Send a letter, get a letter in Plantersville

We thank Montevallo City Carrier Adam Moyes for the following submission and applaud his and his wife's initiative:

My name is Adam Moyes, and I am a City Letter Carrier out of the Montevallo Station.  

My wife (Ashley Moyes) is OIC at the Plantersville Office where we live. She had the idea to not only educate but also promote the USPS to our daughter's kindergarten class at JE Terry Elementary School in Plantersville.  

We purchased enough stamps and envelopes for the kids to color a mailman she had printed out, and we had the teacher put their addresses on the envelopes. Then, each child got a letter in the mail from a random classmate.  

We purchased the Disney stamps, and all the kids were thrilled with them. I showed up in uniform, and my wife and I encouraged them to have their parents help them write a letter to someone in their family. They were amazed to learn how a letter can travel around the country in a matter of days.

Montevallo City Carrier Adam Moyes with kindergarten class at JE Terry Elementary School in Plantersville, Alabama. 

Don't our future customers look like they're having a fun afternoon?

Win a letter carrier bobblehead

Article and picture from Your Postal Blog

We have a box of Letter Carrier bobble heads left over from several years ago.
Here’s your chance to win one.

What does mail mean to you?
Do you have a favorite letter you have kept for years?
Or some favorite greeting cards you’ve kept in a box?
Is there a momentous letter that changed your whole life?

Send your response along with your name and address (so we can send the bobble head) by clicking the link below:Your Postal Blog Bobblehead Giveaway

Pickel retiring from USPS | The Demopolis Times

This article about Demopolis Postmaster Buddy Pickel was in Tuesday's The Demopolis Times. He will be missed by many. Please join us in wishing him all of the best in his approaching retirement.

Demopolis Postmaster Buddy Pickel. Picture courtesy of The Demopolis Times. 

Pickel retiring from USPS
by Jason Cannon

Buddy Pickel joined the Demopolis Post Office as a carrier fresh off a 30 month stint with the U.S. Air Force. He would spend the next 414 months building his career.

Pickel, who has served as the Demopolis Postmaster since 2006, will retire Feb. 1 and close out a 34 and half year career with USPS that has stretched his commute all over West Alabama.

“I never wanted to move my family,” the Demopolis native said. “We wanted to stay right here.”

Pickel has served as postmaster in five offices and worked in USPS offices in Newbern, Sawyerville, Georgiana, Marion Junction, Marion, Linden, Livingston and Demopolis .

The price of one First Class stamp on Pickel’s first day on the job was 15 cents. Monday, the price went up to 45 cents. But the price of a stamp isn’t the only thing that has changed over the past three-plus decades.

Pickel said automation of the sorting process has had one of the longest and profound effects on mail delivery.

“When I first started, we had seven clerks that sorted the mail,” he said. “Now, we’ve got three. It used to be all done by hand, all right here. Now, it’s done by machine…the mail is already sorted when it gets here.”

With no mail to sort or customers to help a week from today, Pickel said he would spend [sic]....

“I love staying busy,” he said, noting he enjoys working in the yard, hunting and fishing.

“I doubt I’ll stay unemployed. I’ll need something to do.”

Next week, Pickel will hand the keys to the post office to an interim postmaster while the USPS seeks candidates to fill his position.

And as he readies himself to lock his door for the final time, Pickel said he could only offer one piece of advice to whomever follows him.

“Customer service is what it’s all about,” he said. “Just serve the people.”

The tough got going

Center Point was one of the places in Alabama that was hit hard by Monday's tornado outbreak. Once again, the Center Point Post Office staff proved what a class act they are by doing whatever it took to get our customers their mail when they need it the most.

The Center Point Post Office was damaged in the storm and, as of this morning, there was still no electricity in the building.

This is how the parking lot near the post office looked when we pulled up this morning.

Even though the power was still out and the window was officially closed, everyone worked hard in the near dark to get the mail sorted and the carriers out on the street as early as possible.

The lack of light, the difficulty even getting to the building, and the appearance of being closed did not deter the customers, who were lined up in the lobby. Customer Services Manager Michelle Davis (above) was one of the employees who hustled to answer questions and provide whatever assistance that she could.

