The Chamber's Loveland Valentine Program
Sponsored by McKee Medical Center
Known as 'The Sweetheart City,’ Loveland, CO has been re-mailing Valentines with a special cachet and postal cancellation since 1946. Since then, Loveland, CO has become world renown for its dedication to romance. Not only does the The Sweetheart City capture the essence of romance via its infamous Valentine Re-mailing program, but also via the many weddings and anniversaries celebrated here each year!
The Loveland Chamber of Commerce is happy to lead The Sweetheart City in helping others celebrate their romantic relationships by establishing and managing the infamous Loveland Valentine Program. This program includes
the selection process of Miss Loveland Valentine, producing the annual “Official Loveland Valentine Card" and partnering with U.S. Postal Service in re-mailing over 200,000 Valentines each year. Each card is lovingly hand-stamped by volunteers during the first two weeks in February.
Valentine Re-Mailer Program
The Loveland Chamber of Commerce and the United States Postal Service have been teaming up for more than 63 years with their internationally renowned Valentine Re-mailer Program. This program re-mails more than 200,000 cards each year from all 50 states and more than 110 countries.
Naturally, Lovelanders are very proud of their program that sends a message of love around the globe. In fact, their is a waiting list for people who would like to be one of the 60 plus volunteers who lovingly hand-stamp each card with a specially designed cachet for first two weeks in February.
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2010 Winning Cachet
The Cachet
The Loveland Chamber of Commerce holds a local contest to gather artistic designs and verses toward the development of a new cachet each year. The cachet is a four-line verse stamped on each envelope with a rubber stamp sending a message of love and hope to the world.
From February 1st through the 14th more than 60 volunteers come to the chamber building to lovingly hand-stamp each Valentine card sent to 'The Sweetheart City.” As early as summer, inquiries from all over the world begin asking for directions on how to send their cards to Loveland so they will be stamped with the cachet and special postal cancellation.
Many of the Valentines sent to Loveland have been accompanied by personal notes or letters. A grandmother in Detroit wrote of her young granddaughter who was dying in a Detroit hospital. She asked that the enclosed valentine be sent as soon as possible. The Valentines were re-mailed promptly along with additional valentines from the Loveland Chamber of Commerce and Loveland postal employees.
A Brooklyn, New York lawyer wrote: “I just wanted to thank you for making this just a little nicer country to live in. People like myself who were born and reared in these great United States seem to take everything for granted until someone like you comes along and reminds us that we are very, very lucky.”
The Valentines come in all shapes and sizes and range from handmade to elaborate. Many of the cards are addressed to individuals unknown by the stamping crew, but some famous recipients have included Lady Bird Johnson, Abigail Van Buren, Oprah Winfrey, President Barack Obama and others.
To receive this unique Loveland cancellation and Valentine cachet, enclose your pre-addressed envelopes affixed with the proper postage in a larger 1st Class envelope.
Mail to:
Postmaster - Attention Valentines
446 E. 29th St.
Loveland, CO 80538-9998
Your valentines will be removed from the larger envelope at the Post Office. To ensure delivery by Valentine’s Day, U.S. destined mail must be received in Loveland by February 8, February 10 if in Colorado, and foreign mail must be received by February 4. Proper postage must be affixed, especially foreign.
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2010 Official Loveland Valentine
Official Loveland Valentine
The Loveland Chamber of Commerce each year produces the “Official Loveland Valentine Card.” This card is generated from the creative works of local artists and residents who design the card front, inside verse, and the cachet stamp.
The 2010 official Loveland Valentine card are comprised of the work of Loveland artist Tracie Jenkins (card design winner) and local author Wanda Quist (card verse winner). Sold throughout Northern Colorado, in Loveland and now online, the 2010 official Loveland Valentine features a nostalgic sentiment coupled with a historic Loveland, Colo. landmark – the Feed & Grain building. The Valentine can be purchased for $2.25 via the Loveland Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center and several retailers in Northern Colorado, including King Soopers, Safeway, Walgreens and Wal-mart.
