Ryan Troy, an Olympia, WA, letter carrier, has used his collection of stamps to create a map of the United States.
For the 20-year USPS veteran, it was a labor of love — and a way to share his stamps with others.
“Nobody could see my stamps because I kept them in a book,” he said. “But when the Postal Service celebrated its sesquicentennial, I figured this would be a good time to display some of them.”
Troy, a history buff, did extensive research on his project, even consulting with a local historian so he could accurately place the stamps in their proper location on the map.
“I tried to make it as geographically accurate as possible, but there wasn’t much room to work with on the smaller Eastern states.”
Troy has collected stamps for about eight years, but he doesn’t consider himself a stamp collector. He said he purchases stamps to use them.
“I write a lot of letters, and I like to choose stamps that match the personalities of the people I’m writing,” he said.
Troy would love to see his fully framed, 20-by-28-inch map displayed in his local Post Office.
“That way, kids waiting in line with their parents would be able to see it and learn about the stamps. I think they’d get a kick out of it.”
Medal man
Brock Allen, a Henderson, NV, city carrier assistant, recently won a half-marathon in Las Vegas.
After taking a running hiatus for two years, Allen, 27, decided six months ago to lace up his running shoes again. He trained after his shift, often in over 100-degree heat.
“It is a lot physically, but it helps get me in shape,” he said. “A large step day is over 20 miles including a walking route, handoff and training run.”
Allen is training for future races but is mindful of the Postal Service’s busiest time of year.
“I will do the best I can during peak season,” he said.
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