USPS Unveils 10-Year Plan

Posted on by

[press release]
United States Postal Service Unveils 10-Year Plan to Achieve Financial Sustainability and Service Excellence
Aims to meet or exceed 95 percent network-wide, on-time delivery
Operates at break-even by FY2023 avoiding $160 billion in projected losses over the next 10 years

Highlights Of The ‘Delivering For America’ Plan

  • Preserves affordable, six-day mail and expands seven-day package delivery
  • Generates $24 billion in net revenue in part from enhanced package delivery services for business customers, including same-day, one-day and two-day delivery offerings
  • Improves cash flow to allow for investment of $40 billion in workforce, new vehicles, improved Post Offices, technology improvements, and infrastructure upgrades
  • With congressional support accelerates move to an electric delivery vehicle fleet
  • Adjusts select delivery standards to improve efficiency and reliability
  • Enhances customer experience via new suite of consumer and small business tools
  • Stabilizes workforce with a goal of cutting non-career employee turnover in half, and creating more opportunity for growth including more predictable progression into career workforce
  • Aligns pricing to reflect market dynamics
  • Asks for bipartisan legislation in Congress to repeal the retiree health benefit pre-funding mandate and to maximize future retiree participation in Medicare

WASHINGTON, DC – The United States Postal Service today released its 10-year Plan,‘Delivering for America,’ to return the organization to financial sustainability and achieve service excellence while maintaining universal six-day mail delivery and expanding seven-day package delivery.

“The need for the U.S. Postal Service to transform to meet the needs of our customers is long overdue,” said Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer Louis DeJoy [right]. “Our Plan calls for growth and investments, as well as targeted cost reductions and other strategies that will enable us to operate in a precise and efficient manner to meet future challenges, as we put the Postal Service on a path for financial sustainability and service excellence.”

“The Board challenged Postal management to devise a Plan that was firmly rooted in our public service mission to bind the nation together,” said Ron Bloom, Chairman of the United States Postal Service Board of Governors. “The Plan will achieve service excellence, adapt the Postal Service to the evolving needs of the American people and address our obligation for financial sustainability. Through a wide-ranging process involving numerous talented and dedicated public servants throughout the organization and insightful input from many stakeholders, they have done just that. This Plan will revitalize this American treasure and we are excited to work with our union leaders, stakeholders and newly nominated Governors, once they are confirmed, as we move it forward.”

The comprehensive Plan includes a combination of investments in technology, training, Post Offices and a new vehicle fleet; modernizing the Postal Service’s processing network; adopting best-in-class logistics practices across delivery and transportation operations; creating new revenue-generating offerings in the rapidly expanding e-commerce marketplace and pricing changes as authorized by the Postal Regulatory Commission.

Successful implementation of the Plan requires partnership from legislative and regulatory stakeholders as its composition includes:

  • Self-help initiatives to provide billions in new revenue and cost reductions, while improving the predictability and reliability of service
  • Judicious implementation of new and existing pricing authorities
  • Legislative changes to retiree health benefit funding rules including requiring Medicare integration and eliminating the pre-funding requirement

DeJoy continued, “The Postal Service’s problems are serious but, working together, they can be solved. Our 10-year Plan capitalizes on our natural strengths and addresses our serious weaknesses. It ensures that we can better meet the nation’s evolving delivery needs, and do so with the higher degree of efficiency, precision and reliability that our business and residential customers expect and deserve. It can and must be done.”

The Plan was developed through a rigorous and holistic process that included reviewing reports by the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) and the Government Accountability Office (GAO), and consulting with numerous stakeholder groups.

Investing in People, Technology and Infrastructure
The Postal Service Plan will spur cash flow and savings to make $40 billion in capital investments over the next 10 years, many of which have been long-delayed due to the organization’s financial challenges of the past decade. This includes a recent multi-billion dollar contract to modernize the Postal Service’s delivery vehicle fleet, which is over 28-years old on average and unsuitable for accommodating growing package volume. The first of the new vehicles are expected to appear on carrier routes beginning in 2023. With Congressional support, our delivery fleet can be electric by 2035, substantially reducing our carbon footprint.

“Investing in the Postal Service’s future means investing in our people,” said DeJoy. “For too many years, Postal employees have been asked to do more with less – forced to employ antiquated systems, utilize outmoded equipment, and drive outdated vehicles. This drives up costs and slows down service for customers. We cannot afford to keep this up. We believe firmly in putting the 644,000 women and men of the Postal Service in the best possible position to succeed in their mission of service, while also enabling a more predictable progression from non-career employees into the career workforce. Our goal is to significantly reduce non-career annual turnover rates.”

