N.H. Town Seeks An Identity — And A Slogan

The town of Raymond, N.H., is looking for an identity, and the winner of a contest to come up with a new slogan for the town will appear on Oprah — except she doesn't know it.

Raymond resident Paul Brown came up with the idea of the contest, which is open to anyone in the world and encourages cheating and plagiarism.

Brown tells Melissa Block that the town's most recent slogan ties its agricultural past to a technological future: "Raymond: Where the Manure Hits the Wind Turbine."

Brown acknowledges that the town needs an identity.

"Something that sets us just a bit apart, so that we can entice new businesses to come to town," he says.

Brown says the town thought of plagiarizing Maine's slogan, but when word got out he received an official letter threatening the town with the National Guard.

"We have our own local militia. We can take care of anything that the state of Maine can throw at us. ... We have pitchforks," Brown says. "They're old pitchforks, but they're pitchforks and they are sharp."

The prize, he says, will be an appearance on Oprah, but "she doesn't know that yet."

There is a backup plan: The winner will receive a standing ovation from the Raymond Board of Selectmen and an autographed photo of state Sen. Jack Barnes.