News & Press Releases
ATA Unveils New Youth Area on Website
January 10, 2012 pdf version
The American Topical Association (ATA) has introduced a new area on its website especially for youth collectors and educators. It is found at
http://www.americantopicalassn.org/youth. The youth area of the ATA website will be expanded, with an additional topic
added every two months. Entitled "Topical Tidbits," it will feature a wide variety of interesting and educational material.
The initial "Topical Tidbits" consists of 14 color pages on the topic of Penguins on Stamps. Lavish in color, it uses dozens of stamps depicting penguins to illustrate a wide variety of areas: Penguin Identifier, Penguin Food Chain, Where do Penguins Live, Penguin Poems, Penguin Crossword Puzzle, Penguin Activities, an album page to mount penguin stamps, illustrations of penguin stamps for projects, Penguin Bookmarks, and even penguin party ideas to brighten weary winter days.
ATA's "Topical Tidbits" is spearheaded by its Director of Youth Activities, MaryAnn Bowman, of Waukesha, Wis. MaryAnn also serves on the Smithsonian Institution's National Postal Museum Council of Philatelists and has long been active in Wisconsin and ATA philatelic activities. "Topical Tidbits" is produced by educator and ATA member Aimee Devine, of Janesville, Wis. Special assistance for the first issue of "Topical Tidbits" was provided by ATA's Penguin Study Unit and Jean Stout of Pearl, Miss.
The March-April issue of "Topical Tidbits" will feature Fun Foods on Stamps. Other issues will cover such topics as sports, fine arts, and other animals. A future issue will feature Soccer on Stamps with assistance provided by Prof. Agbenyega Adedze of Normal, Ill. Within each issue of "Topical Tidbits," activities are included that will reinforce major educational curriculum areas: math, science, social science, language arts, etc.
ATA's new website went live last summer; it was designed by Amanda Morgenstern, a graphics designer who divides her time between the UK and Pinckneyville, Ill. Sean Lamb of Madison, Wis., is the ATA Webmaster. He maintains an alphabetic index and also a Webmasters Corner/blog about the website. From the main web page, choose "about" and "ATA website" for particulars.
It is hoped that all philatelists will spread the word to educators and to youths about "Topical Tidbits." Ideas and material for future issues are earnestly sought. Please direct them to the ATA Office.
For additional information about "Topical Tidbits" or about ATA, call 618-985-5100, or email americantopical@msn.com, or write to ATA, PO Box 8, Carterville, IL 62918-0008 USA.
Disney in the News at ATA
January 4, 2012
pdf version
The Disneyana on Stamps Society (DoSS) has just been certified as a Study Unit of the American Topical Association (ATA). Bruce L. Johnson,
Director of Study Units for ATA, made the announcement in early January. The Disneyana on Stamps Society is the 90th
study unit affiliated with the Association during its 62-year history. Currently there are 48 units actively
affiliated with the ATA.
The Disneyana on Stamps Society is an organization of topical philatelists collecting stamps, first day covers, meters, cancels, and other philatelic items relating to Walt Disney and his legacy. Membership is free! Members have access to the newsletter Disnemation, which will be published online six times a year. Members will be notified by email when each new newsletter is ready on the DoSS website. DoSS website access will be password controlled for members only, and a Disney checklist is included on the site. For more information and to join the Disneyana on Stamps Society, check out the website:
http://www.disnemation.8m.com/home.htmWilliam (Bill) Silvester organized the new ATA study unit, and is its president. Mr. Silvester has been active in the area of collecting related to Disney for many years.
William Silvester also compiled ATA's 162nd handbook, scheduled for publication by March 1. It is entitled Handbook of Disney on Stamps. The new handbook will be ~300 pages, 8½ x 11 inches, perfect bound. It will have a color illustration of each Disney stamp issued. The price per copy is $70 plus $5 for domestic shipping ($12 for shipping to Canada, $14 for shipping elsewhere). A prepublication price of $65 plus shipping is available if payment is received by February 15. Payment by check to ATA, PO Box 8, Carterville, IL 62918-0008 preferred. Electronic payment may be made to americantopical@msn.com or by credit card (call 618-985-5100).
For additional information about the Disneyana on Stamps Society or the Handbook of Disney on Stamps, call 618-985-5100, or email americantopical@msn.com, or write to ATA, PO Box 8, Carterville, IL 62918-0008 USA.
New ATA Director of Chapters
December 12, 2011
pdf version
The American Topical Association (ATA) has announced that in January Tonny Van Loij will assume the position of Director of Chapters. The ATA is
the world's largest organization for philatelists collecting by theme or topic. It has 30 affiliated chapters, geographical stamp clubs who have
affiliated with the ATA, in the US, Canada, Australia, India and South Africa. Mr. Van Loij will coordinate the chapters' relationships with ATA
and write a regular column with chapter news for ATA's bi-monthly journal, Topical Time.
A retired small business owner, Mr. Van Loij lives in Denver, Colorado, and is past president of Topical Philatelists in Colorado (TOPIC). He has collected stamps since 1954, has worked as a stamp dealer for 12 years, and has been an ATA member for 21 years. An active exhibitor of the topics of Europa and Mozart, his other philatelic interests include Beethoven and Colorado postal history. Mr. Van Loij is secretary/treasurer of ATA's Europa Study Unit and a member of the Motiv Gruppe Muzik in Germany, the Austrian Philatelic Society and the Rocky Mountain Philatelic Library (RMPL), where he volunteers. Mr. Van Loij also volunteers at the Denver Botanical Gardens and is past president of a local Rotary Club.
Mr. Van Loij succeeds Dr. Fred Skvara who has retired as ATA's chapter director after 6 years in the position. Dr. Skvara retains his seat on the ATA Board of Directors.
ATA Chapters are local stamp clubs who have several members belonging to ATA. They receive extensive free publicity in Topical Time and the opportunity to add ATA Handbooks and program DVDs to their club libraries at minimal cost. Local stamp clubs interested in becoming ATA Chapters may contact Tonny Van Loij, 3002 S Xanthia St, Denver CO 80231-4237, tvanloij@gmail.com.
For a complete contact list for all ATA Chapters, go to the organization's website at http://www.americantopicalassn.org/chapters.shtml. Or email americantopical@msn.com, call 618-985-5100, or write to PO Box 8, Carterville, IL 62918-0008.