Obama supporters in Outer Banks adopt OBX-style logo

KILL DEVIL HILLS

A grass-roots effort on the Outer Banks that supports Barack Obama for president has adopted the ubiquitous OBX logo, with the blessing of the trademark owners.

Using the familiar black-rimmed white oval with black lettering, organizers devised bumper stickers combining the iconic Outer Banks identifier with the last three letters of the Illinois senator 's last name: OBXAMA.

"We're not selling them," said George Mendelson, a founder of Grassroots for OBAMA in Kill Devil Hills. "What we're asking for is some time. We're asking for more volunteers."

Mendelson said the grass-roots effort is separate from the campaign, but the

campaign - which has an office in Elizabeth City - is aware of OBXAMA.

"Oh, yeah, they love it," he said.

Jim Douglas, owner of Chilli Peppers Restaurant in Kill Devil Hills, was inspired to create the OBX logo in the mid-'90s, after seeing European-style ACK stickers during a visit to Nantucket, Mass.

Back home, Douglas decided to make his own stickers, and he said adding the "X" to the obvious "OB" was inspired luck. The logo took off like wildfire and soon became synonymous with the Outer Banks - but not before Douglas trademarked it. He said he sold it about four years ago.

New owners Jill and Greg Bennett and David Watson agreed to let the campaign borrow the idea, as long as it wasn't used for profit.

"I think it is OK," said Watson. "If they took the X out of it, it would be even better."

Whether or not the stickers and buttons have helped, Mendelson said the number of volunteers has grown to about 80 people since the office opened April 13.

Melva Garrison, director of Dare County Board of Elections, said it is the first time she knows of that a presidential campaign has had any presence on the Outer Banks.

Mendelson, a retired trial lawyer who lives in Colington, and Judy Lotas, a partner in LPNY Ltd., a New York advertising agency, met recently at Lotas' Duck home and combined forces to establish Grassroots for OBAMA.

After they cooked up the idea for the Outer Banks version of stickers and buttons, Lotas had about 1,000 of each made at her agency in Manhattan. They also designed an American flag-like car window poster that says "VOTE", using the oval OBXAMA in place of the "O."

Mendelson said he has gone into local high schools to work in a nonpartisan voter drive to get qualified students registered.

Obama volunteers also have been canvassing Outer Banks neighborhoods to encourage registration ahead of the state's May 6 primary.

Hillary Rodham Clinton, Obama's rival for the Democratic nomination, has no campaign office in northeastern North Carolina. The closest offices are in Greenville and Rocky Mount.

Catherine Kozak, (252) 441-1711, cate.kozak@pilotonline.com