The signs, which the club erected in 1998, will be replaced by two wooden signs that celebrate the "old and new" in Hoschton.

Estimated to be 8-by-4« feet, the new signs will each stand on a Georgia granite stone base. The word "Hoschton" will be embossed, painted gold and outlined in black and will be set against a sandblasted background. The signs’ borders will be embossed and painted burgundy and dark green.

The idea to update Hoschton’s signs surfaced after civic club president Cindy George and others noticed how the city had changed in the 11 years since the current signs were built.

"We wanted something a little bit more up-to-date and a little bit more upscale," said George. "When we installed those signs 10 or 11 years ago, they fit in with what Hoschton was then."

With more people moving to Hoschton and construction and traffic along Ga. 53 increasing, George said these signs are now less visible.

The club held a contest to redesign the two signs and offered the winner a $1,000 cash prize. The new design, George said, had to be "historically representative of the city of Hoschton and compliment the location and landscaping of the city limits on Highway 53."

More than 12 people submitted entries, but Lori Ceier, a graphic designer in Santa Rosa Beach, Fla., nabbed top honors with her depiction of blending the "old and new" of Hoschton. Ceier heard about the contest from a relative who lives in the area.

"Hoschton has a rich history. The town is also experiencing modern growth. My wish was to represent both with traditional lettering, yet a modern feel," Ceier wrote to George in an e-mail last August. "The color scheme I chose represented indigenous colors so as to blend with the environment. Rich, deep greens and burgundy reminded me of how beautiful the fall colors are in North Georgia in autumn. The stone base of granite also represents indigenous materials found in the area."

The Hoschton Women’s Civic Club has raised several thousand dollars for the sign project with the help of various fundraisers.

The next fundraiser, a clubwide yard sale, will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Towne Center Shopping Center. A wide array of different odds and ends donated by club members will be up for sale, including furniture, electronics, clothes and books.

The club is now seeking bids to construct and install the signs. George said she does not know when construction will begin or how much the entire project will cost.

"We know it’s going to be a pretty expensive project," she said. But the cost and work are well worth it as George said "it’s to everybody’s advantage to make Hoschton look the best it can."

George said she hopes the old signs will find new homes on other roads entering the city.