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Operation Sasquatch draws dozens in its first week
A citywide scavenger hunt this month is bringing residents into local businesses as participants search for miniature Bigfoot statues and compete for a $500 grand prize.
Organized by Anthony Stowe, Nick Shaulis and Ben Harris, the trio behind the local podcast “Hey Elgin,” Operation Sasquatch’s “The Hunt — Finding Squatchy” launched Oct. 1, challenging residents to find 20 hidden statues at businesses across the city. Organizers said the monthlong event combines technology, community engagement and charitable fundraising to encourage residents to shop locally.
“We put our heads together to try and figure out a way to drive foot traffic downtown or to local businesses,” Stowe said.
Sasquatch is — for now — a mythical, shaggy, bipedal anthropoid said to inhabit the soggy swamplands of East Texas, the impenetrable forests of the Pacific Northwest and other regions, joining the ranks of cryptids such as the Loch Ness monster.
The sasquatch theme grew out of a running joke surrounding Shaulis, who frequently shared posts about Bigfoot, conspiracy theories and other unexplained phenomena on social media before bringing those interests to the podcast.
Within its first five days, the hunt attracted 62 registered participants, recorded 151 statue discoveries and generated 63 purchases at participating businesses.
That number had grown to 71 purchases by the seventh day, according to Stowe.
The idea for the event developed after the trio interviewed around 50 local businesses through their podcast, which recently celebrated its first anniversary and 50th episode. Stowe said those conversations inspired the group to create an activity that would encourage residents to visit local storefronts.
“The three of us love this town and we want people to love this town as much as we love it,” Harris said.
Eventually, the group established Operation Sasquatch as a nonprofit with a mission to “do the most good locally.”
To join the hunt, participants register online and receive a list of locations. At each business, hunters search for a 3D-printed sasquatch statue, scan its QR code and submit a photo for verification.
Residents who locate all 20 statues qualify for a drawing to win $500 on Nov. 1 at Millie’s on Main, located at 212 N. Main St.
Beyond the scavenger hunt, the nonprofit has expanded its efforts through partnerships with local organizations, including the Lucky Old Scoundrels Motorcycle Club and Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Harris said what began as a podcast featuring residents and businesses has since become a way to give back to the community.
“We’re just three guys, we just want to have fun,” Harris said. “We’re all transplants, but we love this town.”
Residents interested in participating in the hunt can register at thehunt.heyelgin.com.