Other planned investments include advanced package processing equipment; Post Office and facility upgrades; deployment of new mobile devices for carriers; new employee uniforms; best-in-class information technologies across the enterprise; and enhanced training and development to empower the workforce.

Enhanced Customer Experience and New Revenue Generating Offerings to Meet Business and Consumers’ Expanding E-Commerce Needs
The Postal Service has one of the best last mile delivery networks in the world, which enables the delivery of goods and services to more than 160 million addresses across the country. The Plan identifies several strategies to leverage this unparalleled end-to-end delivery network to generate $24 billion in new package net revenue growth and meet business and consumers’ rapidly evolving e-commerce needs.

This includes a new suite of services called USPS Connect, connecting businesses, large and small, to urban and rural communities across the nation. The Postal Service will expand its core package products, namely Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express, First-Class Package Service and Parcel Select to offer same day, next day and 2-3 day delivery options six to seven days a week.

Other offerings will include an enhanced Informed Delivery platform, enabling business and residential users to do more, such as provide carriers instructions on where to leave or pick-up packages, notify USPS to hold mail or schedule redelivery of packages before important items reach their mailboxes. Through these and other actions, the Plan also strengthens the mail channel for the nation’s commercial and personal needs.

Adjust Select Delivery Standards to Dramatically Improve Service Reliability
To drive greater network efficiency, the Postal Service will submit filings with the Postal Regulatory Commission to modify the service standards for First-Class Mail Letters and Flats, as well as First-Class Package Service. These modifications will shift volume from unreliable air transportation to more reliable ground transportation, and enable network improvements that will allow us to meet or exceed 95 percent on-time delivery across mail and shipping product classes. First-Class Mail traveling within a local area will continue to be delivered in one or two days and 70 percent of First-Class Mail will continue to be delivered within three days or less.

The Postal Service also anticipates using its processing facilities differently to reflect the dramatic increase in package volume and declines in mail volumes, and accommodate new revenue generating e-commerce offerings to better meet the needs of our customers. The plan anticipates an evaluation of facility operations, using the applicable regulatory processes.

Legislative Initiatives and Administrative Elements to Better Compete and Achieve Financial Sustainability
The most significant item the Postal Service is asking the 117th Congress to pass is legislation to require that retiree health benefits be integrated with Medicare, and that the expense associated with these benefits be based on vested benefits, which would reduce the Postal Service’s cash flow expenses by approximately $44 billion over 10 years. Legislation is also being supported to address burdensome retiree health benefit prefunding. We also propose that the Administration require the Office of Personnel Management to use a simple and fair method in how it apportions Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) liabilities for employees who transitioned to the Postal Service from the Post Office Department. These requested changes will benefit current retirees, current employees and the Postal Service.

In addition, in the coming weeks, the Postal Service will submit a number of filings with the Postal Regulatory Commission regarding pricing, products and services, and infrastructure.

To learn more and view the full Plan, visit www.usps.com/deliveringforamerica. You can also view the Plan-at-a-Glance at https://about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2021/usps-delivering-for-america-plan-at-a-glance.pdf.

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

Sustainability (Netherlands 2021)

Posted on by

[press release] [translated by Google]
Stamps show the value of sustainability

The Hague, 22 March 2021 – PostNL’s latest stamp sheetlet is based on the principle that people must pass on the earth from generation to generation as well as possible. In the

Click for a larger version

design of the sustainability stamps, this idea is visualized by handing over a globe: from parent to child, from one stamp to another.

The design refers to Dorien Pessers’ idea of the ecological constitutional state. This legal philosopher argues for a society with a new right of inheritance. In it you are grateful for what you receive from the previous generation and you are obliged to pass on this legacy to the next generation in good order.

Visual symbolism
The design of the Sustainability stamp sheetlet is a collective achievement of the graphic designers Reynoud Homan and Martijn de Wilde. According to Homan, PostNL’s sustainability objectives could play a role, but the extent to which was left to the designers. “We started looking for answers based on all kinds of questions. For example, about how the concept of sustainability has developed in recent years. What the visual symbolism is about climate change and sustainability.”

