For the first time in its history, the Raymond Postal Service will go off-site and onto ice to offer DerbyFest participants a special cancellation stamp.

According to Postmistress Linda McLean, she and another employee will be on the ice at Raymond Beach from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 25. In addition to the cancellation postmark, they will also carry their retail stock and various postage stamps in their tent under a banner.

The cancellation stamp commemorates the derby and the town of Raymond, which will become Derbytown, U.S.A. during the 2006 three-day fishing derby weekend.

Not only will the cancellation stamp be available to people attending the derby, McLean anticipates many collectors will seek to obtain the special, one-day postmark, as well.

“There are people who will write to us to have their envelopes cancelled (with the special stamp),” McLean said.

The process of bringing a new postmark from concept to reality takes several steps. Once an idea is proposed to the local post office, it must be submitted through the District Postal Service Office and ultimately to Washington D.C. before it can be approved.

Designed by Jonathan Morse, one of the Lakes Region Suburban Weekly’s graphic artists, the cancellation stamp features a fish about to chomp on a hook. Morse said he created the image from combining and altering a number of different designs.

In addition to his newspaper experience, Morse, 25, of Rockland, has worked as a props designer on the movie, “In the Bedroom,” and on Fox network’s reality-based suspense thriller, “Murder in Small Town X.” But this cancellation stamp is his first.

McLean has no idea how many people to expect at the Postal Service tent. But with attendance at this year’s Derby Fest expected to top the 12,000 of last year, lines at this post office may be long for their very special delivery.

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