Thinking Pink in Summerdale

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and post offices across Alabama are doing everything that they can to increase awareness of the disease, raise money for breast cancer research by promoting the Breast Cancer Awareness semi-postal stamp, and compete for first place in the friendly yet competitive sales contest.

Last Thursday, the Summerdale Post Office brought the message to their community. Manager of Post Office Operations David Dilbeck sent us this article that was in the Baldwin County newspaper.

Think Pink!
Post offices selling stamps in October to raise money for breast cancer research

By John Underwood
independent@gulfcoastnewspapers.com

SUMMERDALE, Ala. ---Members of the Summerdale Post Office welcomed firefighter Asher Michon and the pink fire truck from the Orange Beach Fire Department on Thursday to help promote Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Summerdale Post Master Carol Miller said post offices throughout Baldwin County are selling breast cancer awareness stamps throughout the month of October. Proceeds from the sale of the stamps will go toward breast cancer research, Miller said.

“We all know someone who has been affected by breast cancer, either a friend or a relative,” she said. “It’s kind of a friendly competition between the post offices to sell the most stamps, so we want everyone to come out and buy from us!”

Pictured with Miller and Michon are postal employees (in no order) Wade Durant, Pam Durant, Monica Walser, Lisa Dixon, Kim Heaton, Karin Suarex and Belinda Long. 

Every employee's involvement is important: selling stamps helps the Postal Service which in turn also helps all USPS employees, too, but deciding to get involved and participate in breast cancer awareness and fundraising like the Summerdale staff can lead towards making a difference in the world. 

"I didn't realize that y'all were closed on Columbus Day."

Postmarks returned from vacation today to find these photos in our inbox. They were sent to us by Anniston OIC Sheila Laney.

A customer in the white Ford caught one of her flipflops beneath the brake pedal and then accidently mashed her accelerator.

Thank goodness that it was a holiday: no staff or customers were in the building. 

Anniston Supervisor Kevin Kea good-naturedly picks up a crumpled trash can. Kevin, Oxford Supervisor Kristie Grant, and Sheila Laney cleaned up the giant mess.



Sheila Laney documenting the damage. In this photo, it's really obvious how many people could have been hurt had this been a regular Monday morning.

Funding the cure for breast cancer in Birmingham

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and yesterday, the lobby of the Birmingham Main Post Office was packed with customers and staff who want to do their part to fund the cure.

The Breast Cancer Awareness stamp was introduced as the first semipostal  in 1998 (which means that the cost of the stamp is a little higher than the price of a regular first-class stamp in order to fund a charitable cause).  $2.20 of every booklet sold goes directly towards funding breast cancer research. So far, over $73.5 million has been raised.

The main speaker was Thelma Brown from the Susan G. Komen Foundation. She is pictured above with Birmingham Postmaster Mike Allison. After Ms. Brown spoke about how many lives are affected by this disease and stressed the need for early detection,  Allison presented her with a gift of appreciation.

Later on in the event, breast cancer survivors were asked to stand and be recognized. From left to right: Thelma Brown, Clerk Terri Davis, Mike and Stefany Allison, and Retail Specialist Gloria Conaway-Jones.

Attendees lined up to learn more about breast cancer and...

for cake and pink lemonade, too, of course. 

Clerk Terri Davis (l) is embraced by Donna Gaines. Many of you may remember Terri from last year's Birmingham event and from our newsletter. Terri's battle with breast cancer began again this year, and she has gone through a lot.

Terri graciously agreed to share in depth her story with us, so within the coming week, we'll post a feature article about her and her struggles and triumphs with this disease.

Marketing Manager Bridgett Carroll with Reginald Capers. Carroll challenged every employee to purchase a book of breast cancer awareness stamps during the month of October on our quest to fund the research that will find a cure for breast cancer. 

Note: If any Postal employees are running next Saturday in Birmingham in this year's Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, let us know so that we can all arrange to meet up together.

Meet the Challenge Lead Submission Contest

Passport Days across Alabama

September 17 was Passport Day in the USA. Several post offices in Alabama participated: Anniston, Arab, the Birmingham Main Post Office, Dothan, Haysland Station in Huntsville, Mobile, Montgomery, and Sylacauga.

The events were a great success: in half a day, these offices raised $11,890 in revenue.

Here are pictures from some of them:

Dothan

Fees: $800

Passport photos: $450

Sylacauga:
Fees: $175
Passport photos: $60

SSA Bethany Roland helped customers complete their applications.

Montgomery
Fees: $1,650
Passport photos: $810

LD&D Specialist Adrienne Brown holds a balloon airplane created by Montgomery Secretary Ziann Goree.

Passport clerks working were Lisa Hartman and Sharon Henderson. They were assisted by Deborah Andrews, Danielle Colvin, Eve Golden, and Adrian Brown. Postmaster Donnie Snipes, Supervisor Ellen Aretz, and Supervisor Neva Rambo helped, too.

Huntsville
Fees: $1600
Passport photos: $885

Thanks, everyone, for sending us the pictures and information, and if you know the names of anyone in these photos, please drop us a line.

Thursday: Birmingham Breast Cancer Awareness

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. We look forward to attending many of the events across Alabama. Please let us know when your office is having one so that we can be there, too.

We CAN be number one this year in Breast Cancer Awareness Stamp sales!