For many of us, the leaves have turned as we anticipate the coming of winter. In the United States, we’ll celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday this month. Thanksgiving is not only a day but a season of gratitude. This month, you will also receive your 2023 APS membership renewal notice. I am proud to share that the annual cost remains $45 for the 15th consecutive year.
President John F. Kennedy said, "As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." In a year when prices are increasing on virtually everything else, we express our gratitude by delivering all the benefits you enjoy for the same price. We truly appreciate your membership, whether you’re newer to collecting or you’ve been with us for 50 years or more. Each of you adds to the community of collectors in your own way.
Prices are going up. When we prepare our annual budget, our costs are based on the three Ps: people, paper, and postage. We have a fantastic staff of people here to serve you, paper to publish The American Philatelist and envelopes to remain connected to you, and postage to fulfill our service needs. Both paper and postage are much higher than last year, and once prices go up, they rarely go back down. As for the people, they work hard every year to deliver services to each of you in the most efficient way possible. I am grateful to be surrounded by our dedicated team and their commitment to the membership.
Every year, I hear from members who set aside the renewal, planning to pay it later, but it gets lost in the stack. If you can do one thing after reading this article, please renew. You can use our website, mail a check, or talk to a team member; it will be one less thing to worry about tomorrow. We want you back!
There are other ways to help:
Invite someone to join: The most powerful recruiting tool we have is an APS member. You have insight and passion for our organization and community as a member. Our membership department can provide resources and tips if you need help.
Make a donation: In your renewal notice, several options exist to contribute to the APS and APRL. Your contributions go directly to building and enhancing member services and the hobby. If money is a challenge, we welcome donated mint postage which helps us cut postage costs by nearly $60,000 each year, or volunteer with the library, teach a course, or serve as an expert.
Try a new service: Each month, we welcome members who become new buyers and sellers to Circuit Sales and StampStore, try out our Expertizing Service, take a course online, or research with our library. We have staff ready to help you make the most of these services, so don’t be afraid to ask.
Tell us what you think: This month, we are sending out a survey to APS members to get your feedback on how we can serve you better. I promise it won’t take long, but the impact of the results will make a difference for years.
Each month, I invite members to contact me directly about my column, and for those who have shared thoughts, thank you. My door remains open; if you ever need to reach out, please email me at [email protected], call or write by mail. So as we celebrate this season of gratitude, thank you for all you do for the APS and the hobby!