Standing on the bow of me mighty office chair after weeks of navigatin’ through printers, proofs, and the dreaded ‘Whirlpool o’ Misspellings’, yer Chamber is shoutin’…

“Hoist the sails!  We’ve done it!  Thar be a map to foller to treasure and glory!  Gather ‘round, ye landlubbers, and let ole Captain Chris regale ye with a tale of adventure, discovery, and strategic partnerships!”

Okay, you may need to cut me a little bit of a break with this article.

I don’t know if it’s the weeks of rainy weather, the fact that I had a rather significant birthday over the weekend, or the fact that we’ve built a real-life treasure map, but the child in me produced a first draft of this write-up that was 500 words of pirate-talk.  My team intervened on your behalf, sitting me down and reminding me that since “Talk Like a Pirate Day” isn’t until September 19 (which just happens to also be the first night of the Bloomsburg Fair.  Sounds like an opportunity, by the way), I should probably tone it down.  Anyway, we’ve got a map, and we’re incredibly proud of it.

The Chamber’s Thriving Communities Map is ready for you to distribute to your customers, visitors, and friends.  It's more accurate than a GPS with a monocle, more charming than a soggy Google search, and sturdier than any other parchment you’ve ever followed.  Thanks to the fabulous work of Victor Koons Graphic Design, who we entrusted to do something that’s not really being done these days – the map is modern, lightweight, and promises a healthy shelf-life.  That’s because every advertiser has a QR code linking to their website.  So too, do an abundance of other community resources.

From this map, you can access each of our downtown organizations’ websites, the Visitor’s Bureau’s self-guided walking tours, guides to antiquing, covered bridges, farmers’ markets, outdoor recreation, public access fishing, biking, and more.  You can access the community calendar, and see what great events are going on in the region.  You’ll access the map of the fairgrounds, University parking and transportation guides, regional maps of railroads, truck routes, business and industrial parks, and local transit StopHopper.

We’ve tried to compile a true resource guide – a veritable map of the treasures of our community.  We’d love to get a bunch of them into your hands, that you may explore the treasures yourself, and serve as guides to any visitor who might walk into your shop!  Please let us know how many you want, and we’d be happy to drop them to you!

Email intern@columbiamontourchamber.com to get your copies of the map today!