'Sweet' Surrender: 'Checks in the Mail'

Customer inadvertently mailed a deposit slip and two checks at Postal Sweets in West Palm Beach.  

Grateful customer Marcela Masters (left) and Manager, Customer Services, Juan Febres (right)  with envelope containing deposit slip and checks.

Story & Photo by LuAnn Warner, Customer Relations Coordinator, West Palm Beach

“The checks are in the mail” said Customer Marcela Masters, advisor of Estate Preservers, Inc. specializing in  federal retirement benefits.  When Ms. Masters spoke those words to Kevin Huggins of US Postal Sweets, she did not realize what a sweet deal she was about to receive.  Marcela’s husband, Ted, had dutifully deposited mail at the Masters favorite contract postal station, US Postal Sweets. Along with letters, Ted inadvertently mailed a deposit slip with two checks attached. 

When the Masters realized their mistake at 7 p.m. that evening, they immediately placed a phone call to Mr. Huggins, a clerk working at the CPU. Mr. Huggins informed the couple that the mail had already been picked up and referred them to the Boca Raton Post Office. Mr. Masters spoke with LuAnn Gregg, supervisor at Downtown Station in Boca Raton the next morning. Ms. Gregg informed the couple that all mail had already been sent for processing to the West Palm Beach P&DC facility the evening prior. She provided them the phone number for the facility.

Marcela had a dentist appointment in the West Palm Beach area that morning and decided to visit rather than call the Window Unit.  She spoke to Customer Relations Coordinator LuAnn Warner, and a search began in cancellations at the West Palm P&DC.  The lost items were recovered and arrangements were made to return the missing checks at the Boca Raton Palmetto Park Postal Store that very afternoon.  

Ms. Masters stated that she “really did not expect to see the deposit again” and was “amazed at your spirit of cooperation.” Supervisor LuAnn Gregg was happy to be part of the recovery and stated that it was nice “to see good deeds being done for good people.” Luck, timing, and good advice attributed to all things being favorable for this customer for the sweet return of the missing checks. The West Palm Beach P&DC cancels approximately 350,000 pieces of mail daily.