April 14, 1999

Do you give Green Stamps?

I was working in my garage the other day when I ran across some S&H Green Stamps and some Blue Chip Stamps in an old box. For you younger folks who've never seen them, Green stamps and Blue Chip stamps were used by many businesses in Pacifica and throughout the country in years gone by. They rewarded buyers with an incentive to come back and shop at stores that gave them out. You filled a book with the lick-em, stick-em stamps. When you had enough you got a toaster oven or a pen and pencil set, or whatever. My first inclination was to chuck them out. I haven't seen trading stamps given out for so long I figured the stamp companies must be out of business.

However, being nosy, I did a little research. Both stamp companies are so quaintly oldfashioned they didn't waste my time. Living persons actually answered on the second ring, and politely gave me answers when I asked questions. None of this runaround from recordings. No recorded commercials before they connected me with a human being. The kind lady from Blue Chip even gave me the 800 number for S&H. It's not accessible from 800 directory assistance.Turns out S&H is in Georgia.

Blue Chip stamps is in southern California. The companies have retrenched considerably, but there are still a few stores in California that give them out the stamps. Cunha's in Half Moon Bay is one that's listed. So are some of the Peninsula bowling establishments. There must be a lot of trading stamps in desks all over Pacifica, or buried in the backs of kitchen drawers, or gathering dust in garage lofts. They're too valuable to throw away, too much trouble to bother with. It occurred to me how to solve my dilemma, so I called Pat Paik at the Pacifica Resource Center. She told me she'd be happy to accept my books and loose stamps. My two or three books aren't enough to worry about by themselves, but if half a dozen people contribute their unused stamps, perhaps the result might be a sleeping bag for a shivering child, or something else to help a needy family.

I'm proud of the way my city has backed the Resource Center over the years. Individual Pacificans contribute canned goods and clothing and other items that have helped many families in emergencies. The center cuts through bureaucratic red tape and helps people in need RIGHT NOW. The city, though, has been the key. By providing rental space, and paying the light bill and the salaries, the city has enabled the contributions from individuals like you and me, whether cash or merchandise, to go directly to help the families in need. The city doesn't budget very much, but the returns are huge. I love bargains. The Resource Center is the biggest bargain in town. Even small contributions to the Resource Center can help people in a really big way. I hope the Center continues its good work for years and years. Nobody else does what it does, and it's a no nonsense way to prevent a lot of human suffering.

If you would like to drop off trading stamps at the Resource Center, it's at 1809 Palmetto, not far from City Hall. The phone number is 359 0250.

Paul Azevedo and his wife Lydia moved to Pacifica in 1963. He has written the Reactor column since 1975. E-mail him at Paul@thereactor.net.