Eight Eastern Washington Post Offices will celebrate the release of the new Star Wars postage stamps with special events on May 25.

"The Postal Service is celebrating the 30th anniversary of Star Wars with an awesome set of stamps. At eight Eastern Washington Post Offices, we're celebrating the stamps with fun, refreshments and prizes." said USPS Spokane District Marketing Manager Linda McFarland. "We want to invite the public to come and dress up as their favorite Star Wars character."

Participating Eastern Washington Post Offices are: Kennewick, Latah, Pasco, Pullman, Spokane Rosewood Station, Spokane Sunset Station, Sprague, and Veradale.

Kids of all ages are invited to participate in a stamp design contest, where entrants can design their own Star Wars stamp. Stamp design pages are currently available at each of the participating Post Offices. Entrants should bring their completed designs to the May 25 event, where judging will occur. The winner will receive a sheet of personalized stamps featuring their stamp design artwork.

Each Post Office will be offering a special commemorative envelope, with the Pasco and Spokane Post Offices also offering a special pictorial postmark.

The 41-cent Star Wars stamps go on sale at Post Offices nationwide on May 25. The official first-day-of-issue ceremony will be in Los Angeles, CA, on May 25, at Star Wars Celebration IV, the biggest Star Wars event in the galaxy, at 7:30 p.m.

(Note: For more information on the Star Wars stamps or to download stamp images, go to: http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/2007/sr07_012.htm.)

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An independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that visits 146 million homes and businesses, six days a week. It has 37,000 retail locations and relies on the sale of postage, products, and services to cover its operating expenses. The Postal Service has annual revenues of $73 billion and delivers nearly half the world's mail volume.

STAR WARS and related character names and properties are trademarks and/or copyrights, in the United States and other countries, of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. TM & ©Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved. All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.

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