Emotional and poetic
The designers worked out several concepts, including those around the idea of passing on a well-preserved legacy. PostNL chose this concept without hesitation, says Homan. He was happy with that. “Especially because of the argument with which PostNL justified the choice, namely that this design was mainly emotional. For us this proposal was the most poetic.”

Ambitions
Stephan van den Eijnden, commercial director Mail of PostNL, supports the idea of the new sustainability stamps. This also ties in seamlessly with PostNL’s ambitions in this area. “We have set ourselves an ambitious goal to deliver all parcels and letters in the Benelux emission-free in the last mile by 2030 at the latest. We report on progress every year in our annual report. At the moment, almost all mail is already delivered emission-free. Currently, our mail deliverers walk and cycle more than 1200 times around the world per year to deliver the mail. ”

Sustainability
Index In November 2020, it was announced that PostNL once again ranks among the most sustainable companies in the world in the logistics and transport sector, with a third place on the prestigious Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI). In the field of the environment, PostNL is even in first place within the sector.

Availability
The Sustainability stamp sheet consists of 6 stamps in 2 designs with the value indication Nederland 1, intended for mail up to and including 20 grams with a destination within the Netherlands. The stamps are available from March 22, 2021 at the Bruna stores and via www.postnl.nl/bijzondere-postzegels [direct link]. The stamps can also be ordered by telephone from the Collect Club customer service on telephone number 088 – 868 99 00. The period of validity is indefinite.

King Arthur (UK 2021)

Posted on by

[press release]  [click on illustrations for larger versions]
Royal Mail Issues Special Stamps That Tell The Story Of The Legend Of King Arthur

  • 10 stamps depict key moments in the legend of King Arthur and his knights, stories which have been re-imagined countless times
  • Stories of King Arthur have captivated people for a millennium and a half, with its sword in the stone, knights of the round table, quest for the Holy Grail and the wizard Merlin
  • At least 50 films, and hundreds of novels, have been produced about the story
  • Each of the images is an original illustration by concept artist, Jaime Jones
  • They are available from 16 March at www.royalmail.com/kingarthur, by phone on 03457 641641 and 7,000 Post Offices across the UK

Royal Mail has revealed images of 10 stamps, issued 16 March, that tell the story of the Legend of King Arthur.

The images, all original illustrations by concept artist, Jaime Jones, depict key moments in the life of King Arthur – brought to life with Jones’ unique style, creativity and attention to detail.

The Legend of King Arthur is one of the most enduring stories of all time. Though his tale is rooted in the fifth and sixth centuries, it has captivated people for a millennium and a half, with its sword in the stone, knights of the round table and the wizard Merlin. At least 50 films and hundreds of novels have been produced about the story, which over centuries has come to symbolise part of British identity.

Even for those who have never read an account of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, the legend is rich in meaning, often representing high ideals and a golden age. There are magical elements: the wizard Merlin, the mysterious Lady or Ladies of the Lake and the sword Excalibur.

While many aspects of the legend are familiar – the doomed love between Guinevere and Lancelot, Arthur’s betrayal by Mordred, and the demise of the Round Table – what is less well known is that Arthur was neither a king nor English in the original legends. Nor were the characters, symbols or objects associated with the stories there from the start.

It is a reinvented Arthur, however, who has inspired many retellings. Arthur is everywhere in modern culture, providing a common point of reference for many of our experiences. The legends might claim that Arthur will come back again; it seems, however, that Arthur never left.

Philip Parker, Royal Mail, said: “These atmospheric illustrations bring to life the timeless stories of the King and the Knights of the Round Table. With its themes of magic, chivalry and quests, the enduring legend of King Arthur has entranced for centuries and will continue to do so.”

The stamps will be on sale from 16 March 2021. The full set of 10 stamps, available in a Presentation Pack, retails at £13.65 and will be available at www.royalmail.com/kingarthur, by phone on 03457 641 641 and in 7,000 Post Offices across the UK.

Stamp by Stamp:

Merlin holds baby Arthur, the future king, whose origins remain shrouded in mystery, and in Merlin’s power, until Arthur is revealed to be Uther Pendragon’s rightful son and heir.

Arthur’s birthright to the crown of England, according to later romance traditions, is confirmed when he pulls out the sword in view of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the whole court.

Arthur’s famed sword, Excalibur, is the gift of the Lady of the Lake, and a symbol of his tutelage by Merlin and his mission in the world. Destined for greatness, Arthur excels in all human virtues.

