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Tales of the Animals: Once Upon a Time
| Tuesday, January 10, 2006 Filed: 10:45 PM
EDT (03:45 GMT) John Cropper, VSC Staff Reporter FINDLAY, OHIO -- A mild winter morning in Northwestern Ohio provided the perfect backdrop for the first U.S. commemorative stamps to be issued in 2006. This was also the first scheduled dual issue of 2006, in this instance Great Britain. |
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 Stamps For The Children Cropper CCMHG/VSC As members of the Chamberlin Sign Choir look on, Curious George ponders his celebrity as the Favorite Children’s Book Animals stamps are unveiled. |
Festivities kicked off
promptly at 11:00 AM inside the Mazza Museum of International Art from
Picture Books, located on the cozy campus of the University of Findlay.
Designed especially for children, the museum features illustrative artwork
from many well-known popular children’s books, as well as other works
geared towards the young and young-at-heart. All artwork is strategically
displayed at a height more convenient for young audiences.
David E. Failor, Executive Director of Stamp Services for the USPS served as Master of Ceremonies, which commenced with the Presentation of Colors by local Boy Scout Troop #344, while the Chamberlin (children’s) Sign Choir sang and signed the national anthem. |
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Dr. DeBow Freed, President of the University of Findlay, provided opening comments, followed by Linda A. Kingsley, Vice President of Strategic Planning for the USPS. After the formal dedication, which included help from Curious George, Tony Devine, Philatelic Channel Manager for Britain’s Royal Mail provided additional remarks. Media coverage of the event included local newspaper and television, as well as a film crew from Universal, who provided for the guest appearance by Curious George. The USPS tables were well-stocked and amply staffed, though the British stamps sold out quickly. Cancellations for both the U.S. and U.K. were provided on-site and more than a thousand items including covers, souvenir programs, posters and books were stamped and cancelled before and after the ceremony.
All children participating in the ceremony left the museum with a gift
bag, lunch and a story that they can tell their children, one of how they
helped to welcome eight colorful, friendly and familiar characters in a
warm and happy museum, once upon a time. |
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| To learn more about the Mazza
Museum, visit
www.findlay.edu/offices/resources/mazza/. Additional information about
the Favorite Children's Book Animals and other U.S. stamps can be found on the USPS web site, located at
www.usps.com. Additional information about
Animal Tales! and other U.K. stamps can be found on the Royal Mail web site, located at
www.royalmail.co.uk. For more information, or
to find a local stamp club near you, visit the American Philatelic
Society's web site at www.stamps.org.
Free stamp collecting information is available from The Virtual Stamp Club
online at
www.virtualstampclub.com |
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