Postmarks Online: News from the Alabama District

New Posts Suspended Indefinitely

2012-05-14T12:40:00.000-05:00

Older Americans Month

2012-05-10T20:45:00.001-05:00

Do more for the 1 in 4

2012-05-09T16:17:00.003-05:00

Do more for the 1 in 4 is the call to action for the month of May, which is Mental Health Awareness Month. The platform was developed by Mental Health America, a leading non-profit agency dedicated to promoting mental health.

Why that phrase? Because it is estimated that 1 in 4 Americans suffer from a diagnosable, treatable mental health condition.

Alabama District EAP Consultant Dr. Patricia Hamilton (pictured below on the left with Diversity Member Paula Williamson) wants everyone to be aware of and feel free to use the many services that are available to support the mental health ad well-being of employees and their loved ones through The Employee Assistance Program.

At a recent EAP information session that was conducted in Birmingham, Dr. Hamilton discussed the stigma that unfortunately prevents some people from reaching out for the help that they need.

She wants to ease employees' unnecessary fear or embarrassment. "Your use of this service is completely confidential. Even if your spouse or partner calls to ask if you showed up, I can't answer that question," Hamilton said.

She added that the location of her office in Birmingham is in a seeming industrial area where nobody you know will see you come or go.

Additionally, for Mental Health Month, Dr. Hamilton was kind enough to submit the following information about bullying:

WORKPLACE BULLYING

Though we often think of school-aged children when we hear the word “bullying”, it can also occur between adults through workplace bullying. This can include verbal abuse; offensive conduct or behaviors (including nonverbal) which are threatening, humiliating, or intimidating; and work interference — sabotage — which prevents work from getting done.

Workplace bullying creates a hostile environment that is unproductive, and in some instances
may even be illegal. Many of the same principles for dealing with a bully as a youth – such as reporting bullying to a higher authority or simply walking away and refusing to engage with a bully – can be used to handle an adult bully in the workplace.

CREATING A BULLY-FREE ENVIRONMENT

If you’ve never been bullied or witnessed bullying, understanding what to do in the event it does occur is still important. There are ways everyone can help to prevent bullying. A number of organizations have information and resources to help you create a bully free environment in your school, workplace or community. Steps you can take include:

1. Helping your school or work community to create a pledge promising that bullying in any form is unacceptable.

2. Encouraging members of your community to call out bullying when they see it – sometimes bullies don’t realize they are bullying.

3. Designating an adult or leader as a person to go to for confidential help when someone is the victim of bullying.

4. Outlining expectations for respect and acceptance of others in your community.

5. If you’re a parent, talk to your children about bullying, try to model appropriate interpersonal behavior, explain that your home is a bully-free environment and set expectations for the kinds of behaviors that are and are not acceptable inside or outside of the home.

6. Remember that the Internet should also be a bully-free environment; don’t post things on the web or in social networks that you wouldn’t say directly to someone, and don’t “jump on the bandwagon” by sharing a bully’s comments for others to see; messages posted online are very difficult to “take back” and can spread to others in unexpected ways.

Back to School in Birmingham

2012-05-08T16:45:00.000-05:00

Evelyn Jones (pictured above) is a counselor for not one but two Birmingham City schools, Gibson Elementary and North Birmingham Elementary. Seeing the strong need for students to be able to envision lots of different possibilities for their futures, Jones coordinated Career Days for both locations.

"I think that it needs to start here. I want to help open the door for students so that they can have an idea," said Jones.

Both times, The United States Postal Service was honored to be included among the invited guests.

Some of the other professions and organizations that attended were the Humane Society, The Boy Scouts, the Boys and Girls Club, The Civil Rights Museum, firefighters, police officers, UAB Forensics professors, ACIPCO, Blue Cross, and more.

Gibson Elementary

At both schools, students of all ages took turns by grade level making their way around the room to visit the organizations' tables.

They carried bags to collect what each table had to offer along with a long list of questions to ask. Do you like your boss? Do you need a college degree? Do you have a company car? are just some of them.

At Gibson Elementary, Birmingham Postmaster Mike Allison answered their many inquiries.

The pictures from Gibson Elementary were submitted by Sandy Scott.

North Birmingham Elementary

Right inside the front door of North Birmingham Elementary, it was obvious that the school was Postal friendly.

North Birmingham Manager Aquanett Fowler fielding questions.

Counselor Evelyn Jones (left) and Principal Tavis Sloan (center) enjoy watching Fowler (right) distribute coloring books and crayons to the young scholars.

Countdown to Stamp Out Hunger Saturday

2012-05-07T11:03:00.002-05:00

There are only five days left until the 20th Annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive on Saturday, so start gathering your non-perishable donations.

