Chapter Activities Committee
The APS Chapter Activities Committee serves as the focal point for most services to APS Chapters. Chapters looking for advice on how to publish a newsletter, draft bylaws, run a show, or "how-to-do-it'' information on any number of local functions may find assistance, through contact with Committee volunteers. The Committee also publishes the CAC Newsletter, a quality newsletter for clubs.

Monthly Journal
For the benefit of all Chapter members, The American Philatelist, the Society's official monthly journal, also is sent to each Chapter. APS Chapters may publicize information about sponsored exhibitions in the special "SHOW TIME" section of the AP. Regular features include new discoveries, specialty columns, "how-to-do-it" articles, original research monographs, and feature stories by outstanding philatelic writers.

CAC Newsletter
The CAC Newsletter, issued three times a year, is a forum for sharing information to help Chapters improve service to their members and to thrive. Practical ideas for recruiting members and promoting clubs, programs for meetings, show organizing, and other club-related topics appear regularly in the CACN. Current news from APS that affects clubs, such as updates of the audio-visual lending library and other Chapter services, also appears.

Stamp and Cover Sales Circuits
Upon request, sales circuits containing stamps and covers based upon the collecting interests of the members of each individual chapter, are sent as often as once a month. They are shipped to arrive just prior to the Chapter's scheduled meeting date and may be retained for 30 days thereafter. A special discount, based upon the total purchases of their members, is given to Chapters to help defray return mailing costs of the circuits.

Insurance
The APS has officially selected Hugh Wood, Inc. as its official member insurance carrier. Rates are very reasonable and cover a variety of options. For more information, please dial toll-free in the US: 1-888-277-6494. Full details are at: http://www.hughwood.com/.

Slide Programs
APS slide programs are one of the most popular Chapter services. More than 100 programs presently are available and the APS constantly is preparing new programs and updating others. All programs are available with cassette tape recordings, with a running time varying from 20 minutes to 1 hour. Offered only to APS Chapters, these popular programs are sometimes booked far in advance. Some programs are available on VHS videocassette. A list of current slide programs with detailed instructions on how Chapters may participate is available here.

Chapter Newsletter Competition
The Chapter Newsletter Competition gives clubs the opportunity to showcase their publication and have them critiqued. Judged by experts, awards are presented based on content and layout. Entries are displayed at the annual APS Stampshow. For details, click here.

October Stamp Collecting Month Cancel
Many clubs in the US host special community events in October, traditionally "Stamp Collecting Month." The CAC offers our Chapters a common postal cancel for use during their celebration. Check out cancels past and present, and details about getting a customized one for this year here.

Accredited Judges
The APS has an established exhibition judging program. Nearly 250 accredited judges are available to serve at Chapter exhibitions. Most Chapters like to use APS-accredited judges for their exhibitions, with local members serving as apprentice judges and thereby gaining valuable experience and competency toward meeting the APS judging accreditation requirements. View the listing by clicking here.

Research Library
An APS Chapter and all its members are entitled and encouraged to utilize the vast resources of the American Philatelic Research Library. A nominal fee is charged to cover the costs of book loans and photocopies of short articles. The Library publishes a quarterly journal, Philatelic Literature Review, to which APS Chapters may subscribe. Any request for book loans by a non-APS member must be through a current APS member in good standing who will be responsible for the return of the borrowed materials or via inter-library loan.

Awards and Medals
APS Chapters may receive a special APS Award Certificate for presentation to the best exhibit by an APS member at any Chapter sponsored event. Chapters who meet the appropriate eligibility criteria, may receive special APS Medals of Excellence and the APS Research Award for presentation at their exhibitions. Chapters wishing to use specially designed APS Chapter Exhibition Medals as regular awards at their exhibitions may purchase them at cost from the APS. These special cast gold, silver, and bronze colored medals replicate the official APS seal and each comes with a handsome display stand inscribed "Chapter Exhibition Award". A special certificate that a Chapter may have suitably inscribed to recognize exceptional service to the club by some individual may be requested once each year without charge. Take a look here.

Recruiting Benefits
A comprehensive APS recruiting package is available to all Chapters for use at local and regional exhibitions. APS promotional business reply cards also are available for distribution at meetings, at exhibitions, or in Chapter mailings. Interested collectors mail the post-paid cards to the APS requesting detailed information about Society memberships. The Chapter receives credit for all new memberships resulting from this recruiting technique. One year's free dues or the equivalent credit may be earned by Chapters for every five new APS members sponsored during a calendar year. The APS also can help a Chapter recruit new members. Upon request, the APS makes available the names and addresses of APS members residing in the locale served by the Chapter.

Your Group is Invited
APS Chapter membership really can help your club provide philatelic enjoyment to your membership. Utilization of any one of the major APS Chapter services is worth the modest membership fee especially considering Chapter membership costs no more than a single individual membership! If your club does not currently have the three individual APS members required to apply for Chapter status, the APS will accept a Chapter application provided enough individual Chapter members concurrently apply for individual APS membership. Complete an application and return it today. Your club will be making one of the best philatelic investments possible!

APS Free Dues for Chapters Offer
APS chapters who maintain among their-resident membership a minimum of 12 individual APS members will be granted free dues provided one-third of the total resident membership of the chapter are APS members. Thus, a chapter having 45 members must have at least 15 APS members in order to qualify. Applicant clubs which fulfill both the "one-third total" and the "12 minimum" requirements at the time of application need only remit the one-time $3 admission fee.

The following requirements must be met to be eligible: