Stamp collecting club in Waterloo Region looks to keep hobby alive
Stamp collecting is a shrinking hobby, but one Waterloo Region group is hoping to pass on their passion to the next generation.
Alan Hills is the president of the Kitchener-Waterloo Philatelic Society, whose members study and collect postage stamps.
Hills has collected stamps for over 50 years, but has noticed a general decline in collectors.
“The major demographic of the society are people who are just newly retired and they were stamp collectors when they were young,” said Hills.
A shift in the way mail is delivered has resulted in fewer stamps being produced globally too. And given the club’s 89 year history, recruiting new members isn’t as easy as it once was.
“There’s not enough sex and violence in stamp collecting and stuff doesn’t blow up,” said Craig Pinchen, director of the society.
Craig Pinchen (left) and Alan Hills (right) show off part of their stamp collections on April 19, 2024. (Spencer Turcotte/CTV News)spencer tu
As collectors age out, the group is looking to attract younger people.
One effort is through their annual Stampfest, which takes place on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Waterloo.
“Stamp collectors will exhibit various themes on frames,” said Hills. “Stamp dealers sell stamps to members of the public.”
They also have a booth dedicated to educating youth.
“We provide free stamps for children, free material, lots of advice and help in terms of how to collect,” said Pinchen.
Another way the stamp collecting community is looking to recruit more people is digitally.
“This is an example of crypto stamps” said Hills, showing his NFT stamp. “It’s a new trend and it might be a great stamp collecting activity for youth.”
While there is beauty in physical stamps given the history and education aspect, current collectors say they are doing what they can to ensure their hobby sticks around forever.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Slovakia's populist prime minister shot multiple times in attempted assassination
Slovakia's populist Prime Minister Robert Fico is in life-threatening condition after being wounded in a shooting after a political event Wednesday afternoon, according to his Facebook profile.
Transport Canada's UFO 'lead' planned to meet with U.S. intel officials, called info requests a 'wild goose chase'
Canada's transportation department had a UFO 'lead' who tried to 'quell' media interest and planned to meet with U.S. intelligence officials.
'Very expensive lunch': Sask. driver handed a cell phone ticket for using points app in McDonald's drive-thru
A warning from a Saskatoon driver about using your fast-food app while in the drive-thru line — a trip to get some free lunch cost him a lot more than he bargained for.
'The Fly' has become notorious in France after a brazen escape. What's his criminal history?
A prisoner nicknamed “The Fly” has become notorious in France overnight after a daring and bloody escape from a prison convoy in Normandy that left two guards dead.
BREAKING Ontario's 'crypto king' Aiden Pleterski arrested
Aiden Pleterski, the self-proclaimed 'crypto king' from Whitby, Ont., has been arrested in Durham Region after allegedly running a Ponzi scheme worth more than $40 million.
BREAKING Barge hits a bridge in Texas, damaging the structure and causing an oil spill
A barge hit a bridge in Galveston, Texas, on Wednesday, spilling oil into surrounding waters and closing the only road to a small island, officials said.
Person responsible for 1996 drugging of 'Titanic' crew likely not a local: Halifax police
Halifax Regional Police believe a non-resident could be responsible for the infamous drugging of numerous crew members of the 'Titanic' movie with a hallucinogenic in 1996.
Latest updates on the biggest wildfires burning in Canada
Thousands of people in Western Canada remain displaced from their homes as wildfires threaten their communities, triggering evacuation orders and alerts.
OPINION Your attention span is shrinking, studies say. Here's how to stay focused: Sandee LaMotte
Regaining your focus requires you to be mindful of how you are using technology -- a daunting task if you consider the average American spends at least 10 hours a day on screens.