Link is reviewing this year’s most memorable stories during the final days of December. Here are 10 more favorites. 1. “In his shoes.” In April, a group of New Jersey postal workers honored a late colleague by hosting his 14-year-old daughter, Elaina Ficarra, on Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day — another touching […]
“About the Business,” a Link column that began in the fall, aims to educate employees on the business of USPS. Here are some of the most interesting facts that have been covered so far: • USPS receives more than 40,000 stamp suggestions from the public annually. These ideas are submitted to the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory […]
Postal Service employees worked throughout 2019 to strengthen the organization’s community ties. The Minneapolis Main Post Office gave tours to thousands of customers through a citywide initiative that gives the public behind-the-scenes access to unique venues, while the Davis, IL, Post Office — which serves ZIP Code 61019 — held a “date meets ZIP” event […]
The Postal Service began 2019 by continuing to deliver for its customers, despite extreme winter weather in much of the nation. In her first “Business Focus” video of the year, Postmaster General Megan J. Brennan thanked employees for their efforts and reminded them to stay safe throughout the winter. “Please remember to wear proper footwear, […]
Acting Customer Services Supervisor Jintal Patel and Letter Carrier Tonya Rutledge were on duty recently at the Canton, MI, Post Office when a colleague experienced symptoms of a heart attack. Rutledge immediately called 911, then she and Patel rendered first aid to their co-worker. Paramedics soon arrived to provide further assistance. The ill employee recovered […]
For the past 20 years, I have given my family members stamp sheets for Christmas, as suggested in the article “Stocking stuffers.” My family stays connected through cards and letters year-round. Stamps are gifts that keep giving, long after Christmas has come and gone. […]
Here’s Link’s latest “News Quiz,” a weekly feature that invites readers to test their knowledge of recent stories. The correct answers appear at the end. 1. Fill in the blank: Holiday greeting cards represented about (blank) of all U.S. household personal correspondence in 2018. a) 3.8 percent b) 8.3 percent c) 34 percent d) 43 […]
Board update. President Trump has announced his intention to nominate William Zollars, a Kansas resident, to be a member of the USPS Board of Governors. The nomination will be for the remainder of a seven-year term expiring Dec. 8, 2022. The U.S. Senate must confirm nominees before they join the board. The governors are the […]
Some wishes come true. Just ask Donna Stires. The Bellmawr, NJ, labor relations secretary was devastated in 1986 when she learned that her 3-year-old daughter, Jennifer, had leukemia. Hospital staffers put Stires in touch with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, a charity that fulfills wishes for children with critical illnesses. The foundation is one of more than […]
Several Postal Service employees are getting 15 minutes of fame this holiday season, thanks to the organization’s latest advertising campaign. Every year, real-life postal workers audition to appear in the campaign, which includes television, online and print ads, as well as direct mailings. “I was grateful for this opportunity,” said Raymond Edison, a Clayton, MO, […]
Letter Carrier Terry Helsel was recently delivering mail in a Youngstown, OH, neighborhood when he exchanged pleasantries with a customer who was having lunch at home. Suddenly, the woman started choking on a piece of food. Helsel rushed to her aid and performed the Heimlich maneuver until the obstruction was dislodged. The customer recovered from […]
Congratulations to Mail Handler Equipment Operator Theodore Rogers on celebrating 65 years of federal service. I agree with his “everything is your job” philosophy. It should be one of our mantras. […]
To help you get in the holiday spirit, here are five facts about the first U.S. Christmas stamp, issued in 1962. 1. The 4-cent stamp was issued in panes of 100. The image by Jim Crawford, a postal artist, depicted two lit candles near a green holiday wreath tied with a red bow. 2. The […]
The week before Christmas is the busiest week of the year for USPS employees, but not all the hustle and bustle occurs at Post Offices, mailboxes and customers’ doorsteps. Things get busy online, too. Millions of customers come to usps.com in mid-December for their holiday shipping needs, including using Click-N-Ship and other features to order […]
A new video sheds additional light on the Oregon Humane Society’s use of Informed Delivery to drive a recent fundraising campaign. The nonprofit organization, also known as OHS, rescues and supports more than 11,000 pets each year, relying solely on donations. During the campaign, OHS sent potential donors a direct mailing that highlighted Petunia, a […]
