Heather Adams, a financial programs compliance manager for Northern New England District in Portland, ME, was in a different position last summer at the Southern Maine Processing and Distribution Center in Scarborough when she saw a life-changing social media post. A 31-year-old woman in Adams’ community was desperately seeking a kidney, having exhausted the pool […]
The Tyrannosaurus rex may have been extinct for 66 million years, but the king of the dinosaurs can now be found roaming freely at Post Offices. “The T. Rex has stirred the public imagination — and for good reason,” Isaac Cronkhite, the Postal Service’s chief human resources officer, said during the Aug. 29 dedication ceremony […]
With the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) set to begin Sept. 9, the Postal Service wants employees to understand the rules about fundraising in the workplace. The CFC allows federal employees, retirees and contractors to contribute to more than 7,000 charitable organizations. The campaign consolidates solicitations of postal employees into a single, officially supported effort. Contractors […]
Are you into greeting cards? If so, the Link team wants to hear from you. We’re planning a story about greeting cards in the mail and would like to hear from Postal Service employees and customers who send and receive them. Drop us a line at uspslink@usps.gov and tell us why you’re a fan of […]
As summer winds down and the nation heads back to school, here’s a look at 10 times the Postal Service raised its hand for education. 1. Jaime Escalante. With this 2016 stamp, USPS honored the East Los Angeles teacher whose inspirational methods led supposedly “unteachable” high school students to master calculus. 2. Robert Panara. The […]
Londonderry, VT, Postmaster Victoria Girouard was recently filling in for a sick carrier when she noticed something out of the ordinary while delivering a package to an older customer’s home. Girouard spotted the woman’s blinds moving strangely, and upon closer inspection, she saw her lying on the floor inside. The Postal Service employee immediately called […]
I love the Postal Service’s new video about German shepherd dogs. There is nothing more wonderful than a well-trained, loyal service dog. […]
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. Which Link column recently featured Manassas, VA, Rural Carrier Carlos Almeda? a) “Best Practices” b) “Heroes’ Corner” c) “The List” d) “On the Job” 2. Fill in the blank: […]
Informed Delivery. The Postal Service is reminding employees they can sign up for Informed Delivery, a free feature that allows users to preview their incoming mail and manage their packages from computers, smartphones and other devices. More than 18 million people use Informed Delivery. USPS wants to have 40 million users by the end of 2020. Increasing the […]
USPS recently honored several Postal Customer Councils (PCCs) and their members for their work to strengthen relationships between the Postal Service and business mailers. The PCC Leadership Awards were presented during a ceremony July 30 in Washington, DC. “We are honored to recognize the best practices of PCCs nationwide each year with these highly coveted […]
Kim Garrison is fondly called “Mom” by her Postal Service co-workers. She appreciates the compliment. “I like to take care of people. It’s in my nature. It’s just who I am,” said Garrison, an Anchorage, AK, letter carrier who credits her nurturing personality to being raised with five siblings. When she’s not delivering mail, Garrison, […]
Letter Carrier Robert Haun was delivering mail on a spring day in Palmer, AK, when he came upon an older customer lying in a street. Haun stopped to assist the man, whose wife was standing nearby calling 911. She told the Postal Service employee her husband had collapsed, and finding no signs of breathing or […]
“Soldiering on,” the article about Sully, former President George H.W. Bush’s service dog, had me in tears. I had a Labrador named Sam. Thanks to him, I never worried about the safety of my children when I was a single mom working overnights. […]
When Yehna Bendul began an internship with the Postal Service’s marketing department in June, she wasn’t sure if the work would be applicable to her international affairs studies. After working on projects to improve customer service in Western Area districts, however, Bendul, who’ll be a senior this fall at George Washington University in Washington, DC, […]
Angela Curtis has been appointed Eastern Area’s acting vice president. The area is home to more than 50 million customers in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Tennessee, West Virginia, Delaware, Kentucky and portions of New Jersey, New York, Virginia and Indiana. Eastern Area has more than 85,000 employees who work in 35 processing and distribution centers, four national […]
