Orange County has an opportunity to change the “Welcome to Orange County” Interstate sign, currently placed on I-40 at mile marker 269, heading west.  The current sign welcomes interstate travelers with the message, “Orange County: You’ll Be a Fan for Life.”

The current sign is damaged.

The current sign is damaged and needs to be replaced.  Instead of replacing it with the exact same sign, the Orange County Board of Commissioners wants the public to suggest other ideas for slogans.

“Our board of county commissioners wants residents and visitors to weigh-in and use their creativity to give Orange County a new slogan,” said Laurie Paolicelli, Director of Community Relations.  “We will collect suggestions from now through January, encouraging residents to  help us define what makes Orange County special,” said Paolicelli.

Paolicelli said the current slogan was created in the mid 1990s when the North Carolina Department of Transportation erected a sign on I-40.  The Visitors Bureau, new at the time, worked with Sheer & Associates to create a catchy welcome phrase that was connected to the sporting vibe of the town but was broader than a team name.

“Throughout the years, people have asked what the sign means and there really isn’t a deep background to it,” said Paolicelli.  “It worked, in the context of its time and now we’d like to update the sentiment based on Orange County today.”

The Orange County Board of Commissioners wants suggestions.

Commissioner Mark Dorosin spoke with WCHL’s Ron Stutts about the contest. Listen below:

 

Commissioners ask the slogans reflect Orange County as a whole and the slogan be six words or less since that’s all that will fit on the sign.

Slogans can be made online and on paper from now until early January.  Here’s how.

  • Click here for an entry form
  • Send an e-mail to WelcometoOrangeCounty@wchl.com
  • Mail to: Welcome Orange County, 88 Vilcom Center Drive, Chapel Hill, North Carolina  27514
    • Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Center (Free parking)
      501 W Franklin St, Chapel Hill, NC 27516
    • Orange County Visitor Center (Street parking)
      150 East King Street, Hillsborough, NC  27278
    • Seymour Center (Free parking)
      2551 Homestead Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27516
    • Central Orange Senior Center, Next to Sportsplex (Free parking)
      103 Meadowlands Road, Hillsborough 27278Use the entry forms and boxes located at:

Orange County employees will review all slogans submitted and will select the best ones for public review and comment.  These will be posted on Chapelboro.com and WCHL’s Facebook page in mid-January.  Orange County employees will use all Comments and Likes to narrow the choices to be submitted to the Orange County Commissioners.

The final slogan will be selected and announced by mid-February.

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