Visit Yosemite | Madera County Launches the ‘Welcoming Committee’ Campaign, April 1, “Our Welcoming Committee Has Been Known To Act Like Animals!”

They are fast, tough,  smart, sweet, sneaky, showy, social, and definitely loud – they are Visit Yosemite | Madera County’s official Welcoming Committee, and they are about to take Madera County, Bass Lake, and Yosemite National Park by storm with a campaign starting April 1, 2019. 

“The Welcoming Committee campaign was designed to showcase attractions in Madera County, Bass Lake, and Yosemite National Park.  It is a fun activity collecting animal trading cards from some of our most popular attractions along the Fossils to Falls Road Trip and, you can even get a chance to win a Yosemite Adventure Vacation” said Visit Yosemite | Madera County CEO, Rhonda Salisbury.

There are 7 cards to collect: Mr. Mead, the Saber-Toothed Cat; Honey, the Honeybee; Sierra, the Black Bear; BLake, the Bald Eagle; Ricky, the Raccoon; Galen, the Great Horned Owl, and Sandy, the Squirrel.

Each card provides a fun background about the animal and its attraction. The cards can be picked up at each animal’s home location.• MR. MEAD is a Saber-Toothed Cat from the Fossil Discovery Center that roamed the area 780,000 years ago.  Visit the Fossil Discovery Center in Chowchilla to pick up your Mr. Mead trading card.• HONEY is a Honeybee that pollinates the fertile lands of Madera County and the Madera Wine Trail.   

You can pick up Honey's trading card at these wineries along the Madera Wine Trail:  Fasi Estate Winery, Quady Winery, Idle Hour Winery, and Westbrook Wine Farm Vineyard and Winery.• SIERRA is a local Black Bear that shows us all there is to see and do in Oakhurst, the largest gateway town near Yosemite.  Visit the Visitor Center in Oakhurst to pick up your Sierra trading card.• BLake is Bass Lake's very own Bald Eagle who hangs out at the lake each year fishing, watching tourists, and getting his photo taken.  You can pick up BLake trading cards at The Pines Resort, The Forks Resort and Miller’s Landing Resort on Bass Lake.• RICKY is the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad's resident bandit Raccoon.  Visit the railroad to pick up your Ricky trading card.• GALEN is the Great Horned Owl that is the protector of the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias.  You can pick up your GALEN trading card at Mariposa Grove's Welcome Plaza Gift Store.• SANDY the Squirrel hangs out at Tunnel View and all-around Madera County gathering nuts and chatting with visitors.  You can pick up your SANDY trading card at the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center bookstore.
“There is so much more to see and do, along with Yosemite National Park, in our destination and having the support of our south gate entrance partners is vital to the campaign’s success, so we are very appreciative of their support and enthusiasm.  We can’t wait to see the excitement grow as visitors start collecting their trading cards!” said Salisbury. 

You can watch the animated video of the Welcoming Committee traveling through the attractions along the Fossils to Falls Road Trip on the Visit Yosemite | Madera County website.  “We are really excited about the animated video. It was built and designed by Relic Agency’s creative team out of Salt Lake City that specializes in animated campaigns and the travel industry.  We think it really showcases our destination in a fun way. It is for all ages but kids will definitely love it,” said Salisbury. The Welcoming Committee’s Yosemite Adventure Contest campaign kicks off at our partner locations on Monday, April 1 and will run until Friday, December 20, 2019.

How it words Yosemite ADVENTURE CONTEST - April 1 to December 20, 2019! Starting April 1, 2019, visit as many of the Welcoming Committee’s locations and collect as little as two of the seven animal trading cards to enter to win a Yosemite Adventure Package...the more locations you visit, the more chance you have to win and the more fun you’ll have! YOSEMITE ADVENTURE VACATION - Package Includes:* 2-night stay in the southern gateway to Yosemite (just 20 minutes to Yosemite)(we will choose the hotel, cabin, or Bed & Breakfast Inn that best fits your needs)
* $100 Visa Card for dining, souvenirs, or whatever you'd like to use it for!

*AND Your choice of one of these Adventures:All-Day Yosemite Tour for TwoGuided Hiking Tour for Two4-hour Patio Boat Rental on Bass Lake (for the whole family)Train Ride for Two Adults and 2 Children on the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine RailroadWin one of THREE Vacation Packages:  Drawing dates are:  July 1, 2019, September 30, 2019, and December 20, 2019. To see the animated video and learn more about the Welcoming Committee go to https://www.yosemitethisyear.com/Welcoming-Committee  and let the fun begin!