For Immediate Release
AFDCS Recognizes Volunteers With 2021 Awards

The American First Day Cover Society is recognizing more than half a dozen of its members for their service to the organization. At its annual convention, held in conjunction with Great American Stamp Show in August in Rosemont, Ill., Glenn C. Michel Special Recognition Awards were presented to:

• Tom Peluso (posthumously), who often donated his artistic talents: He produced many convention event covers and donated many of his Therome Cachets FDCs to the Society’s auctions through the cachet contest;
• Otto Thamasett, for coordinating the Graebner Chapter portion of the AFDCS Americover Hospitality Suite for over 15 years, including donations to the Hospitality Suite Silent Auction;
• Chris Lazaroff, Tris Fall, and Jim Hogg for serving on the search committee that
  

  Gary Dickinson

  selected the new AFDCS editor and executive secretary, after those posts became vacant because of the coronavirus pandemic;

• Gary Dickinson, for writing a column on Canadian FDCs in First Days for more than 10 years, and compiling a catalogue of Elvis Presley FDCs;
• John White and members of the Claude C. Ries Chapter Auction Committee (co-chaired by Michael Litvak and Dave Bennett), for their work on the highly-successful semi-annual AFDCS auctions.

Michel Awards can be won by the same person more than once and winners are chosen by a committee chaired by James Tatum, Jr. The award is named after “Mike” Michel, the AFDCS general counsel who guided the society through a reorganization in the mid-1980s.

The American First Day Cover Society is a not-for-profit educational organization. In addition to First Days, the AFDCS also publishes handbooks and catalogues, and promotes the collecting of both modern and “classic” issues and cachets, as well as exhibiting FDCs. It offers awards for outstanding first day cover exhibits and an annual contest for cachetmakers, and is a co-host of the annual Great American Stamp Show.

For more information about the AFDCS, visit www.afdcs.org, e-mail afdcs@afdcs.org or write the AFDCS at Post Office Box 246, Colonial Beach, VA 22443-0246.

[press release]
We are now accepting applications for the 2022 awards presented by the American Philatelic Society and the American Philatelic Research Library.

The nominating process will continue through December 15, 2021 for:

• Luff Award for Meritorious Contributions to Philately
• Nicholas G. Carter Volunteer Recognition Award
• Ernest A. Kehr Award for enduring contributions to guarantee the future of the hobby
• Charles J. Peterson Philatelic Literature Life Achievement Award
• Dealer of the Year Award (deadline March 15, 2022)

Each category has its own application. Those may be mailed to the APS, or sent via email to awards@stamps.org. Please designate list the name of the award on your envelope or in the title of your email.

In addition, APS and APRL committees will meet to nominate candidates for the following awards:

• APS Hall of Fame honoring deceased philatelists who have made outstanding contributions to philately
• USSS Barbara Mueller Award for the best article published in a single year of The American Philatelist
• Thomas Allen Award for the best article published in a single year of The Philatelic Literature Review
• David Straight Award for the best paper presented at the Winton F. Blount Postal History Symposium
• Writers Unit Hall of Fame (APS affiliate award)

All awards are subject to the approval of the Board of Directors for the APS and APRL.

[press release]
AFDCS Bestows Long-Overdue Recognition On Strauss

The American First Day Cover Society has given one of its highest honors, the Distinguished Service Award, to Gerald Strauss, the first editor of its journal, First Days. The award is given for performance far above basic duties, to living current members.

The key to any national stamp collecting organization is a successful journal, and especially so for a new society. Strauss, then a college English professor, produced the first issue of First Days, September-December 1955. It was a four-page mimeographed newsletter, but within a year, had grown to a 16-page professionally-printed magazine.

Unfortunately, his workload at the college became too much, and he resigned. He later dropped out of the AFDCS, but continued his philatelic writing and editing elsewhere, particularly for the Washington Press

First issue of First Days

and its catalogues, newsletters and album pages. Although not a member of the AFDCS, he also served as a proofreader for First Days for most of the past decade. He rejoined in the past year.

While editor of First Days, Strauss recruited two young writers whose names are very familiar today: One was college student Alan Warren, whose “Question Box” column has appeared in all but one of the hundreds of issues since that first one in 1955. Warren also writes for many other publications and on other philatelic subjects.

The other was junior member Randy Neil from the Kansas City area, who went on to become a successful writer, editor and publisher, as well as American Philatelic Society president.

The DSA is voted upon only by past recipients of the award; the committee is currently chaired by Allison Cusick.

