Whatever
Happened...
QUESTION: What ever happened to the attempt to put Duke Kahanamoku on a U.S. stamp? Kahanamoku stamp
could still be issuedANSWER: All is not lost for the Duke stamp, said U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka.
Even though the legendary surfer and king of aloha failed to make the cut for stamps issued in 2000, Akaka has faith the Duke's stamp will come in 2002.
"I have been assured by the Postal Service that the stamp continues to be under serious consideration," Akaka said. "The postmaster general is well aware of the local, national and international support for a Duke stamp."
The Surfrider Foundation doesn't have to resubmit Kahanamoku's name to the Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee. However, Akaka said it's still important for supporters to continue writing letters to the postmaster general.
"All of these letters become part of the record," he said.
James Tolbert, director of Stamp Services at U.S. Postal Service headquarters in Washington, D.C., said the Kahanamoku stamp remains under "very serious consideration," according to Akaka.
Akaka, a ranking Democrat on the Senate postal subcommittee, has discussed the Duke stamp with Postmaster General William Henderson numerous times.
Stamp selection is an ongoing process, and the chosen ones are made public only one year ahead of issuance.
"The fact that the Duke stamp was formally presented by the Postal Service to the CSAC (Citizen Stamp Advisory Committee) at its July meeting and is still on the table indicates to me the continued interest of USPS in moving forward," Akaka said.
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