La Florida stamp unveiled In St. Augustine ceremony

 

From left, Florida Department of State Secretary Ken Detzner, reenactor Chad Light, Jo Ann Feindt with the United States Postal Service, Sen. Bill Nelson, St. Augustine Mayor Joe Bolles and Flagler College President William Abare unveil the La Florida commemorative stamp in Lewis Auditorium at Flagler College in downtown ST. Augustine on Wednesday afternoon, April 3, 2013.

Reprinted from St. Augustine FL Record
By DARON DEAN, daron.dean@staugustine.com

When Jo Ann Feindt, vice president for the Southern Area of the United States Postal Service, thinks about St. Augustine, she’ll probably remember being almost impaled by Ponce de Leon at the ceremony unveiling the Postal Service’s 2013 La Florida forever stamp at Flagler College’s Lewis Auditorium Wednesday.
As actor Chad Light, in character as Ponce and dressed in full 16th-century regalia, went to sit down after making a brief speech, he didn’t notice that his sword — which was fully sheathed — had angled into Feindt’s abdomen, causing her to jump back a bit.

It wasn’t a brush with death, of course, but the unplanned gaffe brought a great deal of laughter from the audience of about 300 people who showed up to see the stamp and hear from presenters that included U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner, Flagler College president William T. Abare, Feindt, Light and St. Augustine Mayor Joe Boles.

Light seemed genuinely embarrassed for a moment, but played it off with aplomb. “She lives!” Light shouted, back in character. Feindt laughed.

The La Florida stamp is actually four stamps that interlock to form a single picture of brightly-colored flowers indigenous to the state. They were created to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the naming of the state by Ponce in 1513, who named it La Florida for Pascua Florida (Feast of the Flowers), Spain’s Easter celebration, and — reportedly — for the abundant display of foliage the explorer could see from his ship off the coast.

The stamps contain blossoms such as red and pink hibiscus, yellow cannas, morning glories in white, red and shades of purple and white and purple passion flowers. On the margin, the stamp pane includes a scene of explorers traveling in a small boat along a river, surrounded by tropical vegetation.

The stamps are also designated “forever stamps,” meaning that they will always carry the full First Class value, no matter what the postal rate is.

Nelson began by thanking the guests in Spanish and said it was a great day for Florida.

“Somehow, our schoolchildren are taught that our heritage is English,” Nelson said. “Our heritage is Spanish. Not only because of the city that has 42 years ahead of Jamestown, but also because all of the first Europeans that came to this land, starting with 500 years ago (were Spanish). And so, we are here in a great celebration. As people see these stamps, they are going be able to recognize the uniqueness of our blessed state.”

Feindt, who was born in Hollywood and began her career with the Postal Service in Fort Lauderdale, said she was pleased to be back in her home state.