USPS is reminding employees that several features were recently added to My App Box, an online tool that allows users to access more than 430 applications. The My App Box version 5.0 upgrade rolled out to Postal Service computers in April. Among the new features is a “Recommended Apps” tab that provides personalized suggestions based […]
To help mark the release of the Tyrannosaurus Rex stamps this week, here are five facts about the fearsome creatures. 1. The name Tyrannosaurus rex comes from Greek and Latin. “Tyrannosaurus” is Greek for “tyrant lizard,” and “rex” means “king” in Latin. So Tyrannosaurus rex was the “tyrant lizard king.” Dinosaurs were not actually lizards […]
Retail Associate Terry Ball was recently on duty in Anthony, KS, when he grew concerned about an older customer who purchased money orders totaling $3,000 and said he needed to mail them to claim lottery winnings. Ball advised the man to keep his funds, and postal inspectors were notified of the suspected scam attempt. The […]
Riverside, IA, Rural Carrier Associate Elijah Hoyt helping to free a fawn trapped in a wire fence proves you can’t say enough about being in the right place at the right time. Good job, Elijah. […]
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 blanks: Post Offices accepted more than (blank) passport applications during fiscal 2018, generating (blank) in revenue. a) 6.5 million, $164.9 million b) 6.8 million, $204.6 million […]
The recent dedication of the State and County Fairs stamps is highlighted in a new Postal Service video. “From concerts and carnival rides to contests that award the growers of the largest pumpkin, fairs have something for everyone,” USPS Chief Operating Officer David Williams says in the video. The four State and County Fairs stamps […]
The Postal Service is reminding employees about hurricane season, which runs each year from June 1-Nov. 30. Most coastal areas are subject to hurricanes. The storms can cause high winds, heavy rain, flooding and other dangerous conditions. Take these steps to prepare: • Complete a personal preparedness plan that includes a household inventory and the […]
Rural Carrier Laurel Jansen was delivering mail on a spring afternoon in Dorr, MI, when she spotted a 6-year-old boy walking alone after getting off a school bus. Worried for the lad’s safety, Jansen offered to accompany him to his home. When they got there, he was locked out. The Postal Service employee called the […]
I really loved “Fours legs, all heart,” the headline used for the coverage of the Military Working Dogs stamp dedication ceremony. The bond between handler and canine can never be fully understood until you have experienced it firsthand. […]
When Joshua Dial began his postal career in 1969, the minimum wage was $1.30 an hour and gasoline cost about 35 cents a gallon. “It seems like yesterday,” said Dial, a learning development and diversity specialist for Capital Metro Area’s Mid-Carolinas District. Dial’s colleagues recently marked his milestone with a surprise celebration at the Charlotte, […]
Recycling update. The proper procedures for recycling used batteries and lamps are outlined in the Sustainable Facility Update’s latest edition. The article explains that many batteries and lamps can be recycled through a new mail-back option. Instructions on bulk pickups are also described. In addition, the newsletter has the latest area rankings, including savings in […]
To help mark Women’s Equality Day on Monday, Aug. 26, here are five facts about the voting rights movement that inspired the annual commemoration. 1. Women’s Equality Day honors the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. Ratified Aug. 18, 1920, the amendment codified the idea of universal suffrage and granted women the right […]
I liked “Heart of the matter,” the story about Ruben Hernandez, the Fresno, CA, letter carrier who used accumulated sick leave while recovering from a heart attack. The article showed he’s an excellent worker. […]
Letter Carrier Daniel Colon was delivering mail in Damascus, MD, on a weekday in May when he spotted a vehicle on fire in customer Kani Bassey’s driveway. With flames spreading to the garage, Colon rushed to the front door and rang the Wi-Fi video doorbell as he heard dogs barking inside the home. After connecting […]
The Postal Service’s release of a stamp honoring former President George H.W. Bush in June brought back a lot of memories for one retail associate in Maricopa, AZ. Bush, who served as the 41st president from 1989-1993, died last fall at age 94. During his time in office, Randall “Buck” Brawner was serving in the […]