The following is a press release from Holmesburg Amateur Radio Club.
Holmesburg Amateur Radio Club’s Service Project Recognized Around the World
Since 2014 the Holmesburg Amateur Radio Club has participated in the Stamps for the Wounded program.
Stamps for the Wounded (SFTW) is a service organization dedicated to providing comfort and stimulating activity to U.S. veterans through stamp collecting. SFTW sends stamps, covers, supplies and literature to enable veterans to begin, or continue to collect stamps. Stamp collecting is an activity that provides comfort, meaningful activity and social connections… it is not physically challenging and very stimulating.
SFTW has been helping veterans since 1942 and welcomes any U.S. veteran who would like to begin, or continue collecting stamps, to join our program to receive stamps and philatelic materials.
The Club originally got involved with the SFTW program when they received about 1000 QSL card requests following members participation in the annual 13 Colonies Special Event held each July. HARC’s Club call, WM3PEN, is a bonus station during that event. The question came up as to what, if anything, could be done with all of the cancelled stamps on the envelopes. Upon learning of the program club members began inserting a brief note about the program with the QSL card request. Soon envelopes, both large and small, started to arrive from around the U.S. We even got packages from England and Germany. Stamps came from individuals, sports clubs, businesses, etc. Many asked how could their school or business get involved. Bob Josuweit, WA3PZO, trustee of the WM3PEN callsign, says this has provided a way to introduce people to ham radio. Rich Shivers, K3UJ, who coordinates the shipping of the stamps to SFTW says that the Club has shipped about 74 pounds of stamps so far. That’s a lot of stamps when you consider stamps are shipped with about a ¼ inch border.
Rob Jenson, president of Stamps for the Wounded recently thanked HARC for “coordinating outreach among your members, and other amateur radio operators around the world. We have received donations from others who have seen info with your QSL cards and on your web site.”
Following a recent HARC shipment to SFTW, Jenson said “We gratefully acknowledge receipt of your box of US and foreign used stamps, and some US mint postage stamps. On behalf of our veterans, and our all volunteer staff, we thank you all for promoting us, and encouraging your members and other radio operators to send us stamps from QSL cards, which we forward to the veterans.”
He continued, “We have plenty of material to share, so if any of your members, or radio contacts are veterans or active-duty military who collect stamps or covers, or who are interested in adding stamp collecting to their hobbies, please point them to our web site at https://stampsforthewounded.org/for-veterans and we will get them set up.”
Some of the items the SFTW program can use include: Undamaged, used stamps from the USA or a foreign country except for common stamps that have “Non Profit” or “Bulk Rate” printed on them or stamps with the US Flag as their entire design. Other types of stamps and envelopes that are acceptable can be found on the stampsforthewounded.org website.
For further information contact Bob Josuweit, WA3PZO at WM3PEN@AOL.COM.
Source: Holmesburg Amateur Radio Club
