News |access-date=2014-08-24 |archive-date=2011-09-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110924134031/http://blog.goodsamclub.com/2011/08/goodsam200/ |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|url=http://racing-reference.info/race/2012_Good_Sam_Roadside_Assistance_Carolina_200/C|title=2012 Good Sam Roadside Assistance Carolina 200|work=Racing-Reference|accessdate=March 10, 2017}}
See also
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References
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External links
{{Commons}}
- [http://www.goodsamclub.com Official website: GoodSamClub.com]
{{Authority control}}
Category:Recreational vehicles
Category:Transportation organizations based in the United States