L4101

Amber Alert

Child Abduction Emergency Alert

Collins Cover Announcement 

Amber Alert

This stamp was issued for a somber purpose — to draw attention to and promote a program dedicated to the rapid recovery of abducted children. That program is called Amber Alert and was named after Amber Hagerman who was kidnapped in Dallas-Fort Worth in 1996. Amber is also an acronym for the program's official name — America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response.

The stamp shows a united mother and child embracing. The colors are shades of amber. An interesting First Day postmark was obtained with curved lines simulating broadcast air waves on either side of the words "Amber Alert."

For my cachet, I chose to show two children safely at play. A parent is closely supervising the pair as she ties her daughter's roller skates while keeping an eye on her son playing in a sand box. As in all potentially dangerous scenarios, the best solution and outcome is prevention. For the watercolors used in the hand painting, I chose different shades of amber as the dominant color theme, and they work nicely with the excellent stamp. Now available — Amber Alert — Collins #L4101 — $13.25.