Last year, 70.2 million pounds of food was collected to help feed the hungry.With 16% of the population and 1 in 5 children struggling with hunger issues, this year's drive is more relevant than ever.

Let's see if we here in Alabama can do our part to make this 20th anniversary a very special year by setting an all-time record!

Here's a list of some of non-perishable items that the food banks need from you:

Canned fruits and vegetables
Dry cereals
Sugar and flour
Pasta
Canned and dried beans: black, pinto, lentils
Peanut butter
Canned or boxed meals: soup, chili, macaroni and cheese
Canned meats: tuna, chicken, salmon
Canned, bottled, or boxed juice, Gatorade, water
Pudding and fruit cups
Baby food, formula, baby wipes
Canned pet food

Check labels and containers prior to donation because nothing expired or made of glass can be accepted.

Please hang the bags on or outside the mailbox rather than inside.

You can also contribute by helping us get the word out. So many times, we've heard people say, "Oh, I forgot about that," or, "I didn't know it was THAT Saturday." All this week, we encourage everyone to post reminders on Facebook, Tweet it, tell everyone you see, make phone calls, anything that you can do to urge folks to fill up those bags and place them outside in time for their letter carrier on Saturday.

Kindness commended in Cahaba Heights

2012-05-01T16:33:00.001-05:00

If you work in a customer service position, you interact with so many people each day that you might not realize the impact that you can have on someone else during a brief encounter.

Cahaba SSA Mary Collins went out of her way to assist a grieving customer. She didn't think that she was doing anything significant, but the customer did.

Pictures and summary submitted by Sandy Scott:

These pictures from an impromptu employee appreciation last Thursday. The Cahaba Heights station manager, Queen Johnson, called and said the Mary Collins had assisted a customer whose husband had passed away.

The customer came back later and did not even remember the transaction because she was in such a state of grief. She looked on her receipt and saw that Clerk 19 took care of it at the retail window. She wanted to thank the clerk for taking care of her.

Birmingham Postmaster Mike Allison presented Mary with a certificate and a small token of his appreciation for excellent customer service.

Queen Johnson, Mike Allison, Mary Collins, and John Richardson

Birmingham bio-hazard drill: "You'll do what you practice."

2012-04-30T13:25:00.002-05:00

In a post-9/11 world, encountering dangerous substances while working with the mail stream remains a definite possibility for all employees.

As a part of the Alabama District's ongoing commitment to emergency preparedness, employees at the Birmingham Plant and local rescue personnel participated in a simulated bio-hazard situation.

"An old baseball coach once told me, 'Practice what you do, and you'll do what you practice,'" said District Safety Manager Roy Campbell, who in the picture below points employees to the appointed meet-up site.

Employees evacuated the plant and walked to a centralized location that was several yards away from the main building. "Our procedure is to vacate the building, to account and care for our employees, and to deal with the situation," said Campbell.

"Our primary goal is to care for the safety and health of our people."

Birmingham Plant employees listen to instructions at the main gathering point.

Then, the men and women were separated. In these smaller groups, employees had the opportunity to ask questions.

Translation was arranged for hearing-impaired staff.

Then, everyone lined up to go through the decontamination tent. Once inside, emergency personnel explained what would happen there if this situation had been far more serious than a drill.

Campbell explained that the hour spent completing this drill was not just for postal employees but was also invaluable to the first responders. "This gave them a chance to integrate their procedures with ours so that we could work together in a cohesive fashion," he said.

100% in Sylacauga

2012-04-30T11:05:00.000-05:00

The sales staff at the Sylacauga Post Office is the most recent crew to join the Alabama District's 100% Retail Customer Experience Club.

Pictured from left to right are SSA Sandi Tinney, SSA Christina Hobbs, Postmaster Rick Renda, SSA Gena Corbitt, and SSA Bethaney Roland.

Postmaster Rick Renda is proud of his group's achievements. "They have been working hard to follow the District SOP (standard operating procedure) and have been reducing wait time in line and encouraging expedited and special services. The clerk staff has had a positive impact in our new EDDM (Every Door Direct Mail) with approximately $30,000 in yearly sales. I also want to congratulate Ms Tinney for exhibiting this enthusiasm in her perfect transaction," he wrote.

National Crime Victims' Rights Week

2012-04-28T21:37:00.002-05:00

Today concludes National Crime Victims' Rights Week, but if you are victim of a crime that involves the use of the United States Postal Service, Postal Inspector Tony Robinson wants you to know what you can expect from the USPS every day of the year.

From Inspector Robinson:
Compiled and massaged from USPIS brochures.

Victim/Witness Tips

As an agency of federal law enforcement professionals, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service is concerned about problems that may be experienced by victims and witnesses of crime. We know that as a victim or witness, you may feel anger, confusion, frustration, or fear as a result of your experience.