Card verse:
Sending this greeting on Cupid's dart
From the City of Loveland, a city with heart.
Hoping this message fills your heart too
Here's a Happy Valentine Wish for you!
If you choose, you may purchase the Valentine online and we will ship the purchase to the purchaser address of choice. Fees for shipping and handling will be added.
You may also have the card signed on your behalf by us and immediately submitted in the Valentine Re-mailing program. To purchase cards please visit the our online store.
Click here to view the 2009 Official Loveland Valentine (both the front cover art work and the inside art work and verse).
Miss Loveland Valentine
For 48 years Loveland has been selecting a Miss Loveland Valentine. The title of Miss Loveland Valentine has been held with honor and pride as this young woman spends the next year representing the community of Loveland. The selected high school senior who becomes Miss Loveland Valentine also receives scholarship funds toward her college education awarded from a trust established by the founders of the Loveland Valentine Program, Ted and Mabel Thompson.
It is a wonderful opportunity for each of these young women to become more comfortable with public speaking and grow in self-confidence during their tenure. Miss Loveland Valentine will travel to Denver to meet the governor and be presented to the Colorado State Legislature. She will also speak to many of Loveland's community nonprofit organizations and service clubs, and will be featured in television, radio and newspaper media across the nation.
The criteria are as follows:
• Must be a high school senior
• Must be a Loveland resident
• Must have a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA and be able to maintain it throughout the term
• Must have adequate public speaking skills
• Must be allowed to travel
• Must be able to miss school (approximately two weeks in January and two weeks in February) without hampering her school requirements
• Must be able to attend evening meetings
• Currently holding leadership roles in high school and community activities
• Must be a college-bound student
She will also be judged on the following qualities:
• Poise
• Personality
• Positive attitude
• Appearance
• Intelligence
• Improvisational skills
• Speaking skills
• Ability to interact with all ages and nationalities
• Confidence
• Written essay
• Presentation to Thompson Valley Rotary
**Miss Loveland Valentine 2010, Hillary Skeffington, was announced on Nov. 12, 2009.
**Miss Loveland Valentine 2009**, Victoria Fischer is currently attending Notre Dame University.
Click here to view a list of previous Miss Loveland Valentines
History - Loveland Valentine Program
According to Gwen Masche, daughter of stamp collector and history buff Count Masche; Elmer Ivers (Loveland Postmaster in the 1940s and ‘50s), Harold Dunning, Rome Dietrich and others from the Loveland Stamp Club came up with an idea of a Re-mailing Program as a stamp collection oddity, rather than a Sweetheart angle. The club tried to promote the program for a couple of years but realized they needed someone with more marketing abilities.
Ted Thompson, who managed Loveland’s Rialto Theater and served as president of the Loveland Chamber of Commerce was asked to help because of his renown marketing skills. Ted realized that Loveland, Colorado had a unique opportunity to share a little love and friendship with the people of the USA, and indeed, the world through the Valentine Re-mailing Program.
The program gained nationwide exposure when Guy Lombardo was designated honorary mayor of Loveland on February 14, 1950. Lombardo’s orchestra, The Royal Canadians, had recorded the song, “There’s a Lovely Lake in Loveland” and featured the song during the program. As Forrest S. Knox declared in a letter to the Loveland Daily Reporter-Herald dated February 8, 2001, “They could not have found a better person to shepherd their Valentine activity. He and Mabel, even though it was not their idea, were responsible for the success of the Re-mailing Program. They did a superb job of managing the program for the rest of their lives.” Now, in its 64th year, the program is growing every year.
Loveland’s “Valentine Sweethearts,” as they are affectionately referred, Ted and Mabel Thompson have since passed away and the Loveland community feels their absence. To commemorate their vision and love of Loveland, their memory lives on through this annual program and the people of Loveland. A bronze relief of the Thompsons is featured in Thompson Park in Downtown Loveland.
Today, the Loveland Chamber of Commerce continues to operate the program, in partnership with the Loveland Post Office. The Loveland Post Office creates a special cancellation annually.
