OMPA – Okanagan Stamp Clubs History
On May 24th, 1959, a group of interested philatelists from Kamloops to Penticton met at the home of Mr. Robert J. Duncan of Armstrong.
Out of this meeting came an organizational meeting in Vernon on the 21 st of June of the same year. And so was born the Okanagan Mainline Philatelic Association. Mr. Harry D. Greenwood of Kamloops was elected to the position of President and Mr. George H. Melvin of Vernon was named Secretary-Treasurer. Five Directors were chosen with the thought that there would be a representative from each of the five district areas forming the Association. A constitution was considered at this time and adopted. In 1963 a Director was added to serve the many members in the United States.
The first regular meeting was held on September 20 th, 1959 at Kamloops in the home of Mr. and Mrs. H.D. Greenwood. There were some fifty members belonging to the Association at that time.
Before the next meeting on December 6th, 1959 in Kelowna, Mr. Frank Torreggiani had made a start on the Sales Circuit. An admirable job was done and during the summer of 1960 Mrs. H.D. Greenwood took over its operation. In May 1963 Mr. and Mrs. A.M. Lamb took over.
In June 1960 Mr. George Melvin relinquished the secretary-treasurer’s position and Mr. James Gibb was elected by acclamation to the position which he held until September 1963.
Mr. Harry Greenwood was President until re resigned in September 1963. Mr. Archie Lamb was acclaimed to the position at that time.
Affiliation with the Northwest Federation of Stamp Clubs was approved in May 1960.
On December 9 2022, the OMPA became an incorporated BC Society under Society #S0077472.
The OMPA changed its trading name to the Okanagan Stamp Clubs at its March 16 2024 meeting in Vernon BC
(the above is a direct quotation from the 1964 membership publication)
| The Roll Of Presidents | ||||
| 1 | 1959-63 | Kamloops | H.D. Greenwood | 4yr |
| 2 | 1963-64 | Penticton | A.M. Lamb | 1yr |
| 3 | 1964-65 | Kamloops | H.D. Greenwood | 1yr |
| 4 | 1965-66 | Oyama | K.V. Ellison | 1yr |
| 5 | 1966-68 | Kelowna | D.B. Crane | 2yr |
| 6 | 1968-71 | Armstrong | G.T. Douglas | 3yr |
| 7 | 1971-74 | Falkland | E. Gotobed | 3yr |
| 8 | 1974-77 | Kelowna | C. Campbell | 3yr |
| 9 | 1977-80 | Penticton | F.R. Arnot | 3yr |
| 10 | 1980-81 | Falkland | E. Gotobed | 1yr |
| 11 | 1981-83 | Clearwater | W.F Anderson | 2yr |
| 12 | 1983-85 | Kelowna | C. Campbell | 2yr |
| 13 | 1985-87 | Vernon | R.D.Heinrichs | 2yr |
| 14 | 1987-93 | Kelowna | R Koenig | 6yr |
| 15 | 1993-95 | Vernon | R.D.Heinrichs | 2yr |
| 16 | 1995-97 | Vernon | J. Johnson | 2yr |
| 17 | 1997-99 | Sicamous | M. Stadnicki | 2yr |
| 18 | 1999-01 | Vernon | J. Johnson | 2yr |
| 19 | 2002 | Kelowna | E. Jilg | 1yr |
| 20 | 2003-10 | Vernon | R.D.Heinrichs | 8yr |
| 21 | 2011 | Penticton | R. Ahtila | 1yr |
| 22 | 2012-23 | Vernon | R.D.Heinrichs | 12yr |
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