If a suspect is identified and presented for prosecution, you will be informed of the status of the case. Throughout a USPIS investigation, a Postal Inspector or Victim/Witness Coordinator will remain your primary contact. Other law enforcement agencies have their own version of a Victim/Witness coordinator to assist you on crimes under their jurisdiction. If you have questions, be sure to contact one of these individuals as soon as possible.

If your case is accepted for prosecution, you will be contacted by the attorney’s office assigned to handle your case. Most prosecutors’ offices have a Victim/Witness Coordinator to help answer your questions and assist with your concerns during the pretrial and court phases of the case.

If anyone threatens you, or you feel you are being harassed because of your cooperation with authorities, report it to law enforcement. There are penalties for harassment and other credible threats. If you were injured or threatened with physical injury as a result of the crime, and lack insurance or other means to pay for medical bills, check your state’s crime victim compensation program. In many states, the cost of counseling, lost wages, and certain funeral expenses may be covered. The Employee Assistance Program, EAP, is also there to help employees and their families.

As part of its investigation, the Postal Inspection Service hopes to recover any property or money stolen from you. This is one reason why it is important to keep a record of serial numbers or other uniquely identifiable attributes of your property to provide to law enforcement when needed. If Postal Inspectors recover it, we will notify you and make every effort to have it returned as quickly as possible.

Restitution may be available for property not recovered or for the cost of any necessary repairs. This is a court-ordered payment made to you as a victim of a crime. Upon conviction, the offender pays out-of pocket expenses resulting from your victimization. In many cases, however, the proceeds of the crime are no longer available and the defendant does not have sufficient assets to pay restitution. Other remedies may include pursuing a civil suit or small claims court action.

In the case of identity theft, it is also important to take steps to minimize future losses by reporting the instance to your creditors and banking institutions. The USPIS and Federal Trade Commission’s websites contain additional information on actions to take regarding identity theft.

The following are organizations that have additional information and stand ready to assist victims of crime:
NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR VICTIM ASSISTANCE: 1-800-879-6682trynova.org
NATIONAL CENTER FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME: ncvc.org
FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION: 1-877-FTC-HELP (toll free)ftc.gov
US Postal Inspection Service:1- 877-876-2455 (toll free) postalinspectors.uspis.gov

Employee Assistance Program:
1-800-EAP-4-YOU (1-800-327-4968)
For the hearing impaired with TTY equipment, call TTY: 1-877-492-7341.

Anniston: Working together to make it work

2012-04-27T16:54:00.002-05:00

Employees at the Anniston Post Office have had to face many changes and challenges in the past year, but in spite of everything, they still come together when it's time to get things done.

Right now, Anniston has the highest VOE scores in the Alabama District with 89.5.

To thank the employees, Anniston Postmaster Sheila Laney and her supervisors arranged a thank you celebration. Everyone was given a special t-shirt that was collaboratively designed, and Laney and the supervisors purchased and prepared food for a hot dog bar for breakfast.

When asked, "Why hot dogs at 8 a.m.?" Laney replied, "We didn't want to just go out and buy some food. We picked something that everyone would like that we actually could make for them to show our appreciation."

We asked Laney what factors have contributed to Anniston's VOE success. "Communication is a big one," she said. "And I think that honesty is important, too. We (managers) don't have to have all of the answers, but we have to let employees know what's going on. Employees have to be able to trust us."

"I do care," said Laney. "People need to know that you genuinely care."

Members of all levels of Laney's staff seem to be on the same page.

Carrier David Alexander said, "If we can communicate, then we can get along."

Rural Carrier Tracy Jackson added, "If we all work together, then everything works out."

Laney to the group: "This is a huge accomplishment, especially considering all that we're going through. I really do appreciate each and every one of you."

At the gathering, two carriers were recognized for reaching career milestones. Below is David Skinner being given his certificate for 30 years of postal service. Not pictured is Bruce Tankersley, who was commended for 34 service years.

Rare pair of Million Milers in Irondale

2012-04-25T14:48:00.000-05:00

Overall, the United States Postal Service employs approximately 340,000 letter carriers and truck drivers.

Since 2005, only 6,000 of them have achieved the National Safety Council's Million Mile status, which is bestowed upon postal employees whose job duties include driving and who have either been behind the wheel for 1,000,000 documented miles or who have 30 years of service without being involved in an at-fault accident.

Which translates into an award that has been given to fewer than 1 percent of our regular drivers.

That's why it was such a special occasion yesterday when the Irondale Post Office recognized not one but two of its employees for achieving this safety milestone.

Letter Carriers Keith Lee and Barbara Clark both received the NSC's Million Mile Award.

