VFW seeking used stamps for veterans

The VFW Auxiliary has so many worth while and interesting programs that many of us participate in that we forget that others might not know about them. Here is one of them that our local group supports. The VFW Auxiliary urges your support for this worthwhile project. Stamps can be left at the local VFW or by contacting any member of the auxiliary. Linda L. Brown is the local president, Nina Jones is the vice-president and Ginny Fewer is the Patriotic Conductress. Thank you for your support of our Veterans.

Used Stamps for Our Veterans

Many Veteran groups collect used stamps that have been sent to them from all over. Some of the groups send these contributions to a central clearing house where the stamps are soaked and resold to dealers, collectors, etc.

The Veteran groups that do this then take the money raised and spend it for various Veteran’s needs. Some stamps are also kept back and distributed to patients as a hobby to help them recover or pass the sometimes many lonely hours in the hospital. There are six or seven of these collecting agencies for the veterans.

Our local program chairman, sends stamps collected from members of our chapter to several Veteran stamp collecting clubs. The clubs sort and make ready contributions for distribution to those disabled, handicapped or wounded veteran’s undergoing treatment and rehabilitation. The hobbies of stamp and coin collecting are recognized as effective therapy in rehabilitating hospitalized veterans.

Each group requests different types of stamps. All request “commemoratives.” A commemorative stamp would include special event stamps celebrating an anniversary, etc., and Christmas stamps. What they don’t ask for is “definitives”. An example of this is the common “flag over the porch”. There are millions of these around and about and rarely are they worth anything.

Please look at the examples (below) to see how to cut stamps out you wish to contribute. If a stamp is too heavily postmarked that you can’t see it, or is torn, it shouldn’t be saved.

When cutting stamp off envelope, be sure not to trim too close to the stamp as the perforations and/or the stamp could be damaged.

If more than one stamp is on the envelope, leave the trim line around all the stamps.

Perforations are a series of round or other shaped holes punched out between the rows of stamps to facilitate separation. Some booklets or adhesives, have straight edges. Avoid cutting into these, too.