Stamp of approval: Volunteers aid veterans philatelically
Thirty-five years ago, Livingston, Texas, resident Virginia "Cy" Turner had a cousin -- a veteran of World War II -- who had a stroke. She tried to help his recovery in any way possible, but she had no idea assisting him would launch her on a volunteer path that would last the rest of her life, in Texas and in Kenai.
At the time, doctors had given her cousin tweezers and two shot glasses -- one filled with BBs, as part of the rehabilitation process to improve his fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
"He was supposed to move the BBs from one glass to the other," Turner said. "It was nerve-wracking and he got BBs everywhere."
Instead, someone suggested the Stamps for the Wounded program. Since 1942, the program has collected stamps and other stamp collecting related materials, and redistributed them to veteran's hospitals across the U.S. as occupational and recuperative therapy for wounded soldiers.
"Stamps are so colorful and different," Turner said. "He told me it saved his life."
Turner decided to become involved. As chairperson of the Veterans Committee of the Robert Rankin Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, she was able to recruit others to assist her with "stamp cutting parties."
"They're torn off the envelope," Turner said about the stamps. "So we cut around them so they're neat, then soak them to get the paper off and attach tape to the back. We also process them into groups of regular, commemorative and foreign stamps."
Turner solicits stamps from practically everyone.
"People all around town save them for me," she said. "We also collect from various clubs, organizations and businesses."
Every year Turner spends a few months living in Kenai, to see her son who lives here, and to escape the oppressive heat of Texas. She collects stamps while here, too.
"Emily DeForest started saving them for me at least 15 years ago," Turner said. DeForest is the former director of the Kenai Community Library. "The current staff has continued to do the same for me."
Between her collecting efforts in Alaska and Texas, Turner said she has sent a sizeable volume of stamps to be used in veteran's hospitals around the country.
"I've collected more than 15,000 pounds of stamps," she said. "For a while I was sending out 20 pounds a month."
Turner said she likes to know that her efforts go toward a good cause, as the veterans use them for numerous activities other than just collecting.
"They'll use them to make mosaics, crafts or for matching exercising," she said. "It occupies their time, eyes, hands, and above all, their minds."
As to how long she thinks she'll continue collecting stamps, Turner said she doesn't plan on quitting any time soon.
"I don't knit or sew, so I have to keep going with it," she said.
"It keeps me out of trouble."
Joseph Robertia can be reached at joseph.robertia@peninsulaclarion.com.