Camp AlaFlo celebrates with 50-year unique postmark

Wiregrass Boy Scouts have captured memories of Camp AlaFlo in Enterprise for 50 years. The camp celebrated the anniversary last Friday with a historic pictorial postmark that was available for the public.

More than 250 people, whose own sons or brothers were once at the Boy Scout camp, came to purchase or get a copy of the postmark handled by Samson Postmaster Jean Nowell, New Brockton Postmaster Joseph Maynard and Enterprise Post Office employee Debbie Danford.

Danford, who designed the pictorial postmark and is also a troop leader with Troop 38, said he took about three months for the process to go through.

“With the assistance of Jean Nowell who helped get the stamp approved, it came in time for us to have it to celebrate Camp AlaFlo’s 50th year,“ she said.

Nowell said to have a new postmark, a marketing council from Birmingham had to approve it.

“There is such a lot of paperwork involved to have a new one, but working together, we accomplished a postmark that people and collector’s can always have,“ she said.

Charles and Elizabeth Tew of Enterprise made the trip out to Camp AlaFlo, located off Highway 167, to purchase envelopes with the unique postmark.

“Our son was an Eagle Scout here and there is many memories these scouts have enjoying this camp,“ Elizabeth Tew said. “We wanted to come out here today and be sure to have some envelopes stamped with the postmark.“

The pictorial postmark will be available just for the next 30 days at the New Brockton Post Office only. The public can purchase a stamped envelope and ask for the postmark of Camp AlaFlo.

Friday, the make-shift postal station at the camp sold nearly 300 envelopes in a two-hour period.

“We are so pleased at the turn-out today,“ Nowell commented. “Most of the people who came had a genuine connection with the camp and we’re proud that all of us could help commemorate this special anniversary.“