[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 11 (Tuesday, February 3, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E88]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            HONORING LOVELAND'S VALENTINE REMAILING PROGRAM

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                        HON. MARILYN N. MUSGRAVE

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 3, 2004

  Mrs. MUSGRAVE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Loveland, 
Colorado Valentine Card Remailing Program for their outstanding and 
creative service to Loveland and to the rest of the Nation.
  The Loveland Valentine Card Remailing Program began in 1946. 
Postmaster Elmer Ivers, Chamber of Commerce president Ted W. Thompson 
and his wife Mabel were the original founders of this unique tradition. 
What began as a stamp club project has since grown into the largest 
remailing program in the United States of America.
  In 1947, 40 cards were sent through the Loveland, Colorado Post 
Office and postmarked with a unique Valentine inked stamp. Now every 
year nearly 300,000 valentines are sent through the Loveland, Colorado 
Post Office. Behind the scenes there are about 50 senior citizen 
volunteers that hand stamp a message of love on the envelopes that are 
received.
  This year's message of love, called a ``cachet,'' was submitted by 
Diana Reed and reads ``Sweet Promises on Arrows Ride from Loveland's 
Heart to the Whole World Wide.'' Stephanie Moss submitted the Cachet 
design. The Cachet design is Dan Cupid holding a heart shaped world in 
one hand, with doves and mountains framing the verse.
  Loveland's official Valentine Card design was submitted by Brenda 
Crow and pictures two white doves sitting in a bed of lavender flowers 
below three red hearts framed in flowers. On the inside of the card a 
Valentine verse reads ``Loveland, Colorado, the Sweetheart City has a 
Valentine Poem for the Witty. Candy is Sweet, Lemons are Sour, I'll be 
loving you through the Midnight Hour.'' And was submitted by third 
grader Shelsey Sybrandts who is the youngest author of the Valentine 
Verse in the 57-year history of the Loveland, Colorado Valentine 
Remailing Program.
  The modest city of Loveland has created quite a name for itself and 
is globally known as the ``Sweetheart City.'' Valentines are sent 
through Loveland from all fifty States as well as 120 countries. The 
Loveland, Colorado Valentine Remailing Program has been featured 
globally on PBS, the London Broadcasting Company, radio casts in 
Australia, and is mentioned in many more newspapers and magazines.
  A special Valentine representative is also chosen by a committee to 
win a $1,000 scholarship and to represent Loveland in various meetings 
with the Governor of Colorado and will often make speeches in front of 
the State House of Representatives and the State Senate. In the past, 
Miss Loveland Valentine has been the only person to be allowed to make 
a presentation in front of Colorado's State Legislature.
  I am so very proud of the humble town of Loveland, where my office 
headquarters are, and the Loveland Valentines Remailing Program. I ask 
my colleagues to join me in a unanimous tribute to all of the senior 
citizen volunteers, the authors of this year's Valentine card: Shelsey 
Sybrandts, Brenda Crow, Stephanie Moss, and Diana Reed, and to 
congratulate Sara Craig for being this year's Miss Loveland Valentine. 
May this noble tradition lift up our hearts and spread love and 
compassion around the world for years to come.

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