Hi everyone! October is National Stamp Collecting Month. What are you going to do to commemorate it? Buy more material for your collection? Visit the local stamp club? Attend a stamp show? Encourage your friends to join the RPSC? I hope so. The advent of Fall often means we will have more time to work on our stamp collections and to enjoy our hobbies. What follows is a brief update on the activities of The Royal Philatelic Society of Canada/La Société royale de philatélie du Canada (“RPSC“) .
Royal 2019 and Proposals for Future Shows
Plans are well under way for Royal/Royale 2019 to be held in June 21-23, 2019 at the Hilton Mississauga in Mississauga, Ont. The RPSC hopes to see you there! The RPSC is in discussions with the American Philatelic Society to partner in each others national shows in some manner. Stay tuned for more details, plus watch for updates on our website and inside The Canadian Philatelist. Some clubs are exploring the possibility of hosting the annual convention in future years. More news to follow. The British Columbia Philatelic Society has advised it will host a national show – Vanpex – in 2019. Exhibits and volunteers are most welcome.
2018 National, Regional and Local Shows
Canpex is the last national show of the 2018 season. It will be held in London, Ont., on Oct. 13-14. For more details, visit http://www.canpex.ca/.
There are a number of regional and local shows still to be held in 2018, which are listed on the Royal’s website: http://www.rpsc.org/shows.php. If you wish to let others know about your shows, please let us know so we can publish details in the RPSC newsletter and on the Royal’s website.
Details of Future RPSC Chapter Meetings and Speakers
The RPSC is interested in seeing more collectors attend RPSC chapter meetings. We hope the newsletter will assist in this regard and will contain details of upcoming chapter meetings, including the names of speakers and locations. Even if members cannot attend meetings, they may learn of interesting topics and be able to source presentations from those who volunteered to share information. Please send us details of upcoming meetings, locations, speakers and topics so they can be published in the RPSC newsletter.
New Volunteer Recognition Program
The RPSC Board has approved the Volunteer Recognition Program. It is intended to recognize those individuals who have made a significant contribution to philately as a member of the RPSC or a member of an RPSC Chapter or Affiliate. We need to hear from you, our members, and our affiliates!!! We also need more volunteers to help us staff RPSC tables at local, regional and national shows. Please help us sign up new members for the RPSC.
Articles Are Needed for The Canadian Philatelist and for the RPSC Newsletter
Do you wish to share your knowledge of philately with others? Please consider taking your time to write an informative and scholarly piece for the RPSC’s flagship publication, The Canadian Philatelist. Please contact our esteemed editor, Herb Colling at mailto:hacolling@cogeco.ca, or a member of our talented editorial board: Gray Scrimgeour, Richard Gratton, Rob Timberg and Francois Brisse.
If you wish to write a piece for the RPSC newsletter, please contact me at the email address below or our newsletter editor, Mike Walsh at mailto:mwalsh@vaxxine.com
RPSC Board of Directors and the Strategic Plan
Our last Board meeting was held by conference call on Sept. 30. We discussed a variety of topics including the development and implementation of the strategic plan vision statement and objectives discussed in past newsletters. The RPSC will need the help of its members to do so and hopes members will assist where possible. Our Board also discussed other matters such as the appointment of new board members. Robert Carswell was elected to replace Rob Timberg who regrettably stepped down. The deadline for nominations for the Board of Directors is fast approaching (December 2018). At least one capable person has stepped forward. We need more volunteers! The Board also approved the institution of an e-membership category (with an electronic copy of The Canadian Philatelist) at a reduced rate. Dues for membership involving the receipt of a paper copy of The Canadian Philatelist will be increased. Our next Board meeting will occur in November, 2018.
International Committee – Serving the Interests of Exhibitors
David McLaughlin is the International Liaison Officer of the RPSC and Chair of this Committee. Charles Verge, Sam Chiu and Jim Taylor are members . David publishes a newsletter called the International Exhibitor which is essential reading for those who wish to exhibit or attend international stamp shows. Please contact David for a copy at mailto:david.mclaughlin@rogers.com. A number of international shows will be held in 2019 and 2020.
Judging Program
The RPSC has a Committee that deals with the accreditation of Philatelic judges in Canada. Joel Weiner heads this Committee. The RPSC is always looking for dedicated individuals who are looking to apprentice in aid of becoming accredited as a judge at the local or national level. Joel can be reached at mailto:jweiner@ualberta.ca.
The RPSC hopes to continue to provide members and non-members with current/ additional information about the Society operations and topics in philately. If you have done a PowerPoint presentation on philately for a chapter meeting or organization and you think it would be useful for others to see on our Website, please send it to me and the RPSC will consider it for publication on our website or as a presentation to be made available to other Chapters.
Any Ideas to Improve the RPSC? Want to Volunteer? Want to Help Recruit New Members?
With your help ,The Royal Philatelic Society of Canada/La Société royale de philatélie du Canada will continue to be Canada’s National Stamp Club /Le club national de philatélie du Canada. Please feel free to contact me at mailto:e.kroft@shaw.ca
Charitable Giving
Please do consider making a tax deductible charitable contribution to the RPSC Foundation. More on this topic in the upcoming months.
Best wishes
Ed