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2010 Conflagration
will take place at the Garfield-Perry March Party in
Cleveland, Ohio. Watch for more information coming soon.
The key highlight of our 2010 Conflagration will be the
presentation of the second annual Clyde Jennings Innovation in
Philately Award, which will be given to one
individual and/or one organization in the hobby who has
demonstrated creativity and action in developing new
frontiers for philately. VFP members need to vote on the
nominees for this award via email or on the VFP website.
The award will be presented during the March Party's
annual show awards dinner.
In addition to the
above activities, there will be two additional Visiting
Firemen events:
• The Annual General Bonfire and Open
Meeting—where Visiting Fireman in attendance can voice
their feelings on untold subjects of burning concern.
• A special seminar:
Innovation in Philately/Developing the Hobby's Future—an
event that directly relates to the VFP's awards.
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 Bruce
R.
McIntyre was the Fire Plug of the Visiting Firemen of Philately
when, as secretary of the organization, he issued this
membership card to W.F.Page in August of 1934. The card was
handpainted by McIntyre, himself! |
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Membership Benefits |
- A
special distinctive Gold Cloisonne Lapel Pin
given to each Fireman upon joining. See the VFP logo above
for the design of the pin.
- Colorful
Membership Card
- The
VFP Annual Conflagration held at a major
national stamp show. (Our next National Conflagration will
take place at the Garfield-Perry March Party in March
2010.)
- Quarterly
Fire Drill Newsletter
-
Nominating Privileges for the Annual VFP National
Clyde Jennings Sparkplug Awards
- Camp Fires, Bonfires, and
other such warm activities when and wherever Firemen
gather. Wear your pin always!
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Wherever
two of more Visiting Firemen are together, it's a campfire! |
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Herman "Pat" Herst was an original Visiting
Fireman and wrote about it in his books. In its early
days, the chief purpose of the VFP was simply to have some
plain old fun!
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Originally founded as an organization of collectors and
dealers who frequently attended stamp shows,
the VFP began in 1933 as a social organization.
- The
membership dues were simple: If you were
invited to join the VFP, all you had to do was pick up the
dinner tab for all the other Firemen on the night you
joined.
- Things
are a bit
different with the new VFP, but the main purpose remains
the same: Philately is meant to be fun and, wherever
Firemen gather, wear your VFP pin proudly and build your
own CampFire with fellow Firemen you meet.
- Where the 21st Century VFP
differs from the old is in our KEY PURPOSE: to preserve
and study our hobby's heritage and to encourage
development of its emerging leaders.
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There's
More! |
Watch this
website for more news about impending VFP activities and how
you can not only participate, but help us further develop
this great new organization.
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Contact
Us... |
Need more info?
Well, there's no reason why we can't provide it! Just
drop
us a message and we'll respond.
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Site designed &
managed by
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After 60 years,
the Visiting Firemen of Philately Returns
as a prominent organization in our hobby.
After
months of careful behind-the-scenes planning, six hobby leaders organized a Founding Council to create the rebirth of The
Visiting Firemen of Philately, an
organization originally founded in 1933 as an association of
collectors and stamp dealers who frequently attended stamp shows
across America. The early VFP, which existed for less than 20
years, included members from all walks of philately, from local
stamp club members to respected philatelic leaders like Lester
Brookman, ASDA Executive Secretary Peter G. Keller and Herman
Herst Jr.
The VFP’s purpose: to foster
the preservation of the history, heritage and artifacts of the
hobby, to encourage the development of philately’s future
leaders and to just plain have some good old-fashioned fun.
Numerous events, including an annual Conflagration, a
newsletter, and website, are offered. Dues are a
once-in-a-lifetime fee of $50.00. For more information, see
below or Email us.
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Philatelic
Leaders form the
VFP Founding Council... |
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Six of
American philately's best known leaders have joined together to
become the Founding Council of the Visiting Firemen of
Philately.
The six members of the
Council are APS president Janet Klug, APS past presidents Randy
L. Neil, John M. Hotchner and Dr. Peter P. McCann, American
Philatelic Congress president Stephen D. Schumann, and prominent
philatelic literature dealer and publisher James E. Lee.
The council's chief
responsibilities are to create the VFP By-Laws and initiate the
original governance of the organization---as well as formulate
and begin the initial meetings and activities.
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| How you can join
the VFP... |
| Every
philatelist devoted to our hobby's best interests---its history,
its wonderful heritage and engendering its future---is warmly
invited to join the VISITING FIREMEN OF PHILATELY. (And wait,
the word, "Firemen," in this case, has nothin' to do with
gender, by the way; it's an ancient term redeployed here.)
Joining is easy. Our dues are a once-in-a-lifetime payment of
$50.00. You can pay your dues in three ways: |
- Send your check for $50.00 to:
The Visiting Firemen of Philately, 282 Ledge Road,
Macedonia, OH 44056. Please send the bucks...as we're not
set up to accept credit cards.
- Ask any Fireman you see at a
stamp show. Most well-intentioned and upright
Firemen will carry with them a membership application or two.
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THE VFP'S OFFICIAL MAGAZINE:
When joining, all Visiting Fireman receive a free
one year subscription to our official magazine. After
the first year, you can subscribe at a very low special rate...
This great new national magazine for both stamp collectors and
dealers featured the Visiting Firemen
of Philately.
The American Stamp Dealer
is issued ten times per year with a low introductory
subscription price of only $14.95.
Check out their
website...and see what all the hype is about. |
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