Great Britain - Paddington Bear Smilers Sheetlet

Paddington bear was created almost half a century ago by the English writer, Michael Bond. On Christmas Eve, in 1956, Mr. Bond was shopping in a London store when he saw a lone teddy bear on the store shelf. He felt sorry for it, so he brought it home as a present for his wife Brenda. He named the bear Paddington, because he lived near the Paddington Station in London.

Once home, he began to write stories of the little bear’s adventures. Within the first 10 days, he had penned enough stories for a book. Originally his writings were not directed towards children, but he did write about things that he liked reading about when he was young. His first book, A Bear Called Paddington, was published on October 13, 1958. Currently, there have been over 30 million Paddington books sold worldwide, in thirty languages.

The Paddington Bear has been involved in a number of charity projects over the years. He has worked with UNICEF in the USA and the American Red Cross. He is very well known in the United Kingdom for his works with Action Medical Research.

In January, 2006, England released a new Paddington Bear stamp. Stamps featured are self adhesive and come in a sheetlet of 20. These stamps celebrate the universal appeal of illustrated children’s literature. If you are interested in purchasing these adorable stamps visit www.stampcenter.com for more information.

Stamps for Democracy, A Great Cause

In a world of electronic banking, stamps are not always needed. Do you have extra unused postage stamps lying around the house? Are you willing to donate them to a worthwhile cause?

There are many charities that are helping our military troops in various locations throughout the world. There is certainly one new one worth taking a special interest in. Nancy Crescenzo, from Newtown Township, PA is collecting stamps for families who have soldiers serving in Afghanistan or Iraq. Her goal is to collect 10,000 unused stamps.

Many United States military families must decide if they will be able to send letters to their beloved soldiers or send in their required monthly payments to creditors. A simple stamp does not seem like much, but each 41 cent sticker could help someone communicate with their loved one who is serving our country.

Originally Nancy Crescenzo wanted to send stamps to soldiers overseas, but quickly learned that postage stamps are not necessary for soldiers in combat areas. Under The Supply Our Troops Act of 2005, soldiers are able to mail letters home, to the United States for free. She has since formed "Stamps for Democracy". It appears that her organization is the only one of its kind that is collecting stamps for our soldiers.

Each stamp that is donated will be distributed to various organizations that regularly send care packages to our soldiers.

If you are interested in donating stamps to this worthwhile cause, you may send them to: Nancy Crescenzo, 8 Bridal Rose Court, Newtown, PA 18940. For more information, e-mail her at citizens-for-one-voice@comcast.net.