The Mail Must (And Did) Go Through
Monday, March 23, 2009
A lot of information crosses my desk every day heralding postal employees and how they continually go above and beyond their duties to make sure the mail is delivered and their customers are safe.
Case in point: In January when ice and wind storms swept across Indiana, Kentucky and West Virginia, more than 200 Post Offices were left without electricity, telephone service and Internet access.
The Lowes, KY, Post Office felt the effects the longest — no electricity for 19 days, no phone for 17 days and no Internet service for 23 days. Yet Postmaster Joann Bell and her Postmaster Relief Becky Goin kept delivering the mail.
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Standing on the Post Office steps before a group of local citizens and Postmasters from nearby communities last week —each wearing a lightbulb necklace made by USPS communications professional David Walton — the women were presented the "Lightbulb Award."
Manager of Post Office Operations Chris Carroll presented Bell with the one-of-a-kind award on behalf of Kentuckiana District Manager Chris Christenbury.
During the power outage, Bell would make daily trips to nearby Post Offices in Melber, Lovelaceville and Cunningham to download her Delivery Confirmation scanner. To assist with customers, she used a battery-operated adding machine, as well as an old fan scale for transactions.
"The only thing that saved us was an old-fashioned gas stove located in the middle of the office," Bell told Walton.
No doubt the pecan pies, brought to the women by grateful customers, warmed their spirits as well.
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