Thursday, April 4, 2024
The turtle — slow, steady and adorable — wins the race
USPS crowns a winner in its social media Stamp Showdown
The Postal Service has a winner in its online Stamp Showdown.
Last month, the organization’s social media team came up with a bit of digital fun modeled on the bracket system popularized by March Madness, the annual NCAA basketball tournament.
The USPS Stamp Showdown invited users of Instagram, Twitter and Threads to vote for their favorite among eight 2024 stamps in four pairings of two: Autumn Colors, Bluegrass, Carnival Nights, Dungeons & Dragons, Horses, Pinback Buttons, Sea Turtles and Winter Whimsy.
As in the famous fable, it was Sea Turtles who went the distance, advancing to the top spot after a final faceoff with Pinback Buttons.
The conservation-themed stamp, whose official name is Protect Sea Turtles, is slated to be released Tuesday, June 11.
Off the Clock
A sporting chance
This postmaster coaches athletes with disabilities
My name is Frank Anzaldi and I’m the postmaster in Smithtown, NY, which is on Long Island.
I am a third-generation postal employee. My grandfather retired as a supervisor at FDR Station in Manhattan in the early 1980s. My father is a retired letter carrier from Mineola, NY.
I started in 1997 as a letter carrier in Long Beach, NY.
The Postal Service has been putting food on our tables for 70 years.
I am also a certified track and field coach, and I am working on obtaining my archery certification. Every Saturday, I coach the Navigators Adaptive Sports Club in New Jersey.
It’s a club that provides training and competitive athletic opportunities for youth and adults with disabilities, both intellectual and physical.
In May, we have our biggest event: the 2024 Tri-State Regional Wheelchair and Ambulatory Competition. We have athletes come from all over the country to compete and qualify for nationals. Some athletes are training for the Paralympics.
My son, Frankie, competes in track and field — mostly the 1,500- and 3,000-meter events. He has several national records in his disability group.
At 21 years old, he has run 15 half-marathons.
We adopted him from China when he was 5. We learned later that he had a cognitive disability and epilepsy. They said he would never learn to tie his shoes. He is currently training for his first full marathon.
Frankie and I are also members of the Coast Guard Auxiliary Band, which performs for veteran functions. He plays the trombone and I play the drums. It’s great for father-and-son bonding.
Frankie learned to read music quickly and excelled at playing the trombone in high school. He does so much to show people what can be accomplished, despite his disability and the fact that he’s had 14 surgeries. When he was younger, all the experts told us everything he would never be able to do. Every day, he works to prove them wrong.
I am a different person now because of Frankie.
“Off the Clock,” a column on Postal Service employees and their after-hours pursuits, appears regularly in Link.
April 11, 2024
Datebook
‘Optimize Your Work Environment’
Postal Service employees may participate in an upcoming webinar on improving one’s work environment using the principles of ergonomics and time management.
The session, “Optimize Your Work Environment: Ergonomics and Time Management,” will be held Thursday, April 11, from noon to 1 p.m. Eastern.
Representatives from Kaiser Permanente, a provider of health plans for federal employees, will lead the discussion.
Participants must register before the event on the webinar website.
Participation is voluntary. Nonexempt employees must be off the clock or on authorized breaks.
Employees with questions can email the Benefits and Wellness team.
WestPac, California 1 on top in scanning
A snapshot of Postal Service scanning data shows the national rating was 96.14 percent during the week ending March 29, down 0.49 percent from one week earlier.
The data was collected April 3.
WestPac led the four areas with a rating of 97.13 percent, while Southern ranked last with a 95.21 percent rating.
Among the 50 districts, California 1, part of WestPac Area, ranked first with a 97.81 percent rating, while Georgia District, part of Southern Area, ranked last with a 90.26 percent rating.
Scanning data allows customers to track their mail and packages, which helps USPS deliver excellent service, boost loyalty and drive revenue.
To see the latest data, go to the Informed Visibility website and select “Customer Experience,” followed by “DES 2 Scan Performance.” Postal Service employees must request Informed Visibility access through eAccess.