The second half of 2023 continued the positive trends of earlier months and years as Organized Philately honed in on the state of the hobby in Canada.
Nearing the mid-point of the year, the Royal Philatelic Society of Canada (RPSC) held its annual general (AGM) meeting on June 11 with more than 70 members tuning in to the virtual event. Sam Chiu saw his term as president end as he reached the maximum six consecutive years of service on the board, while Gregg Redner took the helm following the sudden death of long-time collector and then-president Ken Lemke last December.
Chiu’s first major moves as president included a membership survey – the RPSC’s first in years – that received what he described as “super strong feedback” with responses coming from nearly 500 of the society’s roughly 1,200 members.
“To put together this remarkable survey will really provide us with the information we need to move this organization into the 21st century,” Redner said on June 11 as he took the reins of Canada’s national stamp club.
As officials saw strong attendance and new faces at shows following the lifting of pandemic restrictions, the membership survey recommended capitalizing on the potential growth of Organized Philately through three main goals, including:
• a strategic review of the RPSC’s value proposition;
• the development of content focused on beginner and intermediate collectors; and
• a renewed focus on diversity and inclusion, reflecting Canada’s “rich diversity,” according to director Jeff Slemin, who conducted the survey.
Heading into 2024, the RPSC plans to launch various initiatives related to these goals.
“All of the initiatives identified by the current RPSC board are exciting to me, but if had to pick only one, I would have to say (it is) the initiative to create content which is useful and supportive of new and intermediate collectors,” Redner told CSN this summer. “We often hear that the RPSC is only interested in exhibitors and serious philatelists. While I don’t believe this to be true, I want to prove that we care about collectors of all levels and interests. We hope to do this by giving them the means to grow in the hobby and feel valued and appreciated.”
The RPSC will also focus on networking with other philatelic organizations, including in both English and French communities, and developing its relationship with various affiliates and chapter clubs.
“By generating goodwill between organizations, we become an active agent in the creation of a strong Canadian philatelic community,” Redner said.
In October, the RPSC also hosted its annual convention – one of three national shows in Canada this year – in conjunction with Canpex, another national show held each fall in London, Ont. The first in-person Royal Convention since the COVID-19 pandemic began in early 2020, it exceeded organizers’ expectations, according to Redner.
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