February 2002

VICE PRESIDENTS, AREA OPERATIONS
MANAGER, CAPITAL METRO OPERATIONS
DISTRICT MANAGERS, CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SALES POSTMASTERS

SUBJECT: Greetings From America Stamps and National Card and Letter Writing Month

On April 4, the United States Postal Service will issue our highly anticipated Greetings From America postage stamps. This is a 50-design pane of stamps that highlights each of our nation's states. The designs on these beautiful 34-cent self-adhesive stamps are based on the retro "large letter" postcards that were used to advertise cities, states, and tourist attractions during the 1930s and 1940s.

To add additional sparkle to these stamps, we have formed a unique partnership with the Travel Industry Association of America (TIA)- the recognized leader in promoting and facilitating increased travel to and within the United States. TIA, along with their travel partners, will sponsor a unique sweepstakes using our stamps as the main theme. The prizes include complete travel packages to each of the 50 states. Information about the sweepstakes will soon appear on their web site at www.SeeAmerica.org.

For the first time ever, employees of the Postal Service will host concurrent first day of issue ceremonies at the Postage Stamp Mega-Event in New York City and each state's capital city. That's 51 ceremonies celebrating the trust and tradition of the United States Postal Service, wrapped around the first pane of 50 stamps to be released in more than a decade. Even better, the Greetings From America stamp program will offer each Post Office in America a chance to wave the flag of its state and at the same time strengthen relationships with government, civic, and tourism leaders.

Since the stamps go on sale on April 4, they also fit in perfectly as the center of attention for our April National Card and Letter Writing Month celebrations. Focusing on these colorful stamps provides you a marvelous opportunity to inspire customers and children to write and mail more cards and letters.

The enclosed Community Relations publicity kit has been developed to help you in your efforts to highlight our stamps and the art of letter writing. Thank you for supporting this initiative and for making stamps such a treasured part of our organization.

Azeezaly S. Jaffer
Vice President

475 L'ENFANT PLAZA SW
WASHINGTON DC 20260-3100