Sometimes you have to roll with the punches.
The Romance, AR, Post Office planned a local dedication ceremony last month for this year’s Love stamp. Unfortunately, a gusty winter storm dashed hopes for an outdoor event.
All was not lost, however. Members of a church across the street had decorated the interior of the building in valentine splendor and handed the key to a stunned John Parham, the local postmaster.
“It wasn’t planned. It was all through the generosity of the church,” he said.
As for Valentine’s Day itself at the Romance Post Office, Parham is ready.
“I don’t think I have missed one without either a paper, TV station or magazine setting up a meeting,” he said. “Each year I get 15 minutes of fame!”
Still smiling
Harry Berlin started his postal career in 1966 as a mail handler in Van Nuys, CA.
Almost 60 years later, he remains a postal employee.
“What I love the most about my job is the interesting people I get to meet and serve,” said Berlin, whose long run with USPS was the subject of a recent news release.
During the early years of his career, Berlin had to memorize a mail scheme, collect outgoing mail and key codes into a letter sorting machine.
He later became a retail associate and has worked at the Sherman Oaks, CA, Post Office since 1988.
“I was initially attracted to this job because of the $3 an hour salary I got when I was hired. That was big money back then,” Berlin said. “But what’s keeping me here now is the camaraderie, the opportunity to serve the community and giving back with a smile.”
Always together
After working together for almost 40 years, brothers Robert and William Riday both retired from USPS last week.
Robert was a letter carrier at the Bryn Mawr, PA, Post Office, where William was a retail associate.
“We grew up in southwest Philly in a small home, so you have no choice but to do things together,” Robert told WPVI, the Philadelphia ABC station.
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