The American First Day Cover Society is a not-for-profit educational organization. In addition to First Days, the AFDCS also publishes handbooks and catalogues, and promotes the collecting of both modern and “classic” issues and cachets, as well as exhibiting FDCs.

For more information about the AFDCS, visit www.afdcs.org, e-mail afdcs@afdcs.org or write the AFDCS at Post Office Box 246, Colonial Beach, VA 22443-0246.

Dale E. Smith, immediate past president of the American Topical Association, has been selected for the ATA’s highest award, Distinguished Topical Philatelist. The award is presented each year to an individual who has provided outstanding service to philately, and especially topical philately — collecting stamps by subject.

Smith has served on the ATA board since 2011, becoming first vice president in 2012 and president in 2016. He is also membership secretary of the Gladstone Stamp Club, near Kansas City, and is active in the Midwest Philatelic Society, based in the city itself. He is a member of six ATA-affiliated study units and three ATA-affiliated chapters.

“Herbert Hoover said, ‘It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit,’” said ATA president Dawn Hamman. “That sums up Dale’s incredible contribution to ATA, philately and many other worthy causes in a nutshell. He operates under the radar. He does not seek recognition, and, in fact, gives it to others.”

During Smith’s tenure as ATA president, he invigorated fundraising and was able to secure the organization’s future with financial leadership and by adding to its reserves. He added key leaders to important positions in the group, and was part of the team that organized and implemented the moving of the ATA office from Illinois to South Carolina in 2019.

His wide-ranging interests: stamps on stamps, HIV/AIDS on stamps, pharmacy, winter scenes, Christmas seals, Pony Express and George Washington Carver. In 2002, Dale and his wife Andrea started their topical stamp dealership, Stamp Smith. The main focus of the business has always been topicals.

Smith’s leadership goes beyond philately. A graduate of the University of Missouri, Kansas City, Dale has served as president of its alumni association, and is currently on the dean’s advisory council and the LGBTQ Scholarship Foundation. He has served as president of 15 non-profit organizations over 45 years.

He was presented with the award at the Celebration Banquet of Great American Stamp Show 2021.

[press release]
APS Writers Unit 30 To Invite Online Content Providers

Writers Unit 30, the American Philatelic Society affiliate that has represented stamp collecting writers, editors and publishers for more than 50 years, is now encouraging membership for online content providers: The people who write and edit websites, blogs and social media.

Most philatelic writing these days is on the Web. Often, the same material is published in print, on a website and in social media at the same time.

“Writing is writing, whether it is for print, broadcast or the internet,” said WU30 president Lloyd A. de Vries. “The styles may change, but the purpose is the same: To communicate, inform, and exchange ideas. We think including internet content producers in WU30 will be mutually beneficial.”

The APS Writers Unit publishes a quarterly newsletter, The Philatelic Communicator; supports literature competitions; and maintains a “Hall of Fame” for outstanding stamp collecting writers, both in the past and those active today. In addition, new programs are being planned. WU30 was founded in 1967, and meets annually at APS StampShow’s successor, Great American Stamp Show.

TPC issues often include articles on writing itself, layout, opportunities and news.

“30” is the traditional mark that was placed at the end of newspaper copy to indicate to editors and typesetters that it was finished. Not coincidentally, the Writers Unit is Affiliate #30 of the APS.

Membership is open to all who write, publish or edit in philately, from periodical columns to research books, and now, explicitly, to those who write for digital media. Membership is $15 a year anywhere in the world for .pdf copies of The Philatelic Communicator, delivered via email. Membership with a printed journal is $20.

To join, or for more information, visit the WU30 website at www.wu30.org or write WU30 at PO Box 411571, Saint Louis, MO 63141-3571.

The American Philatelic Society’s 2021 Nicholas G. Carter Volunteer Recognition Awards
for National Service have been awarded to:

• Allison Cusick
• Joann Lenz
• Steve Lund
• Don Neal, and
• Felix L. Perez-Folch, Jr.

The Carter Awards for Local Service go to

• Ron Breznay
• Mike Komiensky
• Darlene Waterstreet, and
• Mary Ann Wenzelma

This year’s Outstanding Young Adult Philatelist (Age 25-40) is Casey Jo White (right)and Outstanding Young Philatelist (Under 25) is Ian Hunter (left).

The APS announcement on the Carter Awards, including their accomplishments, can be found here.

Bill Schultz is the recipient of the Kehr Award, presented “for enduring contributions that help guarantee the future of the hobby” over a period of at least five years. Details are here.

