The Sauder Historical Village is in the small town of Archbold, in the northwest corner of Ohio. You will find this lovely compound in the expansive acres and rich farmland as the country roads line the patchwork of fields spanning miles and miles. The quaint town of Archbold is the home of the Sauder Furniture factory and the many other Sauder family businesses. This charming location enticed 46 LTV owners to join us for the 2023 fall rally. The Sauder Village Campground is nestled behind the Historical Village and overlooks the “Little Lake Erie,” complete with bird watching and walking trails. This rally was our largest attendance to date (by one LTV). We welcomed many new owners to the LTV family, and old friends met up again.
For the first time, the Leisurely Great Lakers held their group gatherings under the “Big Top,” a large tent erected near the campground loop. The Big Top was a welcome shelter as the fall weather brought both wind and showers. The group has made a tradition of kicking off the rally with “appetizers and introductions”, a potluck with yummy snacks, and meeting all of our attendees and learning just a bit about them.
The Sauder Village complex, in addition to the Historical Village, is also home to the Doughbox Bakery and The Barn restaurant. The group dined at The Barn on Friday and Saturday evenings in their group dining room, appropriately called the “Feed Lot.” A delicious buffet and wonderful homemade desserts left our crowd with full stomachs and the opportunity to converse with new and old friends.
Our rally agenda was well-rounded and provided sessions that appealed to our diverse group. This fall, fire safety was a hot topic within our group, and we were pleased the local Archbold Fire Department was available to share fire safety tips with us. A few lucky members also tried their hands at extinguishing a fire with a state-of-the-art fire extinguisher and fire simulator. We learned that sweeping motions work best, and most extinguishers only supply a minute or two of fire suppression.
Educational sessions included “Internet on the Road,” “RV Solar Upgrades,” “Simplify your (RV) Life,” and “Alaska and the Western USA Travelogue.” The highlight of this year’s Tech Talks was “Benz Friends” with Sprinter Tech Advisor Andy Culver from Mercedes Benz Easton, Columbus, Ohio, sharing his knowledge with the group. Additional fun sessions included a Souper Easy Soups Vitamix demonstration, a “Make-it Take-it” session, and a quick and easy kitchen towel “snap hack.”
Many in the group took advantage of the autumn sunshine and spent the afternoon touring the Historic Village, which included a steam train ride and craftsmen dressed in authentic period costumes.
It wouldn’t be a rally without the “Open House” tours and our “Swap Meet,” where some folks sold items they no longer used or needed while others found bargains!
While the fall rally closed out the season for many attendees, it was just the beginning of the travel season for LTVers who spend the winter months in locations warmer and sunnier than the Great Lakes States!
Written by: Bobbi Blue
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