Railroad History is Back on Track

The New York and Washington Railway Post Office (RPO) crew gathers on a train before departing on its final run. These clerks worked in two adjacent 60-foot RPO cars. The final trip was June 30, 1977.

USPS stopped sorting mail aboard trains in 1977, but one Railway Post Office (RPO) made an encore run this month.

To commemorate the final run of the last RPO, the Minnesota Transportation Museum transported mail in a train car that once served as a Railway Post Office.

Northern Pacific No. 1102 was built in 1914, and during its heyday transported postal employees and U.S. Mail.
The car returned to its former postal glory May 6.

“Railroad systems helped shaped communities, and we want to show how these communities remain interconnected,” said Andrew Tighe, who handles transportation projects for the museum and came up with the idea to showcase the RPO.

Northern Pacific No. 1102 was displayed at the St. Paul Union Depot as part of a National Train Day celebration before being loaded with mail and beginning its journey to Osceola, WI.

After the mail train arrived at its destination, postal employees transported the mail to the Osceola Post Office.

In addition to helping the museum raise funds, Tighe wanted the re-enactment
to offer a sense of nostalgia.

“We live in an era of where everything is immediate,” he said. “We want to bring back the anticipation of waiting to receive mail.”

Source: LINK

Career Day in West Palm Beach

West Palm Beach Postmaster Robert Weiser (not pictured) and Palms West Station Letter Carrier Rachelle Schulthies (above) participated in Career Day at a local elementary school. They talked to students about the importance of letter writing and the steps taken from collecting to processing to delivering the mail. Weiser urged children to be safe by staying away from postal vehicles and asked them to keep safe our carriers by putting their dog in a separate room before opening the front door. He also stressed keeping their dog on a leash when taking a walk in the neighborhood. Photo: West Palm Beach Customer Relations Coordinator Curlita Rogers-Saunders

Memorial Day: Remembering Those Who Made the Ultimate Sacrifice

Arlington National Cemetery

Memorial Day is a federal holiday for remembering the people who died while serving in the country’s Armed Forces. The holiday, which is observed on the last Monday of May, originated as Decoration Day after the American Civil War in 1868, when the Grand Army of the Republic, an organization of Union veterans founded in Decatur, IL, established it as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the Union war dead with flowers.

 

By the 20th Century, competing Union and Confederate holiday traditions, celebrated on different days, had merged, and Memorial Day eventually extended to honor all Americans who died while in the military service. Many people visit cemeteries and memorials, particularly to honor those who have died in military service. Many volunteers place an American flag on each grave in national cemeteries.

Source: Wikipedia

Happy Birthday to Pearl Harbor Vet

Raymond Chavez displays some of the mail he has received in honor of his 105th birthday. The inset photo shows Max Raizada, the PO Box manager for Retail and Customer Service Operations who arranged a special honor for Chavez.

When Max Raizada learned USPS had an opportunity to honor the oldest known Pearl Harbor survivor, the PO Box program manager jumped at the chance.

Raymond Chavez was working on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, when Japanese fighter planes attacked.

To mark the survivor’s recent 105th birthday, the Spirit of Liberty Foundation, a group that honors veterans, asked USPS to locate a PO Box 105 to receive his cards.

Officials were hoping for a box near Chavez’s home in San Diego.

Raizada, who is part of Retail and Customer Service Operations, found 119 Post Offices in California with the box number, but most were already in use.

Then he located an available box at the Cardiff By the Sea Post Office, about 24 miles from Chavez.

Raizada felt the town’s name was a fitting tribute to the Navy veteran’s service and arranged for the foundation to rent the box.

Since receiving PO Box 105 in March, Chavez has received more than 1,000 birthday letters and cards from well-wishers, including four former presidents. He also received an autographed book from Tom Brokaw.

The Pearl Harbor survivor remains humble.

“I didn’t do that much,” he said. “I just did my job, and I’ve gotten old.”
Raizada was happy to help.

“Most of us don’t get a chance to honor our veterans personally,” he said. “Honoring our veterans is a matter of pride to me.”

Employees who wish to send a card can mail it to: Ray Chavez, PO Box 105, Cardiff By the Sea, CA 92007.

Source: LINK

WPB SSA Retires after 31 Years

West Palm Beach Main Office Sales and Services Associate Regina Betancourt (right) retired with 31 years of service. West Palm Beach Postmaster Robert Weiser (left) thanked her for her service and wished her well  in her retirement. Photo: West Palm Beach Customer Relations Coordinator Curlita Rogers-Saunders

Letter Carrier Food Drive

 

Quail Heights Branch Letter Carrier Kim Rivers (above) picked up a bag of non-perishable food donations from a Miami residence. Photo: Javier Rodriguez  

 

Palms Central Station Letter Carrier Lisa Mansour (above) was happy with the amount of canned goods donated from her West Palm Beach customers. Photo: West Palm Beach Customer Relations Coordinator Curlita Rogers-Saunders

 

Haverhill Branch Letter Carrier Linda Soto (above) returned to the station with many bags of non-perishable groceries collected for the Food Drive. Photo: West Palm Beach Customer Relations Coordinator Curlita Rogers-Saunders

 

Haverhill Branch Letter Carrier Cherry Parker (above) unloaded several containers of food donations from her postal vehicle. Photo: West Palm Beach Customer Relations Coordinator Curlita Rogers-Saunders

Snapper Creek Branch Letter Carrier Dwayne Johnson (above) picked up canned goods from Miami customers on his route. Photo: Miami Customer Relations Coordinator Mirtha Uriarte

 

Palm Beach Gardens Branch Letter Carrier Jeguerly Solis (above) unloaded several containers of non-perishable food collected on his route. Photo: West Palm Beach Customer Relations Coordinator Curlita Rogers-Saunders
 

 

Palm Beach Gardens Branch Letter Carrier Lori Gensler (above) appreciated customers who donated items to the 25^th Annual Letter Carrier Food Drive. Photo: West Palm Beach Customer Relations Coordinator Curlita Rogers-Saunders