Sam Contos was a volunteer who stood out for his exceptional hospitality. He served Cheyenne Frontier Days in a variety of capacities during his forty-five year
tenure as a volunteer. Nothing would interfere with Cheyenne Frontier Days and he worked the entire show, every year. His family cannot remember him missing a single show during this time.

Sam loved to cook. The dinner that started his cooking passion was during the
blizzard of 1949, when Sam was fifteen. In his hometown of Rawlins, passengers from stranded trains were staying in the school gymnasium, but the city was running out of food. Fortunately, there was a large produce delivery truck stuck on
Main Street, so Sam's dad, the local butcher, sent him to get all the produce they could, and then to the creamery to collect as many milk cans as possible. In this way, they managed to feed the stranded travelers, and Sam became hooked. Sam was well-known for his ability to feed large groups of people. His son, John, remembers, "He couldn't cook for three people, but he could cook for an army."

In 1966, Colonel Jack Brubaker, an active member of the Indian Committee, recruited Sam to cook for the visiting Indians. Sam helped out gladly, and became a volunteer for the newly formed Public Relations Committee in 1968 under Chairman Pete McNiff. Shortly thereafter, he became one of the first assistant committee chairmen for the PR committee. He also recruited many people to the Public Relations Committee ' at least three of whom, including his son, later became chairman. Sam was passionate about helping others and volunteering. He used to say, “You always want to give back more than you've taken," and he lived by this
creed. On the PR Committee, he fed thousands of people: volunteers, media members, Kiwanis members, Boy Scouts, city workers, governors, rodeo royalty, and celebrities like the Charlie Daniels Band. In 1988, Sam was elected into the
Heels Organization; an honor of which he was extremely proud.

This volunteer spirit remained with Sam for the rest of his life. During the last two years of his life, he was ill, but still determined to help Frontier Days in whatever capacity he could. Sam was passionate about getting people involved in Frontier Days and worked to constantly give back to his community and state.