Thanks quickly began pouring in from philatelists around the world after 11-year-old Sophia Fallon, of Mississauga, donated “all the money she has” to save the koala’s habitat from the Australian bushfires.
Her father Brad, who goes by the username “Uppercanadian” on the Stampboards forum that organized the fundraiser, donated $60 on behalf of Sophia, whose favourite animal is the koala (“Ontario girl gives ‘life savings’ for Australia bushfires, koalas,” CSN Vol. 44 #21).
In a show of gratitude, Stampboards members have been mailing Sophia stamps, covers, postcards and other collectibles, each with a wildlife theme.
One Ontario dealer – John Armstrong, owner of Armstrong’s Stamps – sent Canadian Wildlife Habitat Conservation stamps.
Toronto collector and exhibitor Jean Wang sent Fallon a cover franked with animal stamps and filled with colourful Japanese stamps as a show of thanks for her donation.
Award-winning exhibitor Jean Wang, who’s a member of the North Toronto Stamp Club, sent a cover filled with dozens of Japanese stamps.
Another anonymous collector from Poland sent a postcard inside a cover franked with colourful animal stamps.
Altogether, Sophia has received hundreds of stamps from dozens of collectors worldwide.
“I am certainly very excited about all of this attention,” Sophia wrote on Stampboards. “I do hope that it will convince others to donate to fight the Australian bushfires.”
As of March 1, the philatelic fundraiser generated $13,000, exceeding organizers’ original goal of $10,000.