Rural Carrier Melinda Jemison skillfully navigated her way through downed trees and power lines, fallen debris, and clean-up crews to deliver on her route.

City Carrier Gena Meadows is awestruck at the devastation that took place at Center Point Elementary School, which is right across the street from the post office. The tornado caused a gas leak at the school, which then resulted in an explosion.

Repeatedly, Center Point Post Office has set the standard for how a post office should function: the large staff works together to serve our customers, keep themselves safe, and watch out for each other.

Restricting facility access: a postal inspector answers your questions

Recently, Postal Inspector Tony Robinson received a question about what constitutes a security violation in regard to restroom access. 
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Since the answers that he provided are relevant to all Postal facilities in Alabama, he shared his explanation with us with the hope that all Alabama USPS employees understand the security regulations and why such policies are necessary. 


Q: The post office does not have public restrooms.  Where can I find this written, so that I may post this for all of the SSA's to read.  Is this not a security violation?


A: Toilets are inside the restricted area of postal facilities and come under “support areas,” not public areas.  


AS503 does allow a Contract Driver’s Room in large P&D facilities to provide space and utilities for a commercial telephone, electric water cooler and toilet facility; however, such should designed so that contract drivers are discouraged from direct access to the workroom floor and located so that management can observe drivers.  In all other offices, contract drivers are not allowed unfettered access to linger in the workroom area (District Policy sent out last year and the year or two before that). 

None of the facilities in Alabama that I have visited have toiletries provided in the public areas.  The closest example of two that do is Florence and Decatur, but John Smith will have to go through the US Marshalls to use them on the floors having a federal court room (not likely unless Mr. Smith has court room business to conduct there).

Title 39 Code of Federal Regulations Part 231.1 designates the Chief Postal Inspector as the security officer for the USPS  who is responsible for issuing instructions and regulations regarding security.  Part 231.2 designates the postmaster or supervisor designated by the postmaster as the security control officer responsible for ensuring that operations are carried out in accordance to rules and regulations set forth by USPIS.

Passport offices are supposed to be conducted in the public accessed areas.  I have found a few over the years that were allowing people to go to the workroom area: this should not be happening.  The district also sent out a notice regarding passport offices to discontinue such practices.   

If we didn’t have such a policy, it would not take much for someone seeking revenge (ie. Ex-boyfriend) to ask to use the restroom only to gain unquestioned access to the workroom floor.

Tony Robinson

Postal Inspector

Alabama District Area I Postmasters sworn in, receive awards

Last week, Area 1 Postmasters met in Decatur to discuss goals,  receive awards, and for the newest additions to their ranks, to be sworn into office.

Alabama District Manager Timothy Costello administering the oath to Postmasters Lonnie Williams, Tasha Salem, Erica Sherman, and Angela Dunaway. 

Area 1 MPOO Derick King (left) doled out scores of other awards to members of his team. One of them was to Postmaster Jane Harper of Decatur for her office's high VOE scores. 

Killen Postmaster Rita Moore was commended for her office having the best VOE scores in Area 1 for 2011. 

The Postmasters in this group received awards for their offices having scored !00% on the Wait Time in Line indicator. From left to right: MPOO Derick King, Gary Beams (Athens), Mary Jo Crabtree (Fort Payne), Lonnie Williams, Darla Daniels (Gadsden), Rita Moore (Killen), Ed Herring (Moulton), Ricky Brewer (Scottsboro), Earl Wilcher (Russelville), Tammy Deaton (Tuscambia), and William Cummins (Scottsboro).

Moulton Postmaster Ed Herring was presented the Retail Customer Experience Shining Star Award. 

Falkville Postmaster Billy Morris accepted one of two Office of the Year trophies. 

Scottsboro Postmaster William Cummins' office was also named Office of the Year.

We have created an online photo album of the afternoon which can be accessed by clicking here.

Alabama Championship collectible commemorative envelopes

In celebration of the University of Alabama's 14th National Football Championship, the Alabama District  will have available in select offices in Alabama on January 27 the limited edition Alabama Championship collectible commemorative envelopes for $10 each and double matted art (suitable for framing) for $25 each. 