Despite Merlin’s warnings, Arthur chooses Guinevere as his wife. Her dowry, Thomas Malory tells us, is the Round Table, which Arthur will use to builda fellowship of knights united around the values of loyalty and equality.

Arthur’s nephew and chief counsellor, Sir Gawain, here swings his axe to chop off the head of the Green Knight, whose deadly Christmas game of blows startles Arthur’s court and challenges its values.

Around the Round Table, knights from Europe and all nations in the British Isles share the same values of loyalty and unite as equals to protect the weak and defend the realm.

Emblematic since Arthur Rackham’s illustrations dating from the early 20th century, Lancelot’s slaying of the dragon shows God’s grace granted to Lancelot in the fight with the Devil/darkness, despite Lancelot’s own sins.

Sir Galahad, the pure knight, is the epitome of perfection among Round Table knights, and the opposite of his father, Lancelot. His unique success

in the Grail Quest reveals the moral failures of Arthurian chivalry.
Arthur and Mordred meet one last time in battle, fulfilling their destiny: Arthur’s, to be mortally wounded by his own son, and Mordred’s, to commit the sin of patricide and treason.

The wounded Arthur departs for Avalon on a barge driven by three queens. This represents hope for the king’s return, and the agency of women in healing and in preserving his memory and stories.

Neil of U.S. Named FEPA Distinguished Philatelist

Posted on by

Current American Stamp Dealer & Collector editor emeritus and former American Philatelic Society president Randy Neil is one of five people invited this year to sign the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists. The other four are Europeans; Neil lives in suburban Kansas City. Neil is shown on the right speaking at the opening day of World Stamp Expo-2016 New York.

Neil has edited many other American philatelic journals and is the winner of many awards for both his writing and his service to philately. Among the most recent is the Charles J. Peterson Philatelic Literature Life Achievement Award in 2017. He was also the 2000 winner of the American Philatelic Society’s’ John N. Luff Award for Outstanding Service to the society, among the highest awards in U.S. philately.

Here is the March 15th announcement by the Federation of European Philatelic Associations, which is separate from the RDP:
Five new RDPs elected, including four from Europe

The Board of Election of the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists has invited five eminent philatelists to sign the Roll. They are:

  • Dénes Czirók, RDP, FRPSL (Hungary)
  • Dr. Seija-Riitta Laakso, RDP. FRPSL (Finland)
  • José Ramón Moreno, RDP, FRPSL (Spain)
  • Henrik Mouritsen, RDP, FRPSL (Denmark)
  • Randolph Neil, RDP, FRPSL (USA)

We are delighted that they have been awarded this recognition for their great achievements and send our warmest congratulations to them all. As 2021 is the centenary of the first signing of the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists [shown at right] in Harrogate, Yorkshire, this year’s signing will also take place in Harrogate in September.

Two other names will also be added to the list of ‘Fathers of Philately’ on the Roll. They are Alfred Moschkau (1848-1912) from Germany and Victor Suppantschitsch (1838-1919) from Austria. This aims to correct a historic injustice that occurred when, in the aftermath of the First World War, no German or Austrian names were included although there were many deserving candidates.

According to a press release from FEPA, “This year’s signing ceremony, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the first signatories to the Roll, will take place on Friday 24th September 2021 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Harrogate, U.K. during the Philatelic Congress of Great Britain.”

In naming Randy the 2018 Summer Seminar Distinguished Philatelist, the APS said, “Randy L. Neil’s background in the stamp collecting hobby began when he was 14 years old and became a columnist for the old Weekly Philatelic Gossip magazine. A proponent for progress in the hobby, Randy founded the MIDAPHIL national stamp show and the Collectors Club of Kansas City in 1971 and, with John Hotchner, the American Association of Philatelic Exhibitors in 1986. Randy served as the organization’s first president.

“An exhibitor since 1955, Neil has earned more than 65 gold medals and five national grand awards. While president of the American Philatelic Society (1993-97), Randy originated its John K. Tiffany Endowment Fund and brought a youthful group of new leaders and committee chairmen to the then 107-year old organization.”

I am proud to have been on of that “youthful group” elected to the APS Board in 1997. Five directors-at-large and a secretary, all elected for our first terms.

I have often referred to Randy as the “cheerleader for philately,” and it’s more true than you may realized: He started the Kansas City Chiefs’ cheerleading squad, served as CEO of the International Cheerleading Foundation for 30 years, wrote New York Times best-seller The Official Cheerleaders Handbook (1979) (and still available on Amazon) and was executive producer of the National Collegiate Cheerleading Championships on CBS-TV.