"One Million Miler is rare, but today, we're giving out two Million Mile awards, which is unheard of," said Birmingham Postmaster Mike Allison.

Allison also commended the entire Irondale facility for being accident free since 2009.

From left to right: Irondale Postmaster Jesse Barlow, Letter Carrier Keith Lee, Letter Carrier Barbara Clark, and Birmingham Postmaster Mike Allison.

In a way, both Barbara and Keith attribute their spotless records to their defensive driving skills.

Barbara has been with the USPS for 30 years and, when asked about how she has stayed safe for all of those miles, is too modest in her reply. "I'm always just very hopeful that other people don't hit me," she said. "I've had plenty of close calls.

Keith, a 34-year employee, thinks that perhaps his success on the road is due to the fact that years ago when he was in high school, his vehicle of choice was a motorcycle. "That's when I learned that you have to really watch out for other people," he said.

Please join us in congratulating Barbara Clark and Keith Lee. To put their achievements into perspective, remember that their combined accident-free mileage is equivalent to the two of them having gone 606 times across the USA or 80 times around the world.

Alabama window clerks walk (and run) for a cure in Aliceville

2012-04-24T14:28:00.001-05:00

Every day at work, postal employees serve our communities, and many of us go the extra mile in our off time, too.

Aliceville Postmaster Ed Virden shared the following pictures and story:

On a cool, windy Saturday morning (last Saturday, April 21), SSDA Sarah Johnson from Aliceville and SSDA Kim Spencer from the Carrollton Post Office took part in the 1st Annual Aliceville Walk for A Cure.

Kim Spencer walking and waving.

An energetic Sarah Johnson escorted at the head of the pack.

This was a 2.5 mile course through the streets of Aliceville. There were over 200 walkers and some runners.

$2600 was raised on this single event. All Proceeds went to Relay For Life, which is a team event to fight cancer.

Our thanks to Ed and especially to Kim and Sarah: it's a boost to everyone's morale to know that we work side by side with some good people.

The Birmingham BURRP

2012-04-23T16:40:00.002-05:00

Last Friday, employees at the District offices in Birmingham responded to the Earth Day call to Bring UR Recyclable Paper from home (BURRP) to add to the revenue that we grow through the USPS Green Initiative.

The response was amazing. All departments participated. In fact, there was so many staff members who showed up with their bags full of paper from home that we had to turn some of them away when it came time to take the picture in the confined upstairs entrance.

As promised, those who brought paper from home were entered into a drawing for a chance to win a gift basket. The winner was Injury Comp Specialist Suzanne Hutchinson.

Do you know what would be even better? If somehow, we could get every Alabama employee involved. Wouldn't it be an incredible accomplishment if we could motivate all 9,000 (approximately) of us to bring in just one pound of paper from home every Friday for a year?

How could we do that? If you have any ideas, please submit them to Postmarks by clicking above on Contact Us.

(re)Addressing fabric postcards, and something special just for you

2012-04-23T15:25:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, we continued our Fun Ways to Increase Revenue series by introducing you to retired postal employee Chris Wheeler and her passion for Trading Fabric Postcards.

Since then, we have received several questions and comments about the making and mailing of these mailable works of art, so we posed them to Chris. Below are her responses.

I would love to participate in the postcard exchange, but I don't know how to sew.
You do not have to sew to make one of those cards. The peltex is doubled sided glue and You could just use pinking shears to go around the card. Some have used paint.

How do you mail them?
We sometimes mail them "naked" (not us but the card) if they do not have embellishments on them. Then, you can open the clear envelope and take out the card. Some do mail them in regular envelopes since they come from overseas. But mostly, we mail in clear envelopes.

How much does it cost to mail one?
In the USA, if we mail them "naked," it cost a first class stamp.. If we put them in clear envelopes, it can't go through automation (or if we dont want to go through automation), and it is 20 cents extra.

At first, some of the exchange members had problems. Finally, I sat down and sent Mr. Potter (former Postmaster General) a letter containing two cards and got clarification. They are treated as first-class letters. So wherever in the world you send them, it's a first-class stamp unless they are in clear envelopes, and then they are 20 cents extra. That is the best way to look at it.

Once you get one in the mail, what do you do with it?

I have a little easel that I put mine on and change them out. They truly are works of art. I wish you could see all the ones I have in the photo boxes: some are beyond belief.

It is just so fun and easy.

Think of it like this. If someone gives you a birthday or Christmas card, what do you do? Keep it for a few days and throw it away.. Okay, but if I give you a fabric card, you're unlikely to toss it because you know that it is handmade and that you have the only one in existence. I can sit down and make 100 of the same card, and every one will be different in some sort of way.

