Delray Beach Carrier Palmer Aids Elderly Customer on Route

Delray Beach Letter Carrier Tim Palmer quickly responded to a cry for help on his route. 

A high school student walking in the area got his attention and asked him to help an elderly woman lying on her patio.  Tim helped stabilize the woman and called 9-1-1.  He then shaded her from the sun while he and the student waited for the ambulance to come until help arrived.  The elderly woman is could have possibly spent hours by herself in agony without Tim’s assistance as she lives alone.  The customer is recovering from broken hip in a rehabilitation facility.

Employee Benefits Fairs Coming to a Post Office Near You

Open Season for health, dental, and vision insurance (and Flexible Spending Accounts) will be from November 11 through December 9. 

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has announced the average premium rate for the 8.2 million people covered by the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program will increase by 3.7 percent in 2014. 

The average premium increase for the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) will be less than one percent for dental coverage and average premiums for vision benefits  will decrease by 1.3 percent.

Off-the-clock Employee Benefits Fairs open to all employees are scheduled as follows:

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4

West Palm Beach P&DC Cafeteria, 3200 Summit Blvd, West Palm Beach

6:30 am – 10:30 am and 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5

International Service Center Cafeteria, 11698 NW 25 Street, Miami

6:30 am – 10:30 am and 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6

South Florida L&DC Cafeteria, 5500 NW 142 Street, Opa Locka                                           6:30 am – 10:30 am and 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7

Miami P&DC Cafeteria, 2200 NW 72 Avenue, Miami

6:30 am – 10:30 am and 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8

Ft Lauderdale Hub Cafeteria, 1900 W Oakland Park Blvd, Ft Lauderdale

6:30 am – 10:30 am and 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Former South Florida P&DC Cafeteria, 16000 Pines Blvd, Pembroke Pines

(No fair scheduled, but pamphlets will be available.)

They're in the Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness 'Race for the Cure'

L to R:  Georgia Winfield, Jann Miller, Joe Croce, and Dylan Croce "race for the cure" in downtown Miami.

Front:  Paul LaCentra

Back (L to R):  Marguerite Goulet, Patricia Barfield, Ileana Valdes, Georgia Winfield, Rose Mannisto, Mary Jane LaCentra, Diana Segreto, Jann Miller, Maxx-Anne Miller, and Marsha Hennessey.

Manager, Human Resources, Jann Miller and daughter, Maxx-Anne show their support for breast cancer research.  

The Miami group participated with the Coral Gables Sr. High School, Gablettes Team (shown in this picture), Coral Gables Post Office Clerk, Ana Mendez, Charles Noguera, Nicole Vilar, Kimberley Perera, Allyssa Dobkins, Claudia Perez, Carolina Cancela, Dayde Moreno, Natalie Pacheco, Sasha Teman, Alexis Mendez, Gablette Team Captain,  Estrella Noguera, Miami OIC, Administrative Assistant and her son Edward Noguera.

Article & Photos by Mirtha Uriarte, Customer Relations Coordinator, Miami

The Susan G. Komen foundation and the U.S. partnered again this year in the fight against breast cancer’s “Race for the Cure.”  Susan G. Komen foundation is on their 18^th year of raising money for breast cancer research. 

This year's race included over 20,000 participants.  Some participants walk, others run and then there are some that cannot make it on the day of the race and register as “Sleep in for the Cure.”

“The importance is that we’re ‘making a difference,” said Captain Marguerite Goulet.  “The South Florida District’s ‘Dream Team’ participated and raised $704 which was 70% of their goal.”  

This year District Dream Team members included Gwendolyn Banks, Patricia Barfield, Dylan Croce, Joseph Croce, Bernardo Deoleo, Astrid Flemmings, Reynaldo Flemings, Marguerite Goulet, Nicole Goulet, Marsha Hennessey, Michael Hennessey, Debbie Hobbs, Mary Jane LaCentra, Paul LaCentra, Charise Lindo, Rose Mannisto, Barbara McCall, Jann Miller, Maxx-Anne Miller, Pretti McNeil, Tayloria McPhee-Johnson, Patricia Nolan, Phyllis Pierre, Katherine Preston, Diana Segreto, Paul Sirois, Iliana Valdes, Juan Vazquez, Georgia Winfield, and Sheia Wright.

