MFN 35 years

During the anniversary meeting of the MFN in October 2022, chairman Hans Baartman summarized the development of the MFN in the following overview.

How it started for me: I was involved in philately of the Netherlands and Overseas Territories from childhood, and in the early 1980s I also collected a few motorcycle stamps and some postmarks.

In 1987 I saw a message in Moto73, followed by a phone call (nicely old-fashioned, isn't it?) to Eric Mulder. And an appointment to come by.

So at the end of 87 I rode on my motorcycle (my only means of transport at the time, an old army Harley), with a paper route description (navigation systems didn't exist yet) to Houten in the cold.

After arrival, while enjoying a cup of coffee, I listened to Eric what the MFN was and wanted to do for its members, and then I immediately suscribed to the club and received the club magazine number 1. Nicely old fashioned: hand typed.

I also looked at Eric's collection. Boy, there was much more available than I thought. Finally we exchanged some items and I bought a few.
I also purchased the stamp catalog made by a certain Chambers.

After that I attended the 1st MFN meeting at Pally, and met the MFN board and other members. After this, many more MFN afternoons followed there in Nieuwegein.

The first composition of the board was: Jan Termaaten (chairman), Eric Mulder (treasurer), Nico Helling (secretary) and Hans de Kloet who did the newsletter.

The collection gradually grew, through exchange meetings, auctions, etc. Stamps as well as postmarks and postal stationery. Especially the MFN auctions were, and still are, often a source of gems for the collection. But also exchanging and buying at the meetings provided a lot of additions to the collection.
After a while the 1st edition of the MFN stamp catalog was also published in A4 format.

In 1992 was the first lustrum, where all members received an MFN sliding puzzle. Those MFN people know how to handle this, they must have thought.

In meantime we have arrived at the 1990s when the MFN travelled along the country. In 1993 there were MFN meetings in Ede at MC de Kraats and in Woudenberg at MC Wombarg.

Also in '93 the switch was made from old-fashioned typing to the PC to compile the Newsletter.

In the following years we were again guests of Pally until '96. That year there was an MFN meeting in Meppel at the Poort van Drenthe.
The following year, the spring meeting was held for the first time in Harmelen, at Harmelens Initiatief. Until 2005 MFN meetings took place there.
Up to the millennium we also visited Rosmalen (D'n Beer), Zetten (Duivenlokaal Lingebode), Rijswijk (Don Bosco), Arkel (MC de Bougie).

In meantime the euro made its appearance, and of course the MFN also switched to the new currency.

In the euro era also many MFN meetings followed in various places. In addition to Harmelen, we were guests at various locations. We're getting somewhere, aren't we?
For example I mention Voorschoten (Merelhof/Ruimte Plus), Pyramid of Austerlitz, Apeldoorn (the Boerderij), Lexmond (50cc Motorcycle Museum), Vinkeveen (de Boei).

In 2008 we visited Swimming Pool H2O in Harmelen for the first time. Also in that year, the MFN personalised stamps were available for the first time at the meetings.
Also in 2008 Cor Verlooij was honored as a Friend of the MFN.

In 2009 the Newsletter was sent for the first time with an MFN personalised newsletter stamp.

That same year, the English translation of the Newsletter became available on the website. The website that turns out to be essential, partly because of the stamp catalogs that are available to members.

In 2010 we were in Gouda (letter fair in De Mammoet) and Voorschoten (Buurthuis Bloemenwijk Bosgeest). In the following years we were also in Purmerend (Jan v. Egmond Lyceum) and Renswoude (Bikers Best Goldwing parts).

In 2012 there was the jubilee meeting because of the 25th anniversary.

From 2013 onwards the locations Voorschoten and Harmelen alternated, until 2020, which was also a black year for the MFN. No meetings due to COVID-19, and in 2021 first an online spring "meeting".

Fortunately, a physical meeting was possible again in the fall of 2021, and in because of the possibility of social distancing, the choice was made to go to H2O then, and also in 2022.

And here we are, 35 years in a nutshell, with various milestones but also some less pleasant things. For example, several members have passed away, and the number of members has been stable for several years now. Fortunately, because many philatelic associations have already stopped due to a lack of members.

There have also been several board changes in the past 35 years.
For example, Herman van der Maaten, Hans de Kloet and Wijbe Brouwer have been chairman.
Eric Mulder, later Hans de Kloet and now Paul Essens have managed our money.
Making the newsletter has passed from Hans de Kloet to Herman van der Maaten and later Paul Essens. The latter also manages the website.
The secretariat has been in the hands of Nico Helling all these years.
The auctions were organized by Hans de Kloet, later Gerard van der Linden and now again by Hans, and have been led by Jan Termaaten, Herman van der Maaten, Hans de Kloet, Wijbe Brouwer and now Nico Helling.
I would like to thank all these people for their efforts. If I have forgotten anyone, my apologies.

Over the years, the MFN has issued quite a few gadgets for its members. From bag to ballpoint, and from birthday calendar to booklet. All of these things, as well as some special newsletters, are here in the room for review.
And to top it all off, this year a sheet of motorcycle stamps via the Liechtenstein Post, and a special coffee/tea mug for the visitors of the anniversary meeting.

I express the hope that we will be able to enjoy our hobby for many more years to come, and that the MFN will continue to exist for many years to come.

Hans Baartman

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