On the third Monday of each month, the Lancaster County Postcard Club meets at the Farm & Home Center, 1383 Arcadia Road, Lancaster. During the meetings, which are open to the public, members gather to discuss postcards on a wide variety of topics. Each meeting features a specific theme and includes a talk from a guest speaker who focuses on that theme.

In January, the club creates a schedule of which themes will be incorporated throughout the year, and the topic of the club's meetings can be anything from railroads to boats to hometowns. For its meeting in January, the club had members share postcards relating to their favorite holidays. On Feb. 20, the topic of the meeting was cartoons and humor, and attendees participated in a member's market to buy and sell postcards.

Jere Greider of Mountville has been a member of the postcard club for over 20 years, first becoming interested in them while adding to his collection of Coca-Cola memorabilia. After Greider found a Coca-Cola postcard, he began to shift his focus to collecting postcards from around Lancaster County.

Greider is now a postcard dealer and participates in several yearly shows where postcard enthusiasts come together to buy and sell items for their collections. During the shows, around 25 postcard dealers present boxes of cards that are organized by topic. A buyer will often look for postcards from specific locations, such as his or her hometown or alma mater. Before the advent of different technologies in the 19th century, postcards were a way for travelers to remember a location they visited without a camera. Many people also used them to communicate with others who lived nearby before the invention of the telephone, as a way to stay connected with each other. Today, postcards are primarily found in tourist attractions, but many vintage cards still circulate in antique stores and on the internet.

"Postcards cover every topic imaginable," Greider said. "We have so many antique stores and outlets here in central Pennsylvania where you can find them." Besides combing through local antiques stores, Greider often finds items to add to his collection by searching for postcards on websites like eBay. Throughout his many years spent collecting postcards, Greider has learned more about the market and what people are seeking. Currently, he is focused on collecting postcards that originate from the Mountville area and the surrounding towns.

During the March meeting, set for Monday, March 20, at 7 p.m., the Lancaster County Postcard Club will share postcards from various places of worship. For more information, search for "Lancaster County Postcard Club" on Facebook.