And what do you know, the day after we made that first post about Trading Fabric Postcards, one that had been made especially for us arrived in our mailbox.

From Chris Wheeler to you--

Back:

Notice that ours was encased in a clear envelope, just like she explained above.

Front:

Wasn't that a lovely surprise? Our photos don't do it justice. Thanks, Chris -- we love it!

If you would like to see many more examples of these beautiful creations and to be inspired to make your own, you can visit Trading Fabric Postcards by clicking here.

There are LOTS of mothers out there

2012-04-20T16:52:00.000-05:00

Oneonta OIC Jeff Glass sent us pictures of Oneonta's Mothers' Day lobby display.

Along with the pictures, Jeff wrote, "Oneonta SSA Sharon Johnson designed this Mothers' Day display behind her retail counter. It's actually more prominent than it appears in the photos, and she has added a few extra touches since the photos were taken. It's really quite nice. "

"I'm proud of her work and just thought we'd share the idea."

Alabama District Marketing Manager Bridgett Carroll agrees with Jeff's feelings of pride. "This is exactly the type of initiative and drive we need in our employees if we are going to grow retail revenue."

Okay, we've got three weeks until Mothers' Day, which is plenty of time for every office to do their best to design a promotional reminder in the lobby.

It will be well worth the effort. If Postmarks can't convince you, perhaps these facts about Mothers' Day will do the trick:

1. 96% of Americans participate in Mothers' Day.

2. There are over 85 million mothers in the United States alone.

3. Every year, approximately 133 million greeting cards are sent to mothers through the USPS.

4. Mothers' Day is the second highest gift-giving event in the US.

5. According to Hallmark, in Hispanic communities, Mothers' Day ranks first in card-sending occasions.

Prichard is special

2012-04-20T14:43:00.001-05:00

...and they've got the March traveling trophy to prove it!

For the month of March, the Prichard Post Office down in Mobile made the highest percentage score of 63.3 on Special Services for Levels 22-24 offices.

In the front row are Prichard Sales and Service Associates Eunice Bush, Robbie Coate, Beatrice Williams, Mike Hamilton, and Dorrenda Morrissette. Behind them are Manager Michael Carlin and MPOO Reginald Capers.

Earth Day Facts and Birmingham BURRP-ing contest

2012-04-19T17:26:00.003-05:00

Birmingham Contest Announcement sent by Sandy Scott:

Earth Day is organized around low-cost and no-cost actions we can take to conserve our natural resources and save money, too! This campaign complements the Go Green Stamps theme launched in 2011. If you feel as if there’s not much one person can do to make a positive impact — You are wrong!

“BURRP” (Bring UR Recyclable Paper) was started to promote and encourage postal employees to bring in their Recyclable Paper from Home. Everyone should have a blue reusable SOAR Bag for recycling. If not, contact Roy Davis at 521-7925 or email roy.r.davis@usps.gov .

This Friday, April 20^th fill your SOAR bags. For each bag that is presented, your name will go into a drawing for a goodie basket! This event will take the place of the BURRP day normally initiated by Roy.

Meet us at the BURRP drop location near the second floor elevators between 10:00 am & 10:30 am this Friday, April 20^th to get your name in the drawing for the basket!!!

Items you may include are:

Newspapers

Magazines

Phone books

Color or white paper

Greeting cards

Wrapping paper

Do not include:

Financial transactions or sensitive information of any kind

Documents that include Social Security Numbers

Food contaminated paper

Waxed paper, milk cartons or juice cartons

Oil soaked paper

Carbon paper

Sanitary products or tissues

Thermal fax paper

Stickers or plastic laminated paper

Pet food bags

Plastics bags and liners

Laminated paper

Community Helpers' Day

2012-04-19T16:48:00.000-05:00

Last Friday was Community Helpers' Day at New Life Christian Academy in Bessemer, Alabama. Complaints and Inquiry Clerk Lasabria Smith (pictured below with the kids) represented the USPS and was kind enough to share the following pictures and to tell us about the fun-filled morning.

Lasabria wrote: " I explained to the kids how the Postal Service was active in the community by delivering mail to millions of people and how we process it. I also brought them Postal coloring books and Postal crayons. The teacher, Ms. Poe, has relatives that work for the Postal Service as well. They provided her with the hat, shirt, and satchel, making her look like a real Postal employee. I really thought she was."

Lasabria was right: the teacher and everyone else in the picture above could definitely pass as Postal employees.

Carla Dudley, a parent to one of the children, told us more about Community Helpers' Day as a whole.

The Learning Center at New Life celebrates Community Helper's Day annually during the month of April. The purpose of the day is to make the students aware of the many people who serve the citizens within the community in which they live and go to school.

