Welcome to the New Year! Please join me in congratulating our former President, Stephen Reinhart, on his selection by the Board of Governors to be the 2017 recipient of the Alfred F. Lichtenstein Memorial Award for Distinguished Service to Philately.   A complete description of the Award and Steve’s accomplishments appears elsewhere in this issue.   Steve will be feted at our Annual Awards Dinner on Wednesday May 3 in New York City.  Invitations will be forthcoming in the spring.

After focusing our Club’s 2016 Outreach efforts on the successful World Stamp Show – NY2016, I am glad to report that the Club is resuming its practice of taking its annual multi-frame exhibiting competition on the road.  This year we will be attending the NAPEX stamp show, June 9-11, 2017, at the Hilton Tysons Corner in McLean, Virginia, just outside Washington, DC.  For those travelling by train to Washington’s Union Station or by air to Reagan National Airport, Tyson’s Corner can be reached directly by Washington’s Metro mass transit system.

We expect to organize a Collectors Club social dinner for all greater Washington area Club members, as well as Club members visiting NAPEX, and their guests on the show’s opening evening, Friday, June 9th.  Details will be provided in future CCP issues and by email to all members.

As a reminder, to exhibitors, the Club’s three multi-frame awards are given to the best 19th century US exhibit, the best 20-21st century US exhibit, and the best international exhibit.   So, exhibitors, please do not miss this opportunity to promote the hobby and the Club and to have some fun and camaraderie with your fellow Club members!  The NAPEX prospectus is available at the Clubhouse and by download from www.napex.org.

If you visit the Club on an afternoon when she is present, please welcome our new part-time Library Assistant, Andrea Matura.   Andrea comes to us after having provided administrative support to World Stamp Show 2016 immediately before and after the show.  One of the projects that Andrea will be undertaking is the assignment of Library of Congress-style call numbers to the books in the main 1st floor library, paralleling the call numbers used by the APRL in Bellefonte, PA.  These call numbers should make it much easier to find and correctly shelve books in the library which are presently organized loosely by subject in the US or by country and author for the rest of the world.

Also, by the time you read this, a visit to the Club’s website at www.collectorsclub.org will reveal a newly organized website created by our webmaster, Eric M. Stone under the direction of our IT Chair, Joan Harmer and David Steidley.  The new website features a more modern database-driven engine “under the hood” which will accommodate a members-only section featuring exclusive access to selected member meeting videos and eventually the digitized contents of the Collectors Club Philatelist.  The new WordPress content management system will also allow for the easy posting of updates to the website which should result in more timely content and make the website a place to visit to see current news and announcements.  Thanks to Eric, Joan, and David for their efforts to see this conversion through to fruition.

I would also like to recognize Debby Friedman’s efforts in leading the Club’s Youth Stamp Club and Adults Beginners programs which meet monthly at the Club on the 3rd Saturdays of September through June.  The Youth Club has 15 registered members and the Adult Beginners average 8-10 attendees per meeting.   Previous youth participant, Truth Miller, subsequently graduated from the APS’ Young Philatelic Leaders Fellowship this year and three of the Adult Beginners have since joined the Club.  Contributions of philatelic material and supplies suitable for these programs are welcome – please address them to the “Youth Stamp Program” at the Club.  And please join me in expressing appreciation to Debby for her efforts in promoting philately the next time you see her.

Lastly, the Club has an important volunteer activity that can be undertaken by any of our members as it does not require proximity to the Clubhouse.  After yeoman’s service, Eddie Bridges, has stepped down as Advertising Manager for the Collectors Club Philatelist.   The Advertising Manager role is both important to the Club as it generates revenue that supports the CCP’s publication as well as providing an opportunity to get to know an international dealer community of the highest caliber.  Much of the work of the Advertising Manager is conducted by telephone and email so any Club member with an interest is encouraged to apply.  If you have an interest in expanding your philatelic network, please contact me and I will be happy to share the “volunteer position description” details with you.

Best wishes for a happy, prosperous, and rewarding philatelic 2017!