In 1968, largely due to Roy Garret and Bud Clark, the Trumpeter Swan Trailer Association was officially initiated. In their own words:
The purpose of this non-profit association shall be to provide opportunities for its members to enjoy good-fellowship and pleasant use of their trailers at regularly scheduled rendezvous to foster friendships among trailerists; and to set an example of courtesy on the highway and of model conduct at meeting sites and in public campgrounds.
The association had regular meetups from May to September. Some sites they met up at included Musreau Lake, Woking, and Dunvegan. Several of the meetups had events like a Corn Roast or a Steak Fry. At these meetups members participated in a variety of activities. Sports were the main weekend event with the Trumpeter Swan Trailer Association. Golfing, lawn darts, and bocce ball were common competitions among members. On rainy days, crib and card games kept them entertained. In winter, the club met up for events like bowling, potlucks, and Christmas parties to keep members connected.
The local Trumpeter Swan Trailer Association was also a part of the larger organization, the Alberta Travel Trailer Association. These groups would meet at a central site in the province to hold a large trailer rally. People would drive sometimes more than a day to attend these rallies. The Trumpeter Swan Trailer Association also held rallies for the Northern Chapter of the Camping Clubs of Alberta at Barrhead, northwest of Edmonton. Sports and game tournaments dominated the weekends. On the application form for the Trumpeter Swan Trailer Association, a section asks about sports experience, showing how competitive the club was at rallies. They also asked about the musical talents of any members who joined. The applications included singers, piano players, and even a saxophonist. Given that every rally ended with a dance, musical talents were just as sought after as sports talent.
The members of the Trumpeter Swan Trailer Association were very creative and enthusiastic about their club. Among their records, there is a song about the club written by one of the members. Another member created a three-page acrostic poem spelling out ‘Trumpeter Swan Trailer Club”. Here are the first few lines:
T is for Tee time
Walking up hill and down
Whacking the ball and watching it down.
R Remember
To hit the ball straight down the grass
Now don’t you bet, you could lose your ___.
U Up late in the morning, up later at night
Surprisingly not too many fights
M Mosquitos and black flies through our screens we do find.
The language to greet them is really quite kind.
Though the club disbanded in 2008, the club of local trailer enthusiasts enjoyed themselves for 40 years!