On Friday, April 13, The Learning Center welcomed the U. S. Postal Service, Bessemer Fire Department, Home Depot, doctors and nurses from a local clinic, Police officials, the U. S. National Guard and more. Each Pre K-3 and K-4 class had a different community helper theme.

The classrooms were decorated, themed goodies were passed out, and the students were dressed in theme. It was an awesome day and an awesome way to acknowledge those who give so much of themselves daily. It is also an excellent way to develop relationships and community partnerships alike.

The USPS is proud to have been invited to Community Helpers' Day in Bessemer and we hope that everyone had a fun, educational morning (it sure looks like they did!)

Our thanks to Lasabria Smith and Carla Dudley for sharing the morning with us, too.

Live from Monroeville: To Kill a Mockingbird commemorative event

2012-04-17T16:51:00.000-05:00

Last Friday, the town of Monroeville, Alabama, celebrated the 50th anniversary of the film To Kill a Mockingbird by introducing a commemorative envelope and pictorial postmark that were designed by the world-famous artist Nicolosi.

The festivities began at 10am in the Monroeville downtown square, which is directly in front of the iconic courthouse.

Second graders from Monroeville Elementary School waiting to march down the center of the crowd towards the front of the gathering.

Once there, they did a wonderful job of leading everyone in The Pledge of Allegiance.

Once again, Monroeville Clerk Stacey Walton-Leggitte sang a rousing a cappella rendition of The National Anthem that inspired an enthusiastic round of applause from the audience.

Monroeville Mayor Mike Kennedy: "I give a heartfelt thank you to Nicolosi for his contribution to our city. At this time, on behalf of the City of Monroeville, I would like to present him with the key to the city."

Postmaster Tonya Hadley and Nicolosi unveil the pictorial postmark that was designed by Nicolosi.

Postmaster David Neilon, Mayor Mike Kennedy, Nicolosi, and Postmaster Tonya Hadley with the freshly unveiled Nicolosi commemorative envelope.

Nicolosi and Tonya Hadley conclude the ceremonies.

For several hours, visitors lined up to meet Nicolosi and to have him autograph their commemorative envelopes.

Clerk Stacy Walton-Leggitte did triple duty that day: singing, selling, and stamping.

Behind the busy table are Sandy Scott, Nicolosi, and Survivor competitor Colton Cumbie.

Jerry Payne (l) and Tony Scaramouche came all the way from Florida for the festivities and to attend the Heritage Museum's red carpet documentary screening the next day.

We don't yet know the final revenue tallies, but no matter what they end up being, this event soared at achieving community involvement and public good will.

All of the pictures above were taken by Postmarks' own Marvin Owens.

Employee Assistance Program Month, Information Sessions

2012-04-17T11:27:00.002-05:00

It’s not the load that breaks you down; it’s the way you carry it. --Lena Horne

As Postal employees, most of us do some amount of heavy lifting as a part of our jobs. And sometimes, that weight upon us is not just physical and is also not contained within our work environments.

We asked the Alabama District’s EAP Consultant Dr. Patricia Hamilton if she knew any employees who had used EAP who might be willing to share their experience with us. This is what she sent:

I have been visiting different facilities to assist in developing awareness of EAP. Yesterday, I interviewed an employee, and the following is her account of the services that she received. This individual did not want to be identified, so I am only identifying her as Jane Smith.

Ms. Jane Smith stated that she has been working for USPS for twenty-five years. During that time, she had heard about the Employee Assistance Program but hadn’t used it until the death of her youngest daughter several years ago.

Jane’s daughter had been killed in a car accident. Because of that terrible event, she was in much pain and felt alone, disconnected, and alienated. She couldn't receive comfort, even though all of her family and friends were there.

Jane couldn’t seem to shake these feelings. One day, a co-worker saw her crying and suggested EAP; this co-worker even made the call for her. With reluctance and much effort, Jane kept the appointment, which she feels was the best thing that she could have done.

She stated that the counselor helped her to understand the cycle of grief, which also helped her to understand that she was not crazy and that her feelings were a natural response to tragedy.

After five visits, Jane said that she began to feel like a new person and that she was able to function daily. In addition, she said that she is now able to have understanding and empathy for others who have had the same experience.

We want to encourage all employees who could use the vast amount of services that the EAP has to offer to give them a call or to look them up online at www.eap4you.com.

EAP Information Sessions will be conducted at the following facilities:

Montgomery GMF

April 18, 2012

2pm - 4pm

Birmingham Main Office, Room 277

April 19, 2012

1pm - 3pm

Huntsville P&DF

April 20, 2012

1pm - 3pm

Mobile--COMING SOON

Columbiana clerk Les Whiting reaches 25-year milestone

2012-04-16T16:23:00.003-05:00

Columbiana Postmaster Rhonda Kimbrough sent us the following about Columbiana Clerk Les Whiting achieving 25 years of Postal service:

Here are some pictures of Les Whiting being presented with his 25-year pin. He is a clerk at Columbiana Post Office, where he has been for 20 of his 25 years.

