In August
1995, the Sodus Stamp Club issued its 17th anniversary cachet. This
cachet featured the New York Central Railroad and its Lake Ontario
Shore Line, known as the HoJack since 1891. On this cachet is found
a pen and ink drawing of the Old Sodus Train Station and a special
cancellation, HoJack Station, both of which were prepared by Juanita
Miller Warner of Sodus. Postage stamps found on this cachet are
the 29-cent featuring Engine 999 and the three-cent honoring the
Railroad Engineers of America. An insert found in the cachet describes
the history of the HoJack Line and tells how it earned this name.
Roger Butts, a charter member of the Sodus Stamp Club, wrote this
insert. These 1995 cachets may be purchased for $2 each. Anyone
interested in purchasing this cachet may contact George Snyder,
Box 383, Sodus, NY.
How and when
did this the get started? During the mid 1970s a number of people
interested in stamps and in stamp collecting had been meeting informally
in Sodus to talk about their hobby. The first official meeting of
these persons interested in forming a stamp club was held on June
1, 1978 with nine people present. At that meeting, decisions were
made to call the group the Sodus Stamp Club, to write bylaws, and
to apply for chapter membership in the American Philatelic Society.
On September 30, 1978, the American Philatelic Society certified
that the Sodus Stamp Club was Chapter 1077. According to the Club’s
bylaws, the club’s purpose is to foster, develop, and otherwise
enhance the avocation of stamp collecting. Many of the club members
also belonged to the American Philatelic Society.
The first
officers elected were: Paul Spiers, President; William Stirling,
Vice President; the Rev. Harry Stoll, Secretary–Treasurer;
and Paul Philbee and George Snyder, Board of Directors. Sixteen
were named as charter members in October 1978.
Since its beginning the club held monthly meetings. Meeting places
varied through the years. Club meetings were first held in members’
homes, the Sodus Free Library, Sodus Methodist Church, and the Sodus
Presbyterian Church.
During the early years of the club, the youth of the community were
invited and encouraged to attend club meetings. They were given
the opportunity to join the club as Junior Members. In this way,
the club hoped to encourage young students to select stamp collecting
as one of their hobbies. During the 1995-–1996 school year,
the club has achieved some success. Club members have met regularly
with a group of interested students in Sodus Intermediate School.
The club
was disbanded in the fall of 2004
