APRS awards its members.

At NRPA's annual Congress in Reno, Nev., the American Park and Recreation Society awarded members for their diverse talents and contributions throughout the year.

Taking home the Meritorious Service Award--Citizen was Sharon Hubler. As executive director of the Idaho Foundation for Parks and Lands in Boise, Idaho, Hubler has a long and well-known career in parks conservation. Although her position as executive director is now non-paid, she has been and is still involved and dedicated to the conservation, park and recreation movement on local, regional and national levels. She represented Idaho for many years as a professional and now represents Idaho serving actively in a citizen capacity on the NRPA/CBM Board of Directors.

Winning the Meritorious Service Award--Young Professional was Jim Pryor, CPRP, for all he's achieved in such a short time. He has represented the model of a true park and recreation professional since entering the field in 1997. In 2001, Pryor accepted the director position with the town of Kernersville. Prior to his hiring, the town's parks and recreation department was in such disarray that it was practically shut down, and the town was entering a proposal from the YMCA to take over all recreation operations for the community. Pryor took a major career risk by accepting the challenge to rebuild the department. Within a three-year period, the department has acquired more than $900,000 in grants and contributions, increased its annual operating budget by 66 percent and is currently establishing a 501C3 parks foundation--to name a few accomplishments.

Two individuals won the Meritorious Service Award--Professional, the first going to Joyce Spoehr, CPRP. She has been an active member of the Hawaii Recreation and Park Association (HRPA) since 1982. In a variety of roles, she has served as HRPA vice-president four times, State Conference program chair seven times and most recently is completing her third term as president. Spoehr's extraordinary career has included involvement, leadership and contribution. She has been an active member of NRPA since 1986 and has recently completed her second three-year term on APRS's Board of Directors.

John Whalen, CPRP, was the second recipient. He is the director of recreation for the town of East Longmeadow, Mass., where he has vastly expanded programs and services, developed new facilities including a renovation project in 1996, which earned him a Facility Design Award. Whalen's contributions to the park and recreation professional are many, especially in areas of constitution and bylaws, public policy, certification and information resources. He has served on the National Certification Board and is the past state coordinator of the NYSCA Program. He is a Certified Pool Operator as well as a Certified Aquatic Facility Operator.