Rhonda Kimbrough and Les Whiting

Les is a staple of this office and is known by all here in Columbiana. He is also a pastor of a church here in Columbiana that meets at one of the schools. In addition to all of that, he also finds time to minister here at the jail located in Columbiana.

Our congratulations to Les on the recognition of his dedication, and thanks to Rhonda for inviting us all to share in the celebration of his achievement.

Reminder: TOMORROW is Monroeville's big day.

2012-04-12T20:16:00.001-05:00

We want to encourage anyone who can get to Monroeville, Alabama, to make your way downtown at 10:00 a.m. for the unveiling of the Nicolosi commemorative envelope that was commissioned to honor the 50th anniversary of the film To Kill a Mockingbird.

It's destined to be one of the biggest events in Alabama postal history.

Last year's event in Monroeville was fabulous, and based on the worldwide interest in the film and in the artist, Nicolosi, we predict that tomorrow will be even bigger. Because of the expected crowd on the square, we recommend that you arrive as early as possible.

Postmasters Tonya Hadley and David Neilon in collaboration with The Monroe County Heritage Museum, the Chamber of Commerce, and Nicolosi himself have worked very hard to make this a first-class tribute.

About Nicolosi:
Nicolosi, the world-famous artist who was commissioned to design the commemorative envelope, was kind enough today to take a few moments from his whirlwind schedule to tell us a little bit about himself and tomorrow's event.

He was born in Rockford, Illinois. Although he painted for most of his life, he began his professional life as a dentist (he remains, in fact, a practicing dental surgeon).

His life changed after his work was exhibited at a Miami museum when he received a phone call from the museum's curator. "There is somebody here who wants to pay you a compliment," the curator said.

That person was placed on the line. The admirer was Emmy winner Rue McClanahan, the actress best known for playing the role of Blanche Devereaux on the television show The Golden Girls ("In real life, she was just like the woman on the show," Nicolosi said.)

"You've got talent: you need to think about pursuing your art," she told him.

"You can have it all," she said, meaning that he didn't have to choose between practicing medicine and devoting himself to his dream.

Nicolosi took those words to heart and became the true Renaissance man that he was meant to be. He discovered that indeed, there wasn't a conflict between the worlds of science and art. Happiness and success could be achieved by devotion to both.

"You know when you are following your heart and cultivating your soul," he said. "Don't waste your time on clutter."

In our conversation, he remembered a something from his childhood in Illinois, where he grew up with five brothers (now, three are doctors, two are lawyers). "I grew up in a very strict, disciplined household," he said. "And in my mother's kitchen was a sign on the wall that said What you have been given at birth is God's gift to you. What you do with it is your gift to God."

"I want everyone to know about the good news that is coming out of the Postal Service," he said. "I want to move, touch, and inspire others."

While we were chatting, he was on his way to pick up a framed piece of art that he was going to give to Harper Lee, the author of To Kill a Mockingbird.

"I'm so proud to count her as one of my friends," he said.

While he was in the shop, he volunteered to snap a picture of it with his camera phone and send it to us:

That picture and the other framed pieces that were created for event were done by The Framery, a local Monroeville business.

He also wanted to make sure that Postmasters Hadley and Neilon were recognized for the efforts that they put into making tomorrow a success. "The USPS was going to retire the Gregory Peck stamp on March 31. David and Tonya campaigned and asked them to please grant an extension. It worked."

They purchased 14,000 Gregory Peck stamps. Everyone expects them all to be sold.

There were three postmark stamps created for tomorrow. The first postmark to be stamped by each of them is already committed: the first postmark from the first stamp will go to Harper Lee, the first postmark from the second stamp will go to the Heritage Museum, and the first postmark from the third stamp will be sent to President Obama.

Every person buying a commemorative envelope tomorrow will have the opportunity to stand in line to meet Nicolosi and have him autograph it (limit 20 per person, please).

While Nicolosi has been generous enough to do this and to also agree to being available for photographs with every person, he admits to being a bit worried about his hand's ability to do all of that signing. "I work out every day, and recently, I've been making sure to build strength in that hand," he said, laughing.

If you are unable to attend tomorrow's big event, Postmarks will be there to bring the event to you. We can't wait; it will be a thrill that will be talked and read about for years to come.

Our thanks to Nicolosi for speaking with us today.

For more information about Nicolosi, you can visit the Monroe County Heritage Museum's website by clicking here.

