A thoughtful first-day cover from North Kansas City in Missouri

Philatelic Foreword by Jay Bigalke

There are moments when philately becomes more than stamps and covers — it becomes a shared celebration among collectors, postal professionals and friends. I had one of those moments recently when I received a surprise in the mail from my good friend Alex Haimann, who attended the May 2 first-day ceremony for the Goodnight Moon forever stamps in North Kansas City, Mo.

The first-day cover, which was enclosed in the larger envelope shown nearby, was a joy to receive. I let Alex know with a quick text message. That prompted him to go through his photos and share a picture, also shown nearby, of his two children, Winston and Karinne, mailing a stack of envelopes after the ceremony. Amazingly, the envelope addressed to me is on top of the pile. Alex assured me that this was not planned.

Featuring a whimsical new Goodnight Moon forever stamp and a delightful first-day postmark showing a leaping cow surrounded by stars and the moon, the first-day cover they sent, shown nearby, captures the charm of the beloved children’s book. Alex added a personal touch with a handwritten note — “Greetings from the Rabbit Hole Museum!” — that was an apt nod to the venue hosting the event.

What made the experience of receiving this even more meaningful was the care taken by the United States Postal Service’s Stamp Fulfillment Services (SFS) cancellation team in nearby Kansas City, Mo. They attended because they are experts in applying postmarks and are located close enough to where the ceremony was held.

Rather than mailing the first-day cover directly, they placed it inside a larger envelope to protect it during transit. This thoughtful step ensured the cover arrived in pristine condition — corners unbent, postage stamp unsullied, and the story it told still perfectly intact. It’s a small detail, but one that speaks volumes about the USPS team’s dedication to collectors and the preservation of postal history.

For those who may not know, SFS is the heart of the USPS stamp operation, responsible for the distribution of stamps and philatelic products across the country. What makes it truly unique is that it’s located underground in a former limestone cave system — a natural, climate-controlled environment perfect for storing and handling the nation’s stamp inventory.

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