This 13-year-old student is sending a handwritten letter to someone in every state
Henry Hirschman is using mail to learn about the world
A handwritten letter recently arrived at the USPS Remote Encoding Center in Salt Lake City, but it didn’t need to be deciphered.
The center, also known as the REC, receives digital images of letters and packages with illegible addresses. The employees there do the detective work of determining where the mailpieces are supposed to go.
This letter, however, wasn’t illegible. It was from 13-year-old Henry Hirschman of Providence, RI, whose goal is to write a letter to someone in every state.
“I thought what better way to get Utah off the list than writing to a USPS facility,” he wrote, explaining he watched a YouTube video about the REC and thought it would be the ideal location to send his Utah letter.
“We process millions and millions of images of mailpieces every single day and rarely is the mail addressed to me, so I was flattered that I had somebody who not only had great handwriting but also had an interest in what we do here at REC,” said Barbara Batin, the center’s manager, who read Henry’s letter.
“I was so impressed. I thought this is phenomenal that there is a 13-year-old in Rhode Island who loves to write to people,” she said.
In his letter, Henry asked questions about the REC, including: What is it like to work there? How are employees trained to recognize handwriting? How much mail passes through the facility on a daily basis?
“I generally don’t write to people I know personally,” Henry said. “I try to find someone or something interesting on the internet and then I try to find an address — which is harder than it used to be. There are not as many physical addresses listed on websites but rather email addresses.”
Henry said he handwrites his letters because typing them “would be similar to emailing them and would defeat the purpose.”
The eighth-grader began his letter writing quest by mailing letters to people in other countries. Then he got the idea to send a letter to someone in every state.
“I’m two-thirds of the way there,” he said.
Henry tries to write one letter each week, but it’s harder during the school year, when he must balance his studies with activities such as fencing and serving as editor of his school newspaper.
David Hirschman, Henry’s father, said he’s glad his son is “interested in the rest of the world and wants to create this relationship.”
Meanwhile, the REC’s Batin is crafting a reply to thank Henry for his interest.
“We look at handwriting all day long and I loved his questions. I am thrilled to answer because it’s rare for someone to have such an interest,” she said.
Want to give to the CFC? You must act soon
This year’s charitable fundraising campaign will end Jan. 15
USPS employees have pledged $1.7 million and 1,454 volunteer hours so far during the latest Combined Federal Campaign, the government’s annual workplace charity drive.
The Postal Service’s fundraising goal is $3 million.
A virtual event to encourage employees to participate in the campaign, also known as the CFC, will be held Wednesday, Jan. 8.
The event is open to all employees, although nonexempt employees must be off the clock or on authorized breaks. The Zoom link and passcode are available on LiteBlue.
The deadline for employees, contractors and retirees to donate to the CFC is Wednesday, Jan. 15.
Participants can research and donate to the campaign’s nearly 5,000 charities through the CFC website or the CFC Giving mobile app.
Paper pledge forms are also available for those who prefer not to donate electronically.
The CFC has raised $8.7 billion for its many causes since it was established by President John F. Kennedy in 1961.
The Postal Service is regularly among the campaign’s top 10 contributors.
Dreams come true
A postmaster achieves a career goal, two employees become supervisors and an officer in charge is honored
After 37 years in the Postal Service, San Diego’s new postmaster is right where she wants to be.
Tanya Toedt Fitzharris joined USPS in 1987 as a part-time flexible letter carrier in Encinitas, CA. She steadily climbed the ranks, finally landing in her dream job last fall.
At her swearing-in ceremony, Fitzharris encouraged employees to forge their own paths within USPS by dreaming big, setting goals and putting in the work needed to advance.
As for her own career journey, it was nearly six years ago when she had someone take a picture of her sitting in the San Diego postmaster’s chair, because that’s where she ultimately wanted to land.
“I can’t believe my dream job has become a reality,” she said.
Moving up
The customer services team at the Garland, TX, Post Office has new leadership: Amie Davis was named manager, while and Jose Villegas was named supervisor.
“If I could work anywhere, I would choose to work at USPS in leadership,” said Davis, who previously served as customer services supervisor. “The connections I make, the challenge, collaborations and change I encounter daily keeps me moving, motivated and inspire me to strive for greatness.”
Villegas, who previously served as a retail associate, said he is eager to do his part to help implement the Delivering for America plan in Garland, a city of about 243,000 residents near Dallas.
“To me, Delivering for America signifies a shift toward a more efficient, economical and forward-thinking approach to delivering mail and parcels to our customers,” he said.
Keeping it clean
The city council in Clayton, CA — a community of about 10,000 residents in the San Francisco area — recently honored Jim Mahan, officer in charge at the local Post Office, for his efforts to beautify the building.
Under Mahan’s leadership, the office has resurfaced and restriped its parking lot, pressure washed the sidewalk and cleaned the lobby floors, among other improvements.
“This recognition highlights my dedication and commitment to provide personalized and world-class service to the people of Clayton,” Mahan said.
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Got more trivia? You bet your sweet Blippi!
Where can you watch the kids’ character and his USPS friends?
“News Quiz” is a weekly feature that lets you test your knowledge of recent Link stories. The correct answers appear at the end.
1. Mr. ZIP and several Postal Service employees recently appeared on a special featuring the popular children’s character Blippi. Where can you watch it?
a) Cartoon Network
b) Nickelodeon
c) PBS Kids
d) YouTube
2. What is the name of the Thrift Savings Plan’s new campaign on the value of compound interest?
a) “Get Down with Compound”
b) “Grow with the TSP”
c) “TSP FYI’s”
d) “Your Best Interest”
3. True or false: The Postal Service’s Centralized Funding for Development Scholarship offers financial support for nonbargaining employees who enroll in training.
a) True
b) False
4. USPS recently published biographies of which former postmasters general?
a) Richard Bache, John A.J. Creswell
b) John A.J. Creswell, Joseph Habersham
c) Joseph Habersham, Ebenezer Hazard
d) Ebenezer Hazard, Samuel Osgood
5. Match the stamp in Column A with its planned release date in Column B.
Column A
a) The Appalachian Trail
b) Betty White
c) Black Heritage: Allen Toussaint
d) Lunar New Year: Year of the Snake
Column B
I) Tuesday, Jan. 14
II) Thursday, Jan. 30
III) Friday, Feb. 28
IV) Thursday, March 27
Answers: 1) d. 2) b. 3) a. 4) b. 5) a. III., b. IV., c. II., d. I.
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This 13-year-old student is sending a handwritten letter to someone in every state
-
Want to give to the CFC? You must act soon
This year’s charitable fundraising campaign will end Jan. 15
-
People
Dreams come true
A postmaster achieves a career goal, two employees become supervisors and an officer in charge is honored
-
News Quiz
Got more trivia? You bet your sweet Blippi!
Where can you watch the kids’ character and his USPS friends?