Meet the Challenge submit-a-lead contest winner announced

2012-04-12T13:54:00.002-05:00

Starting late last year, Alabama District employees who submitted a lead that resulted in increased revenue received thank you gifts from District Manager Timothy Costello.

To see the original contest announcement, click here.

Then, all of these names were entered in a quarterly drawing for an iPad, which occurred yesterday. Business Development Specialist Gloria Conaway-Jones held the Priority box that contained the names of 45 employees.

With averted eyes, District Manager Timothy Costello pulled one employee's name from the box.

And the winner was...

FRUITDALE POSTMASTER CATHERINE E. (LIZ) MOSS!!!!!!!!

The Alabama District is currently in third place in the SW AREA for generated revenue. So far this fiscal year, leads have brought in $775,876.

Keep submitting those leads that that you can have a chance to win next quarter's prize and to help us rise to #1.

Women's History Month Event in Birmingham: Isabel Watkins Rubio and Brenda Massey Brantley

2012-04-11T16:55:00.000-05:00

Fun ways to use the mail #5: Trading fabric postcards

2012-04-09T15:49:00.001-05:00

Last week, we received an email from a website owner who wanted to know if they could share our article about the inspirational Mr. Michulek on their quilting site.

Before saying okay, we went and looked at the site to make sure that it was a wholesome place for Mr. Michulek to be.

Indeed, it was a lovely. We gave the site owner both our consent and a compliment, and in the course of our ensuing correspondence learned that not only are the site owner and her husband retired postal workers whom many of you might already know and love, but that they also own another fantastic website called Trading Fabric Postcards.

That would be perfect for our Fun Ways to Increase Revenue series! we thought. So we asked the site owner, Chris Wheeler, to write for us as a guest blogger. She agreed, and what follows was submitted by her. Enjoy!

Chris Wheeler:

Gary and I both retired from the USPS Downtown branch March 2006. He worked in the Registry Cage, and I worked in the Tour Office. Both of us worked Tour 1.

The post office was very good to us. We met in 1986 there and were married in 1987. We have been married 25 years this June.

I have always dabbled in some type of craft. For years, I had my own ceramic shop with Mother. We made porcelain dolls and all kinds of things pottery. Then I painted sweatshirts for a while.

A year or so before we left the Post Office, Gary saw in the paper that Blount County had a quilting guild. We live in Locust Fork, and it is only about 15 minutes to Palisades Park where the guild is held. I joined.

I ended up falling in love with the sewing machine again. I am my happiest when I hear it humming. I was accepted two years in a row to have two of my quilts in national competition with American Quilter's Society Quilt show. 300 were selected from all over the world. It truly was an honor.

Then it happened: I met my web master Carol Logan Newbill. In addition to designing our sites and getting us on the road to" Blogville,” she also owned a fabric postcard group online. That caught my eye.

Well, Carol decided that she had more work than she needed, so she gave up the group. I asked if I could have her members, and she willingly let me take over.

I changed the name to Trading Fabric Postcards. My group is worldwide. I have members in South Africa, Germany, Italy, France, Canada, of course the USA, and all over the world. We are more like friends than people who just trade.

The cards are 4 inches by 6 inches and consist of fabric backs and fronts with a Peltex stiffener in the middle. Then we stitch around them to hold them together. They actually are pretty easy to make and very enjoyable.

We look at it as your own tiny work of art. No two will ever be alike. It makes going to the mailbox a pleasure! They are something to look forward to receiving in the mail.

I am always amazed at the beautiful workmanship the ladies have. Some cards come in beaded by hand in ways that you could not even imagine. Some are hand-painted, and some the designs are made by just sewing tiny pieces of fabric together to make the scene. We waste nothing. I have used tiny pieces of fabric before that I had to pick up with tweezers.

Yes, it is an addiction but in a good way. You can see a lot of beautiful cards on our web site www.tradingfabricpostcards.com. When you get to the bottom of the page, just click on older and go on. There are a lot of cards there.

(The postcards above come from Chris' collection. She has received over a thousand fabric postcards. The next two are examples of ones that she has made and sent to others.)

Sometimes at 10 pm, I look up at the clock and I can see my coworkers clocking in. I thank the good Lord that I am about to go to bed and not headed off to the Tour One office or somewhere else. I do, however, miss a lot of you.

We passed the post office this week, and I said to my husband, "It sure was good to us: we met there, it gave us good salaries, good retirement and insurance, and a lot of people we care a lot about crossed our path." Friendships from there will last an eternity.

We are always up to something, and if you are interested you can keep up with us at www.chriswheelerquilts.com.

May you all be blessed, healthy, and happy. Drop us an email sometimes at SadieMaesAttic@aol.com. We'd love to hear from you.

Chris and Gary Wheeler