Monday, March 17, 2025
Heroes
She came to the aid of a customer who took a tumble
The carrier called the woman’s family to alert them to her condition
Rural Carrier Lee Ann Austin was recently delivering mail in Manila, AR, when she saw a customer who had fallen outside her home.
The woman, who runs an antiques store next to the house, had taken a tumble while she was picking up trash that had blown into the road.
The customer had a laceration above her eye, a cut lip and a swollen face. Austin asked if she could call 911, but the woman declined.
The Postal Service employee knew the customer was the grandmother of a friend of hers, so she called family members instead.
Austin comforted the customer and provided first aid until the woman’s relatives arrived and took her to a hospital.
The family members later praised Austin’s actions to local Postmaster Erik Williams.
The customer has recovered from her injuries and is back at work at her antiques store.
Employees featured in “Heroes” receive letters of commendation through the Postmaster General Heroes’ Program. The nomination form is available on Blue.
Week in Review
Here’s what Link covered March 9-15
Safe driving, career conferences and outdoorsy stamp releases made news
Last week, Link delivered news of the Postal Service’s monthlong safe driving campaign on the theme “USPS Motor Vehicle Awareness — Delivering to You, With Safety in View.”
The organization is using the campaign, which began March 1, to urge customers to remain vigilant and do their part when driving, walking or riding a bike near a postal vehicle.
There was plenty of stamp news to share, too: Freshwater Fishing Lures and Vibrant Leaves debuted, and release dates and dedication ceremony locations for several other stamps were announced.
In honor of the newly issued Appalachian Trail stamps, we brought you the story of a young man who hiked the entire trail last year. His parents mailed packages with food, replacement gear and motivational notes to 10 Post Offices along the trail to get him through.
In other news, Amber McReynolds, chairwoman of the USPS Board of Governors, visited with postal employees in Nevada to discuss Delivering for America; USPS announced 50 career conferences for this year; and the ethics team offered a reminder about what to do with book gifts.
“On the Job” profiled Michael Marazzi, a correspondence analyst who helps USPS handle congressional inquiries.
“USPS is many people’s most frequent point of connection with the federal government, and I think it’s important they see what’s possible when the government works to serve people and communities,” Marazzi said.
“Off the Clock” featured Tim Luce, a rural carrier in Rockford, MI, by day and the bassist and vocalist for heavy metal band Tombstunner by night.
“There is nothing better than performing for an audience. It’s the ultimate thrill,” he said.
And in “Heroes,” Lee Ann Austin, a rural carrier in Manila, AR, aided a customer who fell outside of her home. The woman declined to let Austin call 911, so the carrier, who was friends with a grandchild of the woman, called relatives to help.