ROLL TIDE!

The commemorative envelopes will include a stamp and game-day cancellation.  

A list of participating post offices will be forthcoming.


Additionally, collectors can order this very special memorabilia by using the order form listed at the bottom of this post. Get yours today because supplies are limited. Please allow three weeks for the delivery of your items. 

Fun Ways to Increase Revenue: Universal Letter Writing Week and Postcrossing

We are right in the midst of Universal Letter Writing Week which, this year, runs from January 9th through the 16th. In honor of the occasion, Postmarks decided to resume our series on fun ways to  increase USPS revenue by introducing everyone to and participating ourselves in what sounds like could be the coolest new website and activity. 

Do you like surprises? Want something in your mailbox besides bills, magazines, and other impersonal or stressful mail? Do you enjoy making other people happy? Then Postcrossing is the site for you. 

It is free to join. Participants pay only for the postcards they send and the necessary postage. 

The main idea is that for each postcard you send, you'll get one in return. 

When someone receives a postcard from another member, that recipient logs into the site and records the completed transaction. At this point, the sender receives one "credit" which can be used to request that a postcard from be sent to them. 

Names and addresses are randomly assigned, so you never know whose info you'll receive when you request an address, nor will you know from where a postcard will originate when you request that one be sent to you. 

Doesn't that sound like it could be loads of fun? 

Postmarks signed up right away and requested five addresses (the maximum that you can have open at one time) from the site. We were emailed the information for other participants from the Netherlands, China, Russia, Germany, and Taiwan. 

We'll keep you updated on what happens next. In the meantime, you can check out Postcrossing yourself by clicking here.  

MLK National Day of Service, free park admission

For MLK Day, free admission to national parks - Globe-trotting - The Boston Globe:

National Park Service says that all 397 national parks will offer free admission from Saturday, Jan. 14- Monday, Jan. 16 to mark Martin Luther King Day. In New England there are more than two dozen parks, with the bulk of them being in Massachusetts (15). On its website, the NPS maps out locations by state.

For those interested in King himself, BudgetTravel offers these suggestions:

Those wishing to learn more about the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., can pay a visit to the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site in Atlanta, Georgia, where both the home he was born in and his tomb with the Eternal Flame are on display. Follow in his footsteps along the National Historic Trail from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, now a designated historic byway. If you happen to be on the east coast, visit the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. and sit on the steps from which Dr. King delivered his famous "I Have A Dream" speech, or visit the newly opened Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in the National Mall. Events commemorating Dr. King's life will also take place at Fort Donelson National Battlefield in Tennessee, while the MLK Film Festival will be held at the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site in Washington D.C. from January 14-16.

North Alabama Diversity team and activities

Ensley Post Office employees make wishes come true

Once again, the employees at the Ensley Post Office did everything that they could to make some children and families very happy at Christmas. 

They  asked a social worker from the Department of Human Services for wishlists from needy children in their area and, after receiving the lists of four kids, proceeded to contribute enough money so that EVERY ITEM THAT THE CHILDREN REQUESTED FROM SANTA WAS PURCHASED!

Ensley Post Office staff with the load of presents right before they were wrapped for delivery.

"We always have our hearts open to help. Whatever we can do, Ensley will do,” said Ensley SSA Synthia Crutchfield.

What makes their efforts even more selfless and special  is that their gift was made anonymously: the presents were delivered to the social worker, who then delivered them to the two families.

Karen Guin, Lisa Taylor, and Cheryl Boren are making their lists and checking them twice. 


With the $500 that was donated by the Ensley employees, Karen did all of the shopping because she has a reputation for always finding the best deals. 


While Karen was in the midst of the holiday hustle and bustle, she saw firsthand how contagious kindness and good will towards others can be. "When the teen-age clerk at Rack Room heard who I was buying for, he asked, 'Do you do this every year? Can I donate?'" Karen told us, so touched by the young man's gesture that choking back tears was impossible.


Another customer at Macy's heard what Karen was doing and contributed her valuable coupons to Ensley's cause. 


Ensley, thank you for your thoughtfulness and generosity, and we look forward to seeing you all again next year.