I once said “When I grow up, I want to be Randy Neil.” I still do.

— Lloyd A. de Vries

[An earlier version of this article stated the the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists was part of or sponsored by FEPA. They are independent of each other.]

BNAPS Signs On As Major CAPEX 22 Sponsor

Posted on by

[press release]
British North America Philatelic Society (BNAPS) becomes a CAPEX 22 Partner Level Sponsor

Ron Majors, President BNAPS, announces that the Board of BNAPS has approved a Matching Funds Donation Program for CAPEX 22, allowing BNAPS to take a major sponsorship role in the first international philatelic exhibition held in Canada in the past 25 years.

For every dollar donated by a member, BNAPS will match that donation. The campaign will run until February 28, 2022, or until a total of $10,000 of member donations has been reached.

BNAPS has become a CAPEX 22 Partner Level Sponsor, the highest level of sponsorship, enabling BNAPS to participate in high-visibility events and programs at the exhibition. Some of the events will include a seminar room named BNAPS Room, BNAPS seminars, presentations and book launches, a BNAPS Society booth in the exhibition hall, Palmares sponsorship, youth program support, and a BNAPS-sponsored rest and conversation area.

About CAPEX 22
CAPEX 22 International One Frame Stamp Championship Exhibition will be held June 9-12, 2022 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) in the heart or Toronto’s downtown entertainment district and with 400+ frames CAPEX 22 will also be the largest showing of one frame exhibits at any exhibition, ever. The exhibition will also have a wonderful array of philatelic literature exhibits both in tradition print format and with four categories of digital literature including philatelic websites. CAPEX 22 will be held under the patronage of the Federacion Interamericana de Filatelia (FIAF) and the recognition of Federation Internationale de Philatélie (FIP). Further information on CAPEX 22 is available at capex22.org

About BNAPS
The British North America Philatelic Society – BNAPS – is an international society (founded 1943) devoted to the collecting and study of the stamps, markings, and postal history of Canada and the pre-confederation colonies of British North America (British Columbia, Canada, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island). Its quarterly journal, BNA Topics, publishes scholarly articles in these areas. Further information is available at bnaps.org

SFS Handling Perseverance Postmarks

Posted on by

From Cancellation Services, Stamp Fulfillment Services, U.S. Postal Service:

“In an effort to assist our Santa Clarita Post Office, Cancellation Services will be receiving and processing all requests for the 2/18/2021 Perseverance on Mars Station pictorial postmark as show in last week’s PB & seen below.”“All requests already sent to Santa Clarita will be forwarded to SFS for processing.”

However, you can now send postmark requests directly to:

USPS SFS Cancellation Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Pillar 210
Kansas City, MO 64144-9998

U.S. Scott Catalogue Update (March 2021)

Posted on by

The imperforate stamps are from the uncut press sheets without die cuts.

5543 (55¢) Love
a. Imperforate

5544 (20¢) Brush Rabbit, serpentine die cut 11¼x11
5545 (20¢) Brush Rabbit coil stamp, serpentine die cut 9½ vert.

5546 (36¢) Barns – Round Barn, serpentine die cut 11×11¼
5547 (36¢) Barns – Barn with Gambrel Roof and Windmill, serpentine die cut 11×11¼
5548 (36¢) Barns – Forebay Barn, serpentine die cut 11×11¼
5549 (36¢) Barns – Snow-covered Western Barn, serpentine die cut 11×11¼
a. Block or horiz. strip of 4, # 5546-5549

5550 (36¢) Barns – Barn with Gambrel Roof and Windmill coil stamp, serpentine die cut 11 horiz.
5551 (36¢) Barns – Snow-covered Western Barn coil stamp, serpentine die cut 11 horiz.
5552 (36¢) Barns – Forebay Barn coil stamp, serpentine die cut 11 horiz.
5553 (36¢) Barns – Round Barn coil stamp, serpentine die cut 11 horiz.
a. Horiz. strip of 4, #5550-5553

5554 $7.95 Castillo de San Marcos

5555 (55¢) August Wilson
a. Imperforate

5556 (55¢) Chinese New Year
a. Imperforate

U701 $7.95 Castillo de San Marcos Stamped Envelope

We Pause Now For These Commercial Stamps

Posted on by

Call me old-fashioned or even a Grumpy Old Man, but I really object to thinly-veiled commercials in recent U.S. stamps: Issues that celebrate a product or company, without actually admitting it.

