Loveland Post Office & senior citizens ready to start stamping world’s valentines & love letters on Feb. 1

LOVELAND, CO — Love once again is in the mail and bound for Loveland and Colorado!

It’s the 62nd year of the popular Loveland Valentine Postmark Re-mailing program, coordinated by the Loveland Post Office and Chamber of Commerce, with the huge help of senior citizens. Former Loveland Chamber of Commerce President Ted Thompson, wife Mabel, and former Loveland Postmaster Elmer Ivers (now all deceased) started the program in 1947.

Loveland’s Post Office and seniors kick off this year’s Valentine Re-Mailing Program Friday, Feb. 1, at 9:00 AM at the Loveland Chamber of Commerce, 5400 Stone Creek Cr. near the Factory Outlet Mall. Miss Loveland Valentine 2008, Jeanette Rojas, will stamp the first valentine with the “Sweetheart City” postmark.

Loveland, CO 80538 has the biggest valentine re-mailing program of any Post Office and community in the world, where people request the postmark of a special love-themed named Post Office and community.  (Others include Valentine, Nebraska 69201; Romance, Arkansas 72136; Loving, New Mexico 88256; Romeo, Michigan 48065 and Juliette, Georgia 31046.) One of Loveland’s two Post Office stations – the one downtown - is even named the Loveland Valentine Station Post Office.

Over 212,000 cards/letters were handled by Loveland last year, from 100+ countries and all 50 states. More than 12 million valentines have been re-mailed since the program started six decades ago.

Besides the LOVELAND postmark, each envelope and postcard is stamped with a special Loveland souvenir cachet or art design, and love verse. The community and Chamber of Commerce host an annual contest to select the special cachet and love verse. This year’s love verse reads: “From Mountains High / To Lakesides Blue / This Heart’s from Loveland / Dear One, to You.”

Duane Kaye of the Loveland Post Office has coordinated the Valentine re-mailing program for 12 years. Asked what makes the program so popular, Kaye says: “The heart-felt dedication of Loveland’s seniors and the community to the program. Plus it provides the opportunity for people to share their feelings about love and Valentine’s Day with their loved ones, family and friends everywhere.”

Loveland Postmaster Cindy Kinney adds: “This program truly is a labor of love for the Loveland Post Office, the community and everyone involved. It brings world-wide positive attention and recognition to Loveland and Colorado and to these wonderful seniors, who truly show love makes the world go round.”

Starting Friday morning, Feb. 1, Loveland seniors and postal workers start stamping valentines at the Loveland Chamber of Commerce daily through Valentine’s Day.

Media can contact Duane Kaye of the Loveland Valentine Station Post Office at 970-663-3010, or Gaye Stockman of the Loveland Chamber of Commerce at 970-667-6311, to arrange for coverage.

Postal customers should follow the below mailing instructions and deadlines to have their valentines arrive with the Loveland postmark by Valentine’s Day, Feb.14.

Mailing instructions: To have valentines re-mailed with Loveland postmark, enclose your pre-stamped, pre-addressed envelopes (envelopes should have 41-cent postage; postcards should have 26 cents postage), add extra stamps/postage for heavier/odd shaped valentines, mail in a large stamped envelope to:

Postmaster
Valentine Re-mailing
446 E. 29th St.
Loveland, CO 80538-9998

Deadlines for re-mailing and delivery by Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14:

• Valentine cards/envelopes destined for re-mailing outside of the U.S. to other countries and international destinations should be in Loveland by Monday, Feb. 4.
• Valentine cards/envelopes destined for re-mailing within U.S. and outside of Colorado should be in Loveland by Saturday, Feb. 9.
• Valentine cards/envelopes destined for re-mailing within the state of Colorado should be in Loveland by Tuesday, Feb. 12.

Customers can use a larger envelope and mail your envelopes using Express Mail Service (1-2 day delivery); or Priority Mail Service (2-3 day delivery) to expedite delivery of your valentines to Loveland to meet the deadlines above.

Colorado residents can also drop off pre-stamped valentine envelopes at King Soopers and City Market stores which have Loveland Valentine Re-mailing boxes, at area Loveland locations with valentine boxes, and at both Loveland Post Offices.