On the 25th anniversary of his death, Hanover woman wantsElvis to call her. Here isthe billboard message she has dedicated, asking the 'King' to reach out and touch her with a phone call. The billboard is on Baltimore Street in Hanover. She has rented a second sign on the Carlisle Pike. Hostetter has been a fan since her childhood and admits she is totallyobsessed by Elvis. Aug. 16 marks the 25th anniversary ofElvis' death.
By JOESPH DEINLEIN Evening Sun Reporter
Barbara Hostetter is crazy about Elvis. She owns commemorative plates and memorabilia certified by Elvis Presley Enterprises. She belongs to the Unforgettable Elvis Fan Club in Lancaster. But since Aug. 16 marks the 25th anniversary of Presley's death, the 57-year-old Hanover resident did something that left a lot ofHanoverians with suspicious minds. Hostetter rented two billboards at the opposite ends of Hanover on the state Route 94. Both are emblazoned with the words: 'E.P. Phone Barb' and 'We Miss You'. Included is a large picture of a youthful Elvis and a lipstick kiss.'I once saw a bumper sticker that said, 'E.P. phone home,' said Hostetter, who is a laborer at a local factory. 'I wanted to make it personal.'
The billboards will be up the beginning of September: one at the corner of Baltimore and Martha Streets in Penn Township; the other, smaller one just south of the Cross Keys.
'He'sgonna be gone 25 years this year,' she said. 'I just love him so much, I wanted to do something special.' The billboards are owned by Trone Outdoor Advertising, which owns a number of billboards in the area and about eight billboards between Cross Keys and the Maryland state line, said Terry Hoffman, an account executive with the company.
Normally, the billboards are rented for three months at a time, but special exceptions are made for short-term ads, Hoffman said. MJ Pizza and Best Automotive Group will take over the remaining two months on Hostetter's contract.This is the first time someone has had a billboard like this in the company's 18-year history, Hoffman said. Most short-term advertising is for birthdays, fire company carnivals, or church functions near Christmas. Otherwise, the boards are rented for 24 or 36 months at a time to restaurants or hotels, he said.
The artwork for the sign comes from various graphic artists from central Pennsylvania. Hoffman said that he typically uses Flex-FX Digital Imaging in Harrisburg. Nevin Kramer, a graphic artist there, designed Hostetter's sign. Using an Elvis calendar, as well as Flex's digital library, Kramer came up with a design that left Hostetter all shook up.'It's really amazing to watch them work,' he said.'And they went beyond what we wanted for Barb's sign. What (Kramer) came up with really exceed our expectations.'
The going rate for a billboard space depends on the size of the sign, it's location and whether it is illuminated.The average price for a sign on State Route 94 ranges from $190 to $795 per month. NeitherHostetter nor Hoffman would say how much the two billboards cost. 'Let's just say that she reallylikes Elvis.' Hoffman said.
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