Granted, the latest U.S. Postal Service selection criteria, which you can see here, do not rule out commercial commemorations. It just seems wrong and demeaning to stamp issuance.

The latest is Espresso Drinks. It is being issued within a month of the 50th anniversary of Starbucks, in the city (Seattle) where it is founded and still has its headquarters. Also coming up this year: Star Wars Droids. It’s not until the seventh paragraph (of 10) in the announcement that the alleged justification is mentioned: “Lucasfilm, the studio that created the Star Wars franchise, is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2021.”

Last year, it was Bugs Bunny, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the cartoon character’s introduction. Even if I were to concede that the Wascally Wabbit is one of the “extraordinary and enduring contributions to American society, history, culture or environment,” the USPS criteria also states “Events of historical significance shall be considered for commemoration on anniversaries in multiples of 50 years.” That was the reason given why the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II was not honored.

Before that, it was Scooby-Doo (another cartoon character, 49 years old at the time), Sparkling Holidays (using easily recognizable Coca-Cola advertising images), Hot Wheels and all sorts of Disney issues, including 2017’s Disney Villains. “Negative occurrences and disasters will not be commemorated,” but bad guys are all right, huh?

In 2013, the U.S. issued 20 Harry Potter stamps, but none for the 150th anniversary of one of the greatest speeches in American history, the Gettysburg Address. (To add insult to injury, the Potter stamps were issued on the Gettysburg Address anniversary date.) Don’t get me wrong: I love the Harry Potter stories, I read all the books when they first were published, saw all the movies, and I marvel at how it got schoolchildren to read books. But no Gettysburg Address stamp?

It’s not just the U.S., either. Royal Mail in Britain must have staffers working full-time on reasons to issue new Harry Potter, Star Wars or Star Trek stamps. Part of the justification for honoring the latter last year was especially laughable: Some of the actors who starred or were featured in Trek were British!

Yes, postal agencies make money on pop culture stamps: It costs a fraction of the face value to print them, not much more to market and sell them. The postal people can also make money from related products, like coffee mugs, sweatshirts and framed prints.

However, I think these stunt stamps are more of a cry for attention: “Hey, look at us! Look at us! Stamps are still relevant! This postal agency is still relevant! Pay attention to us!” People and the press will pay more attention to pop culture subjects than an award-winning playwright (August Wilson, U.S., 2021), a country’s strengths and accomplishments (Britain, 2021), or its medical discoveries (Insulin, Canada, 2021). Getting such attention may be necessary for continued funding or even continued existence. But so is denoting important facets of a country’s heritage.

Of course, I am free not to buy Hot Wheels or Scooby-Doo, and I didn’t. I am free to obtain postmarks commemorating historical events that USPS Stamp Services didn’t. And, now that I am officially an Old Man (retired, collecting pensions) and was always Grumpy, I am free to be a Grumpy Old Man.

Canada Post Helps Canadians Check In With Each Other

Posted on by

[press release]
Canada Post sends every household a free, prepaid postcard
Recipients can mail it for free to anyone they choose, anywhere in the country

OTTAWA, ON, Feb. 25, 2021 /CNW/ – While we keep our distance to fight the spread of COVID-19, staying connected with friends and loved ones is harder than ever. To help Canadians stay in touch now, when it matters so much, Canada Post will deliver approximately 13.5 million postcards, one to every residential address in the country.

There are six versions of the postcard, each one offering a simple message of love, appreciation or thanks. Every household will receive one randomly selected postcard. Recipients can send their postcard to anyone they want, anywhere in Canada, for free. No stamps are needed. Postcards can be mailed through any street letter box or community mailbox, or taken to a post office.

“Meaningful connection is vital for our emotional health, sense of community and overall well-being,” says Doug Ettinger, President and CEO of Canada Post. “Canada Post wants everyone to stay safe, but also stay in touch with the people who matter to them.” To watch a video explaining the importance of this initiative, please click here.

The postcards are part of the “Write Here Write Now” program, launched in September 2020 to encourage Canadians to use letter writing to connect in a heartfelt way. For more on the program, visit canadapost.ca/writenow.

Canadians are encouraged to share photos and videos of sending and receiving their postcards using #WriteHereWriteNow.

