Norwalk Stamp Club marks Moon landing 50th anniversary March 9

NORWALK, Connecticut – Connecticut’s connection to man’s first landing on the Moon is the theme of the Norwalk Stamp Club’s annual exhibition on March 9. The show, known as NORPEX, takes place at the Norwalk Senior Center, 11 Allen Road, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Famed stamp designer Chris Calle of Ridgefield, Conn. – whose late father Paul Calle, a Stamford resident, was NASA’s official illustrator for the Apollo program and in 1969 designed the Post Office Department’s First Man on the Moon stamp – created a special envelope for the event. He will be on hand to autograph copies of the souvenir cover.

Last year, Chris Calle portrayed his artist father in Universal Pictures’ Oscar-winning movie “First Man” about the life of Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong.

The First Man on the Moon stamp, the largest size stamp issued to date, was produced using an engraved die that flew to the Moon onboard the Apollo 11 spacecraft. That stamp appears on this year’s souvenir envelope.

Chris Calle also designed stamps commemorating the 20th and 25th anniversary of the Moon landing.

For NORPEX, the 10-cent airmail stamp from 1969 is paired with a flag-themed Forever stamp on the special 50th anniversary commemorative cover, along with a new illustration by Calle and a unique postmark authorized for the occasion.

Connecticut boasts other connections to the Moon landing program: Hamilton Standard in Windsor Locks produced the environmental control and life support systems for the Apollo astronauts’ space suits. Air-Lock, Inc. of Milford made the astronauts’ bubble spacesuit helmets. Dozens of Apollo program subcontractors in the state, including small machine shops, turned out thousands of other parts.

The Norwalk Philatelic Exhibition is the longest running stamp show in the region. A dozen stamp dealers with an inventory of more than 750,000 stamps and other philatelic material will have booths to serve the needs of collectors. The Postal Service will sell current commemorative stamps. Special exhibits will feature Airship and Balloon Mail, space artwork and memorabilia, and other collectibles. Members of the club will be available to evaluate collections from members of the public.

NORPEX commemorative covers will be available for $3. Those ordering by mail can send a self-addressed stamped envelope with a check payable to the Norwalk Stamp Club to: P O Box 267-N, Norwalk CT 06856-0267.

The Norwalk Stamp Club, founded in 1962, meets at 8 p.m. on the first and third Monday of each month excluding July and August at the Norwalk Senior Center. For special events, such as the Norwalk Oyster Festival and the annual NORPEX exhibit, the club produces souvenir collectible cachets commemorating a local topic or event. More information on the web @Norwalkstampclub.

Media contact: William G. Armstrong Jr., 203-904-8115, billarmstrongjr@gmail.com