Dont Toss Those Envelopes

[K2WH]

Wait, don't throw those DX QSL card return envelopes away! #I sent my 100 envelopes with stamps (some donated by N3DD) to a kids philatelic school club in Ohio. #The teacher I sent them to has the title of "Kids Stamp Club Coordinator". Apparently, his school kids were overjoyed at getting these envelopes with the cancelled stamps on them. I am now officially a "Benefactor" of the school. At least that's what the letter calls me (attached image).


What's the story behind all this? #I just couldn't bring myself to toss out the envelopes I was receiving with all the exotic stamps on them. #I thought someone would like to have these stamps so, I just put them in a box whenever I received one. #Evenually, I started making inquiries of friends if they knew of anybody or any group that might be interested in the stamps. #I was told by one of these friends of this kids stamp club in Ohio. #So, I shipped them all, in a box to the school.

Bottom line, don't throw those envelopes and stamps out. #Someone could probably use them to further a hobby that in some sense, is inter-connected to our wonderful hobby of ham radio through the age old and traditional practice of exchanging QSL cards through the mail. #If you use an electronic qsl service then I guess this post is of no interest.

By the way, the club I sent my stamps and envelopes to is:

GESU School
Attn: Mr. Robert Kolacki
2045 Parkside Boulevard
Toledo, Ohio #43607

K2WH

[WA1IWH]

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif I'm really happy to see this. I too, have been looking for someone to give my stamps to. #I'm dropping the GESU School a note with my stamps/envelopes. #Thanks for doing the leg work !

Paul
WA1IWH

[hartdaniel]

My wife collects the stamps from my QSL's, but I will keep them in mind for the extras! And I will still use eQSL no matter what hams say about it.

[vu2zap]

This is good to hear. I take trouble in finding attractive and informative stamps to attach to an outgoing QSL. When available I send radio related stamps. My daughter collects all Jap stamps and ones with birds or animals. I also sent out mint currency notes with some QSL cards. I have confirmed 20 countries in DX currency notes..

Happy New year

Raj
VU2ZAP

[w0fm]

How nice for those youngsters to be so appreciative. About two years ago, I received a QSL card from a ham in India that I had worked and sent a card to. On his QSL card he had indicated that he was a stamp collector and would appreciate any and all stamps that hams could send him.

I, too, had felt funny flipping those exotic stamps into my trash can when each batch of QSLs arrived. So I saved the stamps for over a year and had quite a pile of them. I sent 200 or so to the ham in India with a note saying that I hoped there might be some good ones in the pile for him. Six months later, I sent him another 75 stamps. (Airmail postage both times).

To this date, I have not received a word of thanks from the ham in India. No note, no e-mail, no nothing.

Send your stamps to these kids. They'll obviously
appreciate your efforts.

73,

Terry, WØFM

[KC8FKS]

I am a ham radio operator AND a stamp collector.
The two hobbys just seem to go together.
I mean what better way to get the exotic stamps then to actually make a contact with that country.
They are both WONDERFUL hobbys.
I now have qsl cards and stamps from over 80 different countrys.
73
Doug(KC8FKS)

[WD8X]

I also am collecting the stamps. I have them under a piece of plexiglass on my shack desktop. I have extra stamps that would be great for these kids. Does anybody know if it is necessary for the stamp to still be attached to the cards(my wife seems to remember the value was increased when the envelope and stamp were still attached.). I usually rip away the stamps from the card and keep them in a box and discard the encelope.

I'll be sending the stamps by themselves for now but as I receive cards from DX, will save them for the kids.

Thanks for the heads-up.

Tim

WD8X

[KD7QDU]

RE: leaving stamps on envelopes
im sure they would be happy with just the stamps but some collect post marks, so if you trim off the envelopes leaving the post marks in place some collectors will appreciate it, others will just steam the stamp off the envelope.
Eric
kd7qdu http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif