Carol Edholm Recipient of Kehr "Future of Philately" Award

American Philatelic Society (APS) member Carol Edholm has been named the recipient of the Kehr "Future of Philately" Award for 2009. Carol was recognized for her outstanding contributions at the 50-Year Anniversary of Westpex, in San Francisco, California, in April.

The Kehr Award, named for Ernest Anthony Kehr (1911–1986), one of philately's most distinguished spokesmen, recognizes a living philatelist each year, who has contributed to the future of the stamp hobby. The candidate's endeavors must exhibit sustained excellence, lasting value, and demonstrated positive results. The candidate's activities in one or more of these areas should also have been demonstrated for a period of at least five years. In Carol's case, the committee felt Carol had fully and generously met all of the published criteria.

Carol has been an active collector and promoter of the hobby in the Pacific West Coast area for approximately seventeen years. What started as a presentation about stamp collecting to a school in 1993 has led to the creation of a non-profit organization called Youth Stamp Collectors, which not only works with youth and educators on the West Coast, but also throughout the United States, Canada, and a few other countries. It has included youth in China since the organization began and has since added youth in Belgium and Ukraine.

Carol has set up stamp clubs, worked youth areas at philatelic events, educated stamp show staff about youth areas, and worked with teachers and home-school parents. She produces a monthly newsletter for members. She has worked with Boy Scouts to teach and assist them in obtaining their Stamp Collecting Merit Badge. She also serves on the youth committee for the Council of Northern California of Philatelic Stamp Clubs as well as the Northwest Federation of Stamp Clubs. Most recently, the late APS President Nick Carter named her to head up the APS Committee on youth and entry-level collectors.

In addition, Carol has conducted up to three Educator Workshops per year in the states of Washington, Oregon, and California since 2000. Ideas for using stamps in an educational environment, master plans of specific educational stamp projects as well as several hundred pounds of stamps and supplies are handed out at each workshop.

The American Philatelic Society congratulates Carol Edholm on this accomplishment and thanks her for her continued dedication to encouraging youth in philately. If you know of someone who deserves recognition for similar contributions, nominations can be submitted for the Kehr Award. To nominate a recipient for the Kehr Award, please include his or her name, accomplishments, and supporting documentation. Send your nomination to the American Philatelic Society, Attn: Kehr Award Committee, 100 Match Factory Place, Bellefonte, PA 16823 by June 13, 2010.

Additional information on the award and the complete list of previous winners is available on the APS website.

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