Bridgeville, DE, Postmaster Kimberly Collins recently donated a set of Phillis Wheatley stamps to the town’s Phillis Wheatley Elementary School.
“I always try to feature or do something with the newly released stamps in my office,” Collins said. “When I saw this was coming out, I immediately called the school and asked if they were doing anything to celebrate Black History Month.”
The Wheatley school is the product of educational reform made after World War I, when improving schools for African American students was made a top priority in Delaware. The Bridgeville Colored School, as it was then called, was opened in the early 1920s.
The school was later renamed for the poet. It is one of several educational facilities in the country named for Wheatley, the 49th honoree in the Black Heritage stamp series.
33 years of delivering with care
Waltham, MA, Letter Carrier Paul Ricciardi received a surprise sendoff from the Briarwood neighborhood before retiring after 33 years with the Postal Service.
When Ricciardi arrived at the home of two of his customers, he was greeted by more than 60 people, including his wife, Pam, and several family members.
“I knew nothing of it. I was quite surprised and overwhelmed. It was an emotional day,” he said.
On his last day on the job, there were signs along his route from neighbors thanking him for his service, The Waltham Times reported.
He is looking forward to playing golf and traveling with his wife after she retires in May.
Pamela Ricciardi, a customer services supervisor in Lowell, MA, has worked for USPS for 40 years.
Not your average Joe
Demarest, NJ, Letter Carrier Joe DiTore also recently retired with 33 years of service and was recognized for his many acts of kindness along the way.
In a recent “On the Road” segment for “CBS Evening News,” customers were shown gathered at a local restaurant to thank DiTore for delivering to their mailboxes and personal lives.
The cited list of good deeds included calling or texting a customer if something looked off at their home, running errands for them while off the clock and checking up on those experiencing medical issues.
“They say you get back what you give but, in my case, I received it tenfold. I will miss you more than I can say,” he said.
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