Spring is here, with its requisite sunlight and plenty of flowers. Fortunately for paper and stamp nerds, that includes blooms in paper form. On March 14, the annual Garfield-Perry March Stamp Party in Strongsville, Ohio — my neck of the woods — was also a First Day of Issue Ceremony for the Sunflowers new Forever Stamp. I shared a bit about my experiences there in my Editor’s Letter in the gorgeous spring issue of Stationery Trends, but wanted to expand on them here.
This was only my second day-of ceremony, and I was grateful to know their basic structure. The stamp design itself is blown up and hides behind a United States Postal Service (USPS) curtain. This ceremony itself was brief, but really inspiring with so much rich food for thought. First, Master of Ceremonies Jay Bigalke of Scott Stamp LLC kicked off, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance from Leah M. Ifft, USPS Supervisor, Customer Service, Cleveland, Ohio.
Then, Rocco Caponi, March Party Stamp Show Co-Chairman, provided our official welcome.
The stamp itself was dedicated by Cynthia D. Lute, USPS Manager, Consumer Affairs, Ohio 1 District, Cleveland, Ohio. She is the lovely lady in yellow!
Then came the actual unveiling, followed by remarks from myself, Maria Hartman, Community Engagement Administrator, Prayers From Maria, Fields of Hope and Andrew Fedynsky, Director, Ukrainian Museum and Archives, Cleveland, Ohio. Both brought props (I felt a bit empty-handed!): I helped Maria hand out sweet packages of Sunflower Seeds before the ceremony, and Andrew brought sunflower oil, the top of which shows in the photo above!
I spoke first. Fortunately, my remarks were asked to be just two-three minutes long — enough time to make a point or two, but not enough to start feeling self-conscious. Mine definitely took a stationery perspective:
Good morning, and thank you to the US Postal Service, the Greeting Card Association and the Garfield-Perry Stamp Club for inviting me to speak a few words today. In my role, I mostly focus on the gorgeous stationery design found within the envelope — but that doesn’t mean that the envelope and of course the stamp gracing it are not of paramount importance. After all, half of all the greeting cards exchanged in this country are sent through the mail. During the isolating COVID-19 lockdown, I realized that the first viewing of every mailed missive is what I call “a red carpet moment,” in which of course the stamp plays a starring role.
There, peeking out from between a bill and a direct mail catalog, is a precious hand assembled beauty. Someone who loves you took the time to pick out just that card, write just that message, dig up your address, affix a special stamp upon it, and send it on a journey direct to your doorstep. However, that card did not just require a sender, an artist, a printer and a retail store to come to you, it also required the coordination and cooperation of our mighty postal service. All this, just so a humble card could appear in your hand’s at the exact right time to wish you, say, a most happy birthday.
Clearly, the stamp does so much more than simply pay an envelope’s way — at the Greeting Card Association, we refer to them as the jewelry of the envelope. They tell a story as much as your mom’s handwriting or even the postmark, if we just stop to look. I certainly don’t have to tell this audience that stamps have the quiet power to honor historical figures, spur the imagination or transport us to the past as they carry our messages into the future.
Accordingly, every stamp that the United States Postal Service painstakingly brings to life is a tiny masterpiece to color our correspondence. This exquisite sunflower stamp, with its underlying, undeniable message of hope and peace, could not come to life at a better time. I especially love that this sunflower does not stand alone — there are four blooms, all turned in each’s own way toward the sun, together yet distinct. I think we can all take a lesson from these sturdy sunny plants that symbolize not just happiness and joy, but resilience and longevity as well.
These wise beauties are tasked with carrying our messages of love, congratulations and “you will get through this, I promise” — every last one precious, personal and memorable. It’s not simple — but from this sunflower’s very first viewing in the mailbox, it does make this most important job look easy.
So cheers to this beautiful design officially coming into the world today and the countless heartfelt messages of love that it will quietly shepherd. Both will never wither. Thank you.
Maria’s speech discussed another Maria — Maria McNamara, the inspiration for Prayers from Maria. At just six, she was diagnosed with a glioma, a cancerous brain tumor that would take her life the following year. During her treatment, she prayed every night for the other children in her hospital. Here, sunflowers reflect hope, turning towards and mirroring the sun. Even in death, they leave seeds to guide us.
I was not fully aware of the multi-dimensional importance of sunflowers in the Ukraine until Andrew’s words. There they don’t just represent hope, sunflowers physically sustain them as they symbolize not just their history, but the promise of peace.
Then, all of us all sat down at a long table in order of our appearance to sign the programs. What a treat to interact with so many attendees. But, the fun was not over — my mom, my niece (who kindly snapped many of the images in this post — thank you Kate!) and I walked the actual Stamp Party to take in the sights. There were many exhibitors selling stamps — who knew that a tiny piece of paper could be this expensive?
The Philately exhibits, however, were my favorites, as each told a story. Essentially, these exhibits are painstakingly collected and assembled to share the beauty and history of stamps — but also reflect our larger world and history. Here are the (somewhat random but utterly fascinating) shots I took as we chatted and wandered the several aisles of displays.
Clearly, there is so much artfulness to discover both inside and outside the envelope. The Sunflower Stamp was designed by Art Director Greg Breeding and illustrated by Nancy Stahl. It joins such a phenomenal tradition of talent and workmanship — so if you haven’t already, pick yours up here!
