300 Kilos Of Stamps For A Good Cause

The result of their endeavors of the past four months weighs about 300 kilograms and needs to be transported on two euro-pallets: "Even we are surprised at how many stamps we got from the whole Group," says Silvio Richter, Head of the Arvato Transport Competence Center at Harsewinkel (near Gütersloh). Since June, they and their colleagues have been collecting all kinds of stamps to help people with disabilities. The good response was achieved by extensively promoting the campaign throughout the Group. On Oct 12, the stamps were finally delivered to the Bodelschwingh Foundation Bethel in Bielefeld.

"The disabled employees of the Bethel stamp office opened the incoming cartons and envelopes with great joy and eager expectation," said Pastor Ulrich Pohl, Chairman of the Board of the Bodelschwingh Foundation Bethel , in a thank-you letter to the Arvato team. "We are very grateful for this commitment," he added. "Each stamp helps to preserve 130 jobs for disabled people. These valuable jobs can only be maintained by our circle of supporters."

The Arvato employees had asked all Bertelsmann employees in Germany not to throw their stamps away, but send them to Harsewinkel by internal mail. "Whether stamped or not, whether they originate from Germany or abroad, whether they are part of a complete collection, on an envelope or by themselves, Bethel can put all stamps to good use," says Andreas Herbort, who like his teammates wants to "continue by all means" because of the great response. This means receiving the stamps sent to the Arvato Transport Competence Center, storing them in one place and eventually transporting them to Bielefeld-Bethel. For over a hundred years now, the Bodelschwingh Foundation Bethel stamp office has processed stamps. The are detached in a special water bath, dried them on blotting paper, and finally sold as semi-postals on paper or individually to collectors who can expand their collections and even find a bargain with a bit of luck. "We are delighted that we can do so much good with just a little effort," is the consensus among Arvato employees.