The Weyburn Chamber of Commerce's popular program offering cheerful hospitality to campers and visitors to the city will be organized again this summer for River Park, beginning Sunday, June 1 and extending to the September long weekend.

Chamber manager Carole Coccimiglio is busy this week sending out letters to local organizations to establish a schedule for the volunteer program to host the city kiosk for one week at a time. The volunteer groups provide a free beverage and a snack to tourists and campers stopping in River Park.

"It's the neatest thing to do," she said. "We get visitors from all over the country and the U.S. They're floored when they find free coffee and they have a nice time visiting with local people."

Visitors are asked to sign a guest book and pin their home town on a large map of the continent. "The comments are phenomenal," said Coccimiglio.

This year, the Chamber will make two additions to the plan.

The Chamber will offer for sale at River Park a video featuring a self-guided tour of the city.

"The Crocus Tour will be part of it, with Signal Hill and the Soo Line Historical Museum," she said.

"It will point out the Souris Valley Extended Care Centre. It will have an explanation of the grain elevators and the oil field. If you're not from this part of the country, you have no idea of what a pumpjack is."

The second addition is a request of the different host groups to bring singers or musicians and musical instruments to the crowd on Friday and Saturday nights, if possible.

"Some groups did it last summer," said Coccimiglio. "A lot of campers bring out their guitars and mouth organs and they all jam together. We want the hosts to feel free to invite people to play music in the park."

River Park is adjacent to Highway 39 and the Souris River, and can accommodate campers, RVs or tents in 28 powered and several unserviced sites. The park is only a few blocks from the city's downtown and offers handicap-accessible washrooms and showers, picnic spots, and a fully equipped playground for children.