Volunteers will be out in force this summer with a two-prong concierge approach to greet visitors at island entrances.

A group of volunteers are going to add a kiosk at Waterfront Park to greet visitors who come ashore via Eagle Harbor, while the city’s Street Smarts communication team and the Chamber of Commerce are launching a volunteer foot-patrol to guide visitors through downtown streets.

“This is a great effort to improve the visitor experience on the island,” said Andrea Mackin, director of operations and marketing for the chamber.

The Island Ambassadors program has been discussed among several downtown organizations, but was never made a reality.

Sarah Wen of the Street Smarts program said they thought this summer would be a great time to launch the program since the construction project downtown is creating some hesitation and confusion as visitors get off the ferry and are met with big construction trucks.

The ambassador team will consist of high school kids stationed in downtown Winslow and at the ferry terminal from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every Saturday, beginning June 11 and throughout the next 12 weeks of summer. The shifts are three hours and ambassadors will greet visitors, answer questions, hand out maps and give advice on island locations.

“We are looking for kids who grew up here and consider downtown Winslow their backyard,” said Mackin. “Kids who can give advice about the best waterfront burger, a good toy shop or a place to sit down with a picnic.”

Former Bainbridge High School graduate Hailey Allen is the program coordinator, and will work with fellow BHS grad Peter Yoakum to recruit, train and coordinate the first crews.

“This will be a great chance for us to give visitors a hometown face to associate with their visit,” said Allen. “It’s also a great chance for kids who are heading into their final year or two of high school and want to get more experience and add to their resume.”

Wen said the volunteer force will wear the campaign’s “Small Town, Big Heart” slogan on a T-shirt and will be trained with construction knowledge and answers to frequently asked questions. This year will be a trial run for the program with the hope that it will be continued every summer to enhance the visitor experience.

Volunteers can choose to work on an on-going basis or select specific summer Saturdays.

In addition to the foot patrols, the city’s Harbor Commission worked with the Bainbridge Community Woodshop to construct a wooden kiosk free of charge for Waterfront Park. The offer of the kiosk came after the City Council rebuffed a gifted Washington State Ferries tollbooth with concerns over whether the metal box would fit the park’s aesthetics.

Roger Lauen and the woodworkers will build the kiosk with donated materials and the Chamber, Eagle Harbor Yacht Club and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary are contributing to cover permitting costs.

The kiosk will be used to store supplies and for stationed volunteers to answer questions and distribute materials to island visitors.

“It will be a very simple building, small, aesthetically pleasing and will match the siding in the showers and bathrooms at Waterfront Park,” said Lauen. “We are pleased to help out.”

Lauen said it won’t take the woodworkers more than a day or two to build the structure and they hope it will be ready before the Fourth of July celebration.

The actual location of the kiosk in the park is yet to be determined.

To volunteer with the ambassadors program, contact Allen at hallen@streetsmarts.com