T-shirts are walking billboards for slogans, logos, rock bands, famous art and more.

For Tom Pitre, 67, of Sequim, his T-shirt design was made to raise a few eyebrows for Sequimarians and Sequimites.

"I'm a writer ... and talk is cheap, so I thought, 'Why not a T-shirt?'" Pitre said.

His slogan, "Sequim: The Final Destination," came to him while designing logos on the computer with a graphics editing program.

"It's ironic and satirical," Pitre said.

"People don't talk about the D word (death)."

Having lived in Sequim since 1996, Pitre feels people come to Sequim for two reasons:

"On one hand we want tourists, but on the other we want retirees," he said.

"I'm more active now than I was ever before."

Pitre runs his own Web site, www.sequim-web.net, and is involved in several nonprofits in Sequim.

"You don't have to go anywhere else," he said.

"Sequim has a lot to offer."

Pitre's T-shirt is similar to the Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce's slogan "Destination Sequim."

He said he'd be open to businesses and volunteers at the visitor's center wearing his T-shirt.

"It'd definitely be a different direction for our visitor's center to take," Pitre said.

"Sometimes publicity can use all sorts of tactics."

Vickie Maples, executive director for the chamber of commerce, said Pitre's design is the first she has heard of the T-shirt concept.

"Our goal is to showcase Sequim in a positive light and encourage others to do so as well," Maples said.

"So long as efforts of individuals and other organizations in the community have the same goal, we wish them all the best in their endeavors."

Maples also said the chamber is redesigning its logo to adhere to the concept "Everything under the Sun."

Pitre said he is positive about the T-shirt design and supports Sequim as a whole.

"This is the last place you are going to stop,"

Pitre said.

"I buried my parents and dog here."

However, Pitre said he feels "Sequim has a lot of untapped resources" with a large sum of the population living beyond age 65.

"People are happy doing something in their home, but if they were to get out once a week, then they could make a difference," Pitre said.

"I'm almost 68, but I don't feel like I'm going to keel off."

Pitre said he hopes his T-shirt will help the older generations make light of their situations.

While he was being interviewed, Pitre met Jessica Kahler, a young adult coffee drinker from Port Angeles.

Kahler said she didn't see Pitre's T-shirt as a negative thing.

"I prefer nice, quiet towns where nothing happens," she said.

Pitre was glad she thought that way.

"In the end, if I saw someone wearing (my T-shirt) and I didn't know them, then I think it would be cool.

"Word is getting out."



Reach Matthew Nash at mnash@sequimgazette.com.



Sequim: The Final Destination T-shirt

Available in numerous colors and styles, all sizes, $15.09 and up.

Coffee mugs,

bumper stickers, T-shirts and other styles are available at www.cafepress.com/pcsig.