The American Philatelic Society has named this year’s inductees into its Hall of Fame, the most prestigious award that the APS can bestow upon philatelists who have passed away. This year, all three are women:

• Elizabeth Pope
• Elizabeth “Betty” Nettles
• Esper Hayes

Only photos of Pope and Hayes were provided by the APS. The APS Hall of Fame was established in 1940. Nominees must have made outstanding contributions to the advancement of national or international philately.Pope and Nettles, perhaps not coincidentally, were both active in the Webster Grove Stamp Club in the St. Louis area. Hayes founded the Ebony Society of Philatelic Events and Reflections, whose acronym, again perhaps not coincidentally, is ESPER.

The APS announcement including their accomplishments can be found here.

L-R, Lesher, Ertzberger, Frohlich

The American Philatelic Society has named this year’s winners of its Luff Award, the most prestigious award that the APS can bestow upon living philatelists.

• For Distinguished Philatelic Research – Dr. Ronald Lesher
• For Exceptional Contributions to Philately – Darrell Ertzberger
• For Outstanding Service to the American Philatelic Society – Alfredo Frohlich

The Luff Award was established in memory of John N. Luff, APS president from 1907 to 1909, who was considered the most prominent American philatelist of his era.

The APS announcement including their accomplishments can be found here.

Lesher spoke with The Virtual Stamp Club in 2013 about one of the more unusual aspects of his revenue stamp collection, Oleomargarine stamps! You can hear that feature here.

Martin Kent Miller has been named editor of The Philatelic Exhibitor, the journal of the American Association of Philatelic Exhibitors (AAPE). He succeeds Randy L. Neil, a co-founder of the organization, who decided to retire. Neil will continue to write a column for the publication.

Miller’s 30-year career in the communications field, includes writing, editing and graphic design. He is the president of the Philatelic Press, a company that serves the communications needs of philatelists and philatelic organizations. He also edits The United States Specialist, the journal of the United States Stamp Society; First Days, the journal of the American First Day Cover Society; and The Pennsylvania Postal Historian, the journal of the Pennsylvania Postal History Society. He previously edited The American Philatelist, the journal of the American Philatelic Society. Miller has been a stamp collector since he was eight years old.

Last year, Miller edited Topical Adventures – A Guide to Topical and Thematic Stamp Collecting for the American Topical Association (ATA). He also designed a new logo and website for ATA.

“We sincerely thank Randy for many years of fine work for AAPE,” said Mike Ley, president. “We look forward to working with Martin as we meet the needs of both novice and experienced exhibitors.”

Founded in 1986, the AAPE offers publications, exhibiting awards and critique and mentoring services for philatelic exhibitors.

For more information on the AAPE, visit its website AAPE.org.

The 92nd AFDCS Fundraising Auction is now underway. The auction features 1,120 lots donated by our generous members.

This auction starts off with a rare set of 1930 Zeppelin first day covers with cachets by Roessler, postmarked on the back along delivery route with first on 4/19/1930 at Washington, DC, and serviced by none other than Egon Bernet! How often does a set in such a pristine condition come available?

Those who have an interest in autographed material will find several notable items:

First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt

Stanton W. Salisbury, Chief of Chaplains, U.S. Navy

C. Everett Koop, U.S. Surgeon General

Robin Cook MD, medical novelist and author of ‘COMA’ and ‘PANDEMIC’

Richard Couch, Stealth Bomber Test Pilot

Paul Hubartt, Cachet Designer for Fluegel Covers

A large number of Walter G. Crosby 1940’s are featured, some lots as mini collections, including several not-so-common #10 cachets:

A variety of Cachetmakers are represented, notably:

This auction continues from the last, offering an assortment of Doris Gold items , including printed and hand-painted FDCs, original artwork, and working materials for production of printed cachets. All exhibitors should pay close attention to these lots!

Duck Hunting stamp FDCs are represented proudly with a good assortment:

Pickers will enjoy group lots on a variety of topics including hand-painted cachets, Circus, collection of JFK Aerogram FDCs, a Fleetwood presentation card album, FDR 1946 Fleetwood/Knapp combo, Obama Inauguration multiple stamp combination, Certified Delivery and Special Delivery covers, and much more:

Whatever you collect you’re sure to find something of interest.

Auction runs through June 20th. Convenient online credit card and PayPal payment available for winning bidders.

See all the lots here: https://www.afdcs.org/Auction92/92index.html

Thank you for supporting the American First Day Cover Society!