The Postal Service wants employees to keep an eye out for skimmers — small, hard-to-detect devices that fraudsters place over credit card readers to steal information. USPS recently discovered a skimmer attached to a payment device at a retail site in Great Lakes Area’s Gateway District. The skimmer was placed on top of the PIN […]
Office of Inspector General Special Agent Georg Brendel’s job, highlighted in the “Last Frontier” article, sounds amazing. It must be full of adventure. […]
Rural Carrier Associate Elizabeth Ridge was recently delivering mail in Harrison, MI, when she spotted a customer collapsed in his driveway. Ridge rushed to check on the man, who was neither conscious nor breathing. The Postal Service employee immediately called 911 and performed CPR on the customer until paramedics arrived and took over. The man, […]
The new play “Dear Jack, Dear Louise” is a typical boy-meets-girl story. As long as your idea of typical is a West Coast-based Army doctor in 1942 introducing himself via letter to an aspiring actress in New York City. The two become pen pals who eventually fall in love, and their correspondence endures for three […]
The Postal Service has announced plans to release new Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express stamps in 2020. Big Bend, a $7.75 Priority Mail stamp, and Grand Island Ice Caves, a $26.35 Priority Mail Express stamp, will be issued Jan. 18. The Priority Mail stamp celebrates the beauty of the Big Bend region in West Texas, where […]
Sales opportunities never take a holiday — and neither does the need to generate new revenue for the Postal Service. This is why the organization is encouraging employees to keep an eye out for sales leads during the holiday season. If you see a retailer who’s using another shipper — or if you encounter a […]
Here’s Link’s latest “News Quiz,” a weekly feature that invites readers to test their knowledge of recent stories. The correct answers appear at the end. 1. How much money does the Postal Service want to raise during the latest Combined Federal Campaign? a) $1.75 million b) $17.5 million c) $8.3 million d) $83 million 2. […]
City Carrier Assistant William Blish II was recently delivering mail in a Rochester, NY, neighborhood when he heard a smoke detector going off inside a customer’s home. As Blish called 911, he spotted smoke billowing up from the second floor. He rushed to the front door and pounded on it, waking up an occupant who […]
The Postal Service has announced release dates for several of next year’s stamps, along with the cities where the dedication ceremonies will be held: Lunar New Year: Year of the Rat: Saturday, Jan. 11, Monterey Park, CA Black Heritage: Gwen Ifill: Thursday, Jan. 30, Washington, DC Let’s Celebrate!: Friday, Feb. 14, Mesa, AZ Wild Orchids: […]
Postal Service employees nationwide are supporting Operation Santa, the annual program that allows families in need to write letters to Santa Claus for “adoption” by those who want to help. Families in participating cities can mail their letters to Santa’s official address at 123 Elf Road, North Pole 88888, through Friday, Dec. 20, the deadline […]
Although First-Class Mail volume has declined in recent years, greeting cards remain popular with many customers — especially during the holidays. U.S. consumers purchase approximately 6.5 billion greeting cards each year, generating $7 billion-$8 billion in annual sales, according to the Greeting Card Association, an industry trade group. Christmas cards are the most popular type […]
To mark the recent release of the Healing PTSD semipostal stamp, here are seven facts about post-traumatic stress disorder. 1. A wide range of people are affected by PTSD. People with PTSD may relive past events, have trouble sleeping, be dehydrated, feel nauseated and be startled easily. They can also experience uncontrollable shaking, chills, heart […]
Letter Carrier Christopher Paolera was recently delivering mail in a Cambridge, MA, neighborhood when a police officer on duty at a construction site was struck by a dump truck. Paolera leaped into action and alerted the driver that the officer was pinned beneath a tire. While the driver freed the injured man, the Postal Service […]
The Postal Service is reminding employees they can use Checkbook’s Guide to Health Plans to compare their options during this year’s open season. The online tool has information about all plans available through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHB). This includes information on copays, deductibles, prescription drug costs and whether dental and vision benefits are […]
Here’s Link’s latest “News Quiz,” a weekly feature that invites readers to test their knowledge of recent stories. The correct answers appear at the end. 1. Fill in the blank: This year’s open season benefits enrollment period ends (blank). a) Friday, Dec. 6 b) Monday, Dec. 9 c) Friday, Dec. 13 d) Tuesday, Dec. 31 2. […]