The Knoxville, TN Old Smoky and  K-Town chapters of Good Sam Club decided to work together to help establish a Good Sam chapter in East Tennessee.  Using a Good Sam member list, they invited a number of people from the area to a meeting in spring 2004 at the Johnson City Golden Corral.  Representatives of the two host chapters made presentations encouraging invited guests to establish an East Tennessee chapter.

First organizational meeting was held on June 11, 2004 at Rocky Top Campground in Kingsport.  This campout was well attended by members of the two Knoxville chapters with fewer of our original guests attending.  Attendees Judy and Milton Paul and Deborah and Joe Ferraro held a meeting for the purpose of forming a chapter.  Mentored by Jackie Bono and Camille Sansevere from the K-Town Sams, the new chapter was formed with temporary officers: Joe Ferraro, president; Jackie Bono, vice president; Camille Sansevere, treasurer; Judy Paul, secretary.  A wagon master was not appointed due to lack of participants.  Sherry Kenny, Assistant State Director discussed By-Laws and presented a copy of the State Good Sam By-Laws to Joe Ferraro.  She explained that each chapter adopts its own version

The first official campout and meeting of the Overmountain Sams was held July 30, 2004 at Smoky Bear Campground in Gatlinburg, TN.  Using a member list provided by Jackie Bono (and also using friends as possibilities) a drive began to build membership. Not a complete list, but those remembered as being present:  Judy and Milton Paul; Betty and Phil Hicks; Beulah and J.R. Hulse; Vickie and Bob Elliott; Peggy and Andrew Renner; Sonia and Ed McKinney; Barbara and Ray Steinhoff; Cathy and Ron Hughes. 

A lot of work was done in a short time:  a chapter membership was built; a chapter constitution was developed; a set of by-laws were developed that would be approved by the chapter membership, the Tennessee Director and the national Good Sam Club. The effort to expedite this process was directed toward attending the Fall Samboree in Chattanooga when a charter would be presented to our chapter.  The membership voted to keep the officers in place for the next two years.  When choosing a name, the unique history of upper East Tennessee and the role played by the Overmountain Men in winning the War for Independence was discussed and Overmountain Sams was selected as the chapter name.  Using ideas from other logos and some original work, Deborah Ferraro designed the chapter patch.

October 1-3, 2004, the fall Good Sam Rally at Camp Jordan in Chattanooga was attended by Deborah and Joe Ferraro, Cathy and Ron Hughes, Sonia and Ed McKinney and Judy and Milton Paul.

The first weekend in October, 2004 a campout was held at Kings Holly Haven in Pigeon Forge, TN.  Those present:  Deborah and Joe Ferraro; Judy and Milton Paul; Betty and Phil Hicks; Cathy and Ron Hughes; Camille Sansevere; Sonja and Ed McKinney; Marie and Warner Cleek; Barbara and Ray Steinhoff.  Phil Hicks was elected Wagon Master.  Patch design was selected and it was agreed that each rig receive one free and pay for the second patch.  Yearly dues of $10 was approved with $5 of that going toward an initiation fee.  Full year dues would be $10 with an additional $5 initiation fee for new members.  Those who join after June would be assessed dues of $5.

The chapter constitution and by-laws were approved by the National Club; the Charter was presented to our chapter at the fall Samboree.  After the chapter was well established, Jackie Bono retired as vice president and was replaced by Ron Hughes.  Camille Sansevere retired and Sonia McKinney became treasurer.  The Charter Members of the Chapter were: 

• Jackie Bono 

• Warner and Marie Cleek

• Joe and Deborah Ferraro

• Phil and Betty Hicks

• Ron and Cathy Hughes

• Ed and Sonia McKinney

• Judy and Milton Paul

• Gail and Lowell Powell

• Andrew Renner

• Camille Sansevere

• Ray and Barbara Steinhoff