The Miami group participated with the Coral Gables Sr. High School, Gablettes Team.  Participants included Miami Officer-In-Charge Administrative Assistant Estrella Noguera, along with her sons Charles and Edward Noguera, and Coral Gables Clerk Ana Mendez and daughter, Alexis, who is captain of the Gablettes.  

All in the Family

Ernie Cintado, Manager, Customer Service Operations, North, tells granddaughter Lola about the benefits of Priority Mail service, reminder her that the boxes are free!

Grandpa Ernie (center) takes time from his busy schedule to visit his granddaughter, Lola (center) and classmates, along with their teacher, Ms. Karina.  Is the Postal Service in Lola's future?

Ernie Cintado, Manager, Customer Service Operations, North visited Ocean Reef Academy in Bay  Harbour Islands, FL where his granddaughter Lola attends.  Cintado provided the children with the opportunity to peak inside the Long Life Vehicle (LLV).  He also explained the details of how mail was processed and delivered to each of their homes.  Cintado gave the children postal coloring books and magnets of cuddly puppies and kittens. 

“The kids were super excited to learn about the Postal Service and see the vehicle used to deliver their mail,” said Cintado.

He also promised the children he would return during the holidays to pick up their Santa letters and personally send them to the North Pole. 

Safety in Sunrise

(L to R) Fred Dino, Safety Specialist; Ed Drozdowski, Acting Fast Team Leader; Scott Bower, Postmaster, Fort Lauderdale; Tammie Jo Cadwell, NALC 2550 Branch President; Sunrise Letter Carrier Becky Morgenbesser,  and Sunrise Manager, Customer Services, Johnson D'Souza.

Sunrise Letter Carrier Becky Morgenbesser was presented with an "Excellence in Safety” Award. Becky

has maintained an excellent safety record since becoming a city letter carrier in 1981.  Johnson D’Souza, Manager, Customer Services, nominated Becky for recognition. “She always follows all safety rules and regulations,” he said.

There's a New Face in Hollywood

There's a new face in the South Florida District --- David Guiney is Hollywood Postmaster.

As Postmaster of the 12^th largest city in Florida, Guiney will lead a team of 532 dedicated postal employees who are committed delivering outstanding service to their customers in Hollywood, Miramar, Pembroke Park, Pembroke Pines, West Park, and a portion of Cooper City.

Guiney began his career as a letter carrier in Cambridge, Massachusetts in1986.  Nine years later, he joined the managerial ranks as Supervisor, Distribution Operations, at the Boston Processing and Distribution Center.  Throughout his career, Guiney has held many positions with increased levels of responsibility including Manager, Customer Service in the Greater Boston area --- Fenway Park Station, Fort Point Station, Malden Station, Melrose Station, Central Square Cambridge Station, and Wellesley Hills Station.  In 2007 he was promoted to Postmaster, Portland, ME, in the Northern New England District.  Most recently, Guiney completed an extended detail assignment as Officer-In-Charge, New Haven, CT, in the Connecticut Valley District.

Our new Hollywood Postmaster is a 2013 graduate of the Advanced Leadership Program and is a Corporate Succession Planning candidate.  He is enrolled in Lean Six Sigma training to finalize his Green Belt.   

Watson Named Plant Mgr, SFL L&DC

Jack R. Watson has been selected as Plant Manager, South Florida Logistics and Distribution Center.

In this position, Watson will be responsible for 789 employees in a facility that last year, processed approximately 477, 594,582 pieces of mail.  This  facility has a total operating budget of $84 million.

           

Watson began his career as a Multi-Position Letter Sorting Machine (MPLSM)/Distribution Clerk in 1983.   Seven years later, he became Supervisor, Mails, Fort Lauderdale, FL.  He continued to accept positions of increased responsibility --- Supervisor, Distribution Operations; Manager, Distribution Operations; and Manager, Customer Services --- all in Fort Lauderdale.  In 2004, he became the Senior Manager, Distribution Operations at the North Metro facility in Duluth, GA.

In 2006, Watson was named Plant Manager, Augusta (GA) Processing and Distribution Facility.  Later, he was selected as Senior Plant Manager, Processing and Distribution Center, Detroit, MI.  In 2013, Watson returned to Florida as Plant Manager, South Florida L&DC, Opa Locka.

Watson is a graduate of the Advanced Leadership Program and the Executive Leadership Program.  He also is a certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt.  He served 20 years in the U.S. Army, achieving the rank of Master Sergeant.