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FORIMMEDIATERELEASE: ForAdditionalInformationContact:ScottMark,[email protected] December30,2021 Southeast Federation of Stamp Clubs Announces 2021 Rowland Hill Award Honoree TheBoardofDirectorsoftheSoutheastFederationofStampClubsispleasedto announceitshonoreeforthe2021RowlandHillAward. Thisrecognitionisa lifetimeachievementawardbestowedannuallytoanindividualwhohasmade outstandingcontributionstophilatelyintheSoutheasternUnitedStates. Because thepandemicforcedthecancellationofthe2021SoutheasternStampExpo,the awardwasdeferredsothattheceremonycantakeplaceatthe2022Expoinlate January. TheBoardisproudtorecognizethelateDr.EsperG.Hayesasits2021honoree. Hayesbecomesthesecondhonoreetoreceivetheawardposthumously. Further, sheisthesecondfemalephilatelisttowintheaward,andthefirstpersonofcolorto doso. ThestoryofDr.Hayes’journeyinphilatelyhaspracticallybecomelegend. She attendedastampshowin1971andrealizedthatsheandthegreatJesseOwens,at theshowsigningautographs,weretheonlyAfricanAmericanspresentintheroom. Theirconversationturnedtothetopicofhowtocelebratetheaccomplishmentsof BlackAmericans,andDr.Hayespromisedthegreatsprinterthatshewouldworkto helpAfricanAmericans“takeprideinwhattheydo,andwhattheyhave accomplished.” AfterOwens’passingin1980,Dr.Hayessetaboutorganizingagroupthatwould worktowarddrivinginterestinstampcollectingwithintheAmerica’sBlack community,andworktostudythedepictionofAfricanAmericansonstamps. She foundedtheEbonySocietyofPhilatelicEventsandReflections,usingtheacronym ESPERinherhonor. Dr.Hayesmanagedthesocietythroughitsinfancy,andthen workedtopromotethesocietyuntilherpassingin2019. Asanacademic,Dr.Hayesunderstoodwelltheeducationalvalueofstampcollecting. Shealsounderstoodthatthehobbyasawholecouldgreatlybenefitfrommore diversity,andsheworkedtowardthatgoal. Today,ESPERasaphilatelicsociety boasts300membersworldwide,whoworkcollectivelytopromotethecollection andstudyofAfricanAmericansonstamps. Theiraward-winningjournalReflections ispublishedfourtimesayear,andESPERmemberscanbefoundattendingstamp showsallovertheUnitedStates. ThediversenatureofESPER’smembershipisa tributetoDr.Hayes’tirelessworktobringaboutmorediversityinthehobbyof stampcollecting. Dr.Hayesreceivedmanyawardsthroughoutherlifeforherworkinphilately,butit washerinductionintotheAmericanPhilatelicSociety’sHallofFamein2021that cementedherplaceamongthegreatestcontributorstophilately. “Shewasanamazingandinspirationalperson,“saidWalterFaison,past-president ofESPER. “Sheencouragedmetogetinvolvedwithotherphilatelicorganizations andalsotogetmykidsinvolvedwithstampcollecting. Irememberfondlyher words:‘Teachyourchildrenthattheyhavearighttobeproudofwhomtheyareand thattheyareapartofhistoryandthatissomethingthatnoonecantakeawayfrom them.’” CurrentESPERPresidentDr.WarachalE.Faison,reflectingontheawardandits significancetoESPERmembers,shared“Thankssomuchtotheleadershipofthe SoutheastFederationofStampClubsforrecognizingDr.HayeswiththeRowlandHill Award. Shewasachampionofhope,pride,commitment,andcelebrationfornot onlythemembersofESPER,butalsothecommunity-at-large.” Inherpersonallife,Dr.HayesearnedaMastersDegreeandDoctorateinSocialWork fromYeshivaUniversity,andwouldlaterworkasaProfessoratSetonHallUniversity whereshetaughtHumanGrowthandDevelopmentandSocialPolicy. Shewould laterbeawardedanhonorarydoctorateatSetonHallduetoherworkwithstudents. ForthelatterpartofherlifeshemadeherhomeinNorthCarolina,andwasa treasuredmemberofthephilateliccommunityoftheSoutheasternUnitedStates. Dr.EsperHayespassedawayatage84onJanuary11,2019. Dr.Hayes’daughter,MichelleBullock,willaccepttheawardinherhonoratthe AwardsBanquetoftheSoutheasternStampExpoonJanuary29,2022. Past Winners of the Rowland Hill Award 2005NancyB.Clark 2006WilliamH.Waggoner 2007Lt.Col.(Ret.)RobertC.EffingerJr. 2008EdJackson 2010DouglasN.Clark,Ph.D. 2013BruceRoberts,Ph.D. 2014FrankJ.Crown 2015CharlesJ.O’BrienIII 2016Dr.ThomasW.Broadhead 2017RogerP.Quinby 2018JohnT.Burnett 2019TonyL.Crumbley 2020Dr.HarveyTeal About the Southeast Federation of Stamp Clubs TheSoutheastFederationofStampClubsisaregisterednon-profitorganization representing21stampclubsandsocietiesinGeorgia,Florida,Tennessee,Northand SouthCarolina,Mississippi,Massachusetts,MarylandandAlabamawhichpool resourcesforacommongoalofpromotingandsupportingstampcollectingactivities andphilateliceducationinthesoutheasternregion.Principalamongtheseactivities isthesponsorshipandmanagementoftheannualSoutheasternStampExpo,anAPS WorldSeriesofPhilatelystampshow.The2022ExpowillbeheldJanuary28thto30th attheHiltonAtlantaNortheast,5993PeachtreeIndustrialBlvd.PeachtreeCorners, Georgia. About the Ebony Society of Philatelic Events and Reflections TheEbonySocietyofPhilatelicEventsandReflections,whoseinitialsspellits founder'sname,Dr.EsperHayes,wasorganizedin1988andisa501(c)(3)non-profit organizationdedicatedtopromotingthecollectingofstampsandphilatelicmaterial depictingpeopleandeventsrelatedtotheAfricanDiasporaandtoencouragingand supportingtheinterestandparticipationofBlackpeopleinallaspectsofphilately.