By Anne Murray, Postmaster Ft Myers/Cape Coral

Fort Myers, Cape Coral, FL — The U.S. Postal Service has issued a 28-cent Polar Bear definitive stamp in one design in a pressure-sensitive adhesive pane of 20 stamps. The stamp, designed by Carl T. Herman, Carlsbad, CA, is currently on sale nationwide. 350 million stamps have been printed. This stamp will be ideal for using on post cards after the May 11 price increase.

This stamp features a polar bear by illustrator Nancy Stahl, who has created several designs for the Postal Service including the Florida Panther in 2007 and the Dragonfly in 2008. This stamp shows the bear’s head, chest, and front paws, and in the background is a dark blue sky dotted with stars. Stahl used a collection of photographs to create this highly stylized illustration.

Collectors may request a local first day of sale postmark by mail only within the first ninety days of sale. There is no charge for servicing of first day of sale postmarks up to 50 covers. Mail-in customers must supply a self-addressed envelope with sufficient return postage applied to return the serviced covers.

To obtain the first day of sale postmark, mail stationery items bearing Polar Bear stamps to: Customer Relations USPS, 79 Mid Cape Terr Ste 8, Cape Coral, FL 33991. Please specify which city you are requesting a postmark for—Fort Myers or Cape Coral; if not specified, the postmark applied will be for the return address city. All orders must be postmarked by June 27, 2009.

To schedule a presentation for your community, club or group on how the Postal Service brings the Post Office to your home or office computer, call 239-573-9638.

For more information about purchasing stamps, stamps by mail, postal regulations, a free subscription to USA Philatelic magazine, Post Office events, the location of the nearest postal store or contract unit, or for answers to your specific Postal Service questions, contact USPS at 1-800-275-8777, or visit www.usps.com.

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Please Note: For broadcast quality video and audio, photo stills and other media resources, visit the USPS Newsroom at www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/welcome.htm

An independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation, 149 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes, six days a week. It has 34,000 retail locations and relies on the sale of postage, products and services, not tax dollars, to pay for operating expenses. Named the Most Trusted Government Agency five consecutive years by the Ponemon Institute, the Postal Service has annual revenue of $75 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail.