Chambers setting up visitor information center

Exit 212: Stanwood/Camano Island.

Food, fuel… Great Northwest Glass Quest and Port Susan Snow Goose and Birding Festival.

If the Stanwood-Camano Island 2010 Winter Tourism Committee (WTC) could change the sign along Interstate 5, they would.

Instead, they’re placing a temporary visitor information center at the Shell station just off the exit to encourage Olympic-bound traffic down SR 532.

“Everybody from Seattle to Vancouver is trying to get a piece of the action,” said Andy Egloff, a volunteer for the committee. “The competition up and down I-5 is stiff.”

The cabin-like structure, donated by Bud Nestor of Home Storage Solution, is sponsored by the Stanwood and Camano Island chambers of commerce.

John Kim, owner of Stanwood Gas and Deli, generously offered space on his property to house the center, said Egloff.

Information on local recreation areas, businesses and special events will be supplied to visitors throughout the month of February, seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Itineraries and maps for the “Quest,” taking place Feb. 12-28, and the Snow Goose and Birding Festival, which changed dates of operation to coincide with the Quest on Feb. 20 and 21, will be available.

Staffed by volunteers, the visitor center will be set up the last week of January.

Sue Hunter, WTC volunteer, said the business community is really excited for the first annual Quest.

“We’ve finalized our last flurry of activity,” she said. “A whole bunch of people from the community stepped up.”

Sixty businesses signed up to participate in the treasure hunt for “clueballs.” That correlates to nearly 225 hand-blown, glass snowballs, created by local artist Mark Ellinger, available to the public.

To participate, simply be on the lookout for the plastic clueballs placed throughout participating businesses as well as Heritage Park, Freedom Park and the beach area of Camano Island State Park, said Hunter.

Once found, return the clueball to the corresponding business (contact information will be inside the ball) in exchange for a limited edition snowball.

A list of participating businesses will be available at the Stanwood and Camano Island chamber offices and the visitor information center. The event is free to the public.

“If participants in the quest do not find a clueball,” said Hunter, “they still have the opportunity to get a snowball.”

Participating businesses will stamp a quester’s program. After five stamps are gained from five different businesses, a quester is eligible to acquire a snowball by entering a drawing set for March 10, or by purchasing one at a discounted rate.

A kickoff celebration for the Quest is scheduled for Feb. 4. Location and time has yet to be determined.

“The kickoff will be a time for businesses to learn about the Quest process and to do some networking,” said Hunter.

As an ad-hoc group of Design Stanwood, WTC is looking long term.

“Our current events require the public to use cars,” said Hunter. “We are thinking about coordinating future events around Amtrak’s schedule to capitalize on our new station.”

For more information on the Great Northwest Glass Quest, visit www.thegreatnorthwestglassquest. com. Information on the Port Susan Snow Goose and Birding Festival can be found at www. snowgoosefest.org. To volunteer at the visitor information center, contact the Stanwood chamber at 629-0562, or the Camano Island chamber at 629-7136.

Staff Reporter Adam Stewart: 629-8066 ext. 115 or astewart@scnews.com.