Please feel free to share our related posts on your social network platforms:

  • [en Francais]
    Postes Canada envoie une carte postale prépayée gratuite à tous les ménages
    La carte peut être postée sans frais à n’importe quelle adresse au pays

    OTTAWA, ON, le 25 févr. 2021 /CNW/ – Alors que nous gardons nos distances pour lutter contre la propagation de la COVID-19, il est plus difficile que jamais de rester en contact avec nos proches. Pour aider les Canadiens à rester près des membres de leur famille et de leurs amis durant une période où ils en ont besoin, Postes Canada distribuera environ 13,5 millions de cartes postales, soit une à chaque adresse résidentielle au pays.

    La carte postale se décline en six versions, chacune offrant un court message d’amour, de reconnaissance ou de remerciement. Tous les ménages en recevront une sélectionnée au hasard. Les Canadiens pourront l’envoyer sans frais à n’importe quelle adresse au pays et aucun timbre ne sera nécessaire. Ils n’auront qu’à déposer la carte postale dans une boîte aux lettres publique, dans une boîte postale communautaire ou à un bureau de poste.

    « Les liens significatifs que nous entretenons jouent un rôle essentiel dans notre santé émotionnelle, notre sentiment d’appartenance et notre bien-être en général, affirme Doug Ettinger, président-directeur général de Postes Canada. Postes Canada a à cœur la sécurité de tous les Canadiens, mais aussi qu’ils gardent contact avec leurs êtres chers. » Pour regarder une vidéo expliquant l’importance de cette initiative, cliquez ici.

    Les cartes postales font partie de la campagne « Écrivez un mot. Créez un moment », qui a été lancée en septembre 2020 afin d’encourager les gens au pays à semer la joie en envoyant une lettre. Pour en savoir plus sur l’initiative, rendez-vous à postescanada.ca/creezunmoment.

    Les Canadiens sont invités à partager des photos et des vidéos de l’envoi et de la réception de leurs cartes postales à l’aide du mot-clic #UnmotUnmoment.
    N’hésitez pas à partager nos publications connexes sur vos plateformes de réseaux sociaux :

CAPEX 22 Names Maresch As Auctioneer

Posted on by

[press release]
R. Maresch & Son named as official auctioneer for CAPEX 22

CAPEX 22 International One Frame Stamp Championship Exhibition (CAPEX 22) to be held in Toronto June 9-12, 2022 is please to announced that R. Maresch & Son has been named as the Official Auctioneer.

Mr. David McLaughlin, chair of CAPEX 22 stated “We are pleased that R. Maresch & Son will be continuing their 71-year support of CAPEX international exhibitions in Canada. Three generations of the Maresch family have helped Canadian and international collectors build their collections for almost a century now since Dr. Richard A R Maresch became a stamp dealer in Vienna in 1924.”

Mr. Peter Maresch, owner of R. Maresch & Son, welcomed the opportunity to continue a long family tradition, “R. Maresch & Son held an auction at Capex ’78, and were the official auctioneer at CAPEX ’87 and CAPEX ’96. Our firm is the oldest continually operating stamp auction firm and dealer in Canada and we look forward to CAPEX 22. My grandfather, Dr. Richard A R Maresch came to Canada in 1938 and opened a stamp shop in downtown Toronto in 1942, with our first public auction held on October 26, 1963.”

About CAPEX 22
CAPEX 22 will be the world’s first International One Frame Stamp Championship Exhibition. With 400+ frames CAPEX 22 will also be the largest showing of One Frame exhibits at any exhibition, ever. CAPEX 22 will be held June 9-12, 2022 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) in the heart or Toronto’s downtown entertainment district. The exhibition will also have a wonderful array of philatelic literature exhibits both in tradition print format and with four categories of digital literature including philatelic websites. CAPEX 22 will be held under the patronage of the Federacion Interamericana de Filatelia (FIAF) and the recognition of Federation Internationale de Philatélie (FIP). Further information on CAPEX 22 is available at capex22.org.

About R. Maresch & Son
R. Maresch and Son are the oldest stamp firm in Canada, having sold many of the most important stamp collections in Canada. They offer full colour catalogues, online viewing and live public auctions, with the modern convenience of online live bidding. They are located at 2 Vata Crt Unit 6, Aurora, ON, L4G 4B6, Canada and welcome the opportunity to help with your collecting or selling needs. Further information is available at www.maresch.com .