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As I have worked on the VPS website over the last three years, I have had the good fortune to learn so much about Vatican philately. I am not a “philatelic academic”, so much of what I have learned has come through what I would call “soft research”. Daily releases in the Vatican and Catholic press, dives into Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons pages, and other sources have helped me put together the articles that I put out in the Daily Emails and in Vatican Notes. I hope my work has kept you informed, entertained and engaged. But perhaps my major source for material is the VPS website, and in particular past issues of Vatican Notes, which can be accessed by every VPS member. The material collected over the last 73 years is truly phenomenal—we are so fortunate that this compilation of important Roman States and Vatican City research has been preserved for us. But one thing that I enjoy reviewing as I scroll through past Notes issues are the lists of “New Members” that were presented in the journal for many years. There were times when there were literally PAGES of new members listed in each issue of the Notes. Times have changed in the world of philately, and VPS, like most societies, has seen a drain on its membership numbers and fewer new members. And over the last few years, our new members have not been listed in the journal. However, I was encouraged to see a recent uptick in new members who have joined VPS, and I had a thought. We should acknowledge and introduce these folks to all the members of the Society by resurrecting the “New Members List". Rather than wait until the next issue of the Notes, I thought it would be nice to put it in today’s Daily Email. So WELCOME to our new members. I would encourage our existing members to reach out to them, particularly if they live in close proximity. Perhaps another feature of the old VPS can be re-established—local chapters. That may be a stretch, but at a minimum there is an opportunity for local members to connect, perhaps get together informally, and share experiences enjoyed in our little corner of the philatelic world. Out of respect for everyone’s privacy, I will not list email addresses, but if any members would like to connect, the VPS Chat Room serves as a nice means of making contact. Or, if you would like to contact another member, leave a message for the Website Team by clicking on the link at the bottom of today’s Email. We can make the connection for you. If only one member-to-member connection is made, this Email will be a success. And I hope, in the future, we can release lists of new Vatican Philatelic Society members on a regular basis. Our future as a Society depends on bringing new members into the fold, and hopefully this recent increase in new members is a sign of things to come. NEW MEMBERS OF THE VATICAN PHILATELIC SOCIETY |
