By Levy Joffrion
Legislative Web Site Wins Award
TakingTheHill.com - the Automotive Service Association's legislative Web site - has been recognized as an Honorable Mention Bronze Quill Award recipient from the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC).
ASA's Web site received the award in the best overall Web site category.
Launched in March 2004, TakingTheHill.com is responsible for sending more than 2,500 letters to elected federal and state officials on topics such as Association Health Plan legislation, insurer-owned shops and vocational education. Compared to 2004, traffic to the site has doubled and subscriptions to the Web site's Alert Network have almost tripled, reports Colby Horton, ASA's manager of Web operations. The site can be accessed at www.TakingTheHill.com.
Stamps Feature Classic Cars
Postage stamps featuring images of five classic cars from the 1950s will be issued Aug. 20 in Detroit at the State Fair. The new stamps highlight the sporty look of American cars designed in the 1950s with sleek, aerodynamic lines and the innovative looks of the types of European sports cars American GIs favored upon their return from World War II.
The stamps can be ordered in advance at the online Postal Store at www.usps.com/shop or by toll-free phone order at (800) STAMP-24.
Featured on the stamps are a 1952 Nash Healey, 1953 Chevrolet Corvette, 1953 Studebaker Starliner, 1954 Kaiser Darrin and a 1955 Ford Thunderbird.
"We understand the power our stamps have in helping to celebrate our American history and culture - in this case, the innovative brilliance of our automotive technology and design," said Anita Bizzotto, chief marketing officer, U.S. Postal Service. "They will be a reminder of the unique style and culture of the 1950s."
Custom-framed art prints of original stamp art are available at www.postalartgallery.com.
I-CAR to Offer Programs at NACE
From I-CAR comes word that it will be offering both vehicle-specific training programs and newer training programs focusing on aluminum, hybrids and automotive foams at the International Autobody Congress & Exposition (NACE) to be held in Las Vegas Nov. 2-5.
All six programs will be conducted Wednesday, Nov. 2. The programs are available for $60.
Participants may sign up for the I-CAR training programs as part of their NACE registration by visiting the NACE Web site at www.naceexpo.com or by calling (888) 529-1641. Participants may also sign up for the I-CAR training programs separate from NACE registration.
Preregistration is available through Oct. 21. On-site registrations can be made at NACE in Las Vegas.
For more information, visit I-CAR's Web site, www.i-car.com.
National Car Care Checkups Increase
More than 400 National Car Care Month vehicle check lane events were held during April - twice as many as 2004 - according to Rich White, executive director of the Car Care Council.
White said, "And that is just the number of events we knew about. This remarkable increase means our messages about the importance of preventative vehicle maintenance are reaching both the industry and the motoring public."
Vehicle check lane events were conducted this year in all 50 states by independent repair shops and auto parts stores as well as high schools, vocational schools, junior colleges and universities.
For more information about the Be Car Care Aware campaign, visit the Car Care Council's Web site at www.carcare.org.
