ESPER AT BALPLEX 2026

Laurice Redhead-DC, Elizabeth Frazier, Lead for the 6888 Stamp Project, Adrea William, Project Member, Jean Lewis, ESPER MD, DC, DE Director and Betty Session, ESPER MD

BALPEX

The BALPEX Stamp event was held August 7-9, 2026. The show was held at the BWI Marriott located at 1743 W. Nursey Road in Linthicum Heights, Maryland.

I attended the show on August 7th and 8th. ESPER had a booth at the show. The Maryland Chapter Director Jean Lewis and several Maryland members manned the booth.

ESPER members present from Maryland were Betty Session, Karan Bertha, Farnese Hicks, Calvin Mitchell, and Regina Bullock,. Other ESPER members present were Foster Miller (AFDCS booth), Charles Hamilton (Dealer) David Lorms (VA), Cynthia Scott (IL), Don Neal (NJ) and James Joppy (PA). We had one new member joined, Michael Childs (MD). Jean Lewis and Cynthia Scott had Exhibits in the non-competitive category.

The USPS issued the new flag stamp envelope in 10 inch and 6 inch sizes. The American First Day Cover Society (AFDCS) held its Anniversary at the show so there was a large number of persons attending. The ESPER table was located by the entrance doors so we get to interact with a lot of the people attending the show. The Cachet maker had their booths open on Saturday. Our member Don Neal had his 6 cachets available for purchase. Colorano Silk First Day Covers, Dragon Cards and Great FDCs completed the Cachet Makers Bouse. I purchased new Boston show FDCs from Dragon cards and Colorano Silk FDCs. By Howard Ingram

Farnese Hicks, MD and Howard Ingram President of ESPER

Howard Ingram President of ESPER, Don Neal, Reflections Editor and Karen Betha, MD

Betty Session, Karen Betha and Farnese Hicks

New member Michael Childs, Betty Session, Karen Betha, Farnese Hicks with Leon Lee

Regina Bullock, Baltimore ESPER and Betty Session, Maryland/Philadelphia ESPER

Show dealer Charlie Hamilton with Don Neal at his bource booth

First Time Exhibitor wins First Place

First Place in the Informal Class Non- Competitive

Jean Lewis, ESPER MD, DC, DE Director

This was Jean's first time exhibiting at a stamp show. The exhibit was in the Informal Class-Non Competitive. Exhibits in this class are not judged. They are, however, voted on by persons attending BALPEX as "my favorite" in the Informal Class. Each attendee received a ballot in their program book.

The Informal Class is: A place for "exhibits in the making". A place for new exhibitors. A place to experiment. A place for short subjects. A place to just say "Look at this neat stuff"

Jean's exhibit title: Members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® on U.S. Postage Stamps. Ten amazing women have been honored for their outstanding contributions to our country. They are: Jane Addams, Eleanor Roosevelt, Marian Anderson, Eleanor Roosevelt, Anna Julia Cooper and Rosa Parks.

Jean Lewdis explaining to Calvin Michell what tips the judge gave on her exhibit

Roger Lewis with wife Jean exhibit award

"Man's Quest to Study and Conquer Space" by Caoimhe Corcoran.

"Man's Quest to Study and Conquer Space" by Caoimhe Corcoran. His multi-frame exhibit won the AAPE Youth Grand award, the Young Exhibitor Reserve Grand award, and a Baltimore Philatelic Society Gold Award. The exhibit included Cuban astronaut Arnaldo Tamoyo Méndez, the first Latin American and first person of African descent to travel in space. Also in the exhibit was the 1997 Mars Pathfinder rover named after Sojourner Truth. The displayed souvenir sheet contains the largest U. S. postage stamp ever produced. Stamps recognizing astronauts who perished in the Space Shuttle Challenger and Space Shuttle Columbia disasters, Ronald McNair and Michael Anderson respectively, also were included.

"Beyond the Perforation: Revolutionary Women and Their Stories"
by Cynthia Turner (age 15)

"Beyond the Perforation: Revolutionary Women and Their Stories" by Cynthia Turner (age 15). Her two-frame exhibit, recognized for being a participant in the American Association of Philatelic Exhibitors (AAPE) Youth Championship (WESTPEX Creativity Award) and by Women Exhibitors (WE), included stamps and covers featuring Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, Harriet Jacobs, Madam C. J. Walker, Bessie Coleman, Ida B. Wells, Rosa Parks, Mary Church Terrell, Ella Baker, Ruby Hurley, and British civil rights activist Claudia Jones.

Photos by Don Neal, Jean Lewis and Howard Ingram

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