Holiday Decor 'Delivers the Cheer'

Port St. Lucie customers are raving about the beautiful holiday decorations at the Midport Station. Manager, Customer Services Louis Esposito is grateful to wife, Arlene, and daughter, Amanda, for “delivering the cheer” this holiday season. Stop by the Post Office at 2255 SE Veterans Memorial Pkwy to see their artistic talents in person! Here's a sampling below:

 

 

 

 

Photos: Louis Esposito

Transportation 'Drives' the Holidays

Moving the mail throughout the city of Miami takes drivers who are happy. At the Miami Processing and Distribution Center (P&DC), the holiday spirit is contagious.

 

When asked what made them so happy about the holidays, Motor Vehicle Driver Juan Deya (above right), who has 18 years of service, said, "Making delivery to people who count on me."

 

"The best thing about the holidays at the plant is making it all possible. Even though it is the busiest season, I love the challenges," said Supervisor, Transportation Operations Berne Desilus (above left), who has 19 years of service.

 

Photo: Dr. Sharon Johnson

'Today' to Spotlight 'Operation Santa' and New York Postal Elves Tomorrow

 

 

"Today” Co-Host Hoda Kotb is joined by Sr. Public Relations Representative Darleen Reid-DeMeo, Acting Communications Programs Specialist Xavier Hernandez and Federal Compliance Chief Counsel Natalie Bonanno during the filming of the Operation Santa segment.

 

 

NBC’s “Today” will shine a spotlight on Operation Santa this week. 

 

The daily news show is slated to air a segment on the Postal Service holiday program Friday, December 16, sometime between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m.

 

Hoda Kotb, a “Today” co-host, taped the segment last week at the James A. Farley Post Office in New York City. The “Today” segment will show Kotb and a group of children reading letters and wrapping and mailing gifts.

 

Through Operation Santa, USPS employees, customers and groups help people in need by “adopting” their letters to St. Nick and granting their holiday wishes. The program began more than 100 years ago.

 

#PostalProud

New App is 'Freezin' Awesome!'

The Postal Service’s Delivercheer.com holiday website offers a free multi-media animated augmented reality smartphone (AR) app that builds excitement among senders and recipients of gifts mailed in Priority Mail boxes.

The app adds that special touch by delivering cheer when mailing and receiving holiday gifts via Priority Mail. In addition to offering this entertaining app,  Delivercheer.com allows you to buy stamps, order free boxes, schedule a free package pickup, find Post Office and collection box locations and determine mailing dates.

The App is easy to set-up

From a link on Delivercheer.com, download the free “USPS AR” app to your smartphone.

Once you open the app, align the brackets on your phone screen with the blue “track and insured” shield on a Postal Service Priority Box to trigger the experience.

The app creates an entertaining smartphone digital experience. There also are buttons at the bottom of the screen that allow you to take a still photo or a video of the experience with friends and family as it happens so that you can save it, send it, and even share it on social media.

The Experiences

For senders, there is a choice of animated messages designed to build excitement for the gift being mailed — a reindeer tangled in Christmas tree lights or a penguin and other wildlife huddled near an igloo.

For recipients, imagine a grandmother receiving a photo or video on her smartphone of her grandchild thanking her after opening a holiday gift. Recipients can easily do this with a choice of animated messages to say “Thank You” that can include a snowman or dancing or gingerbread characters.

FEDVIP Extends Deadline to Dec. 14

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management is giving federal employees more time to enroll, cancel or change their Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) coverage.

The deadline, originally slated for earlier this week, has been extended to Wednesday, Dec. 14, at 11:59 p.m. EST.

The FEDVIP site (https://benefeds.com/) is undergoing repairs to fix technical issues. To enroll or make changes, contact the BENEFEDS call center, which is open through Dec. 14.  The number is 877-888-3337.

This extension is only for FEDVIP. Open season for the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program and the flexible spending accounts program has not been extended.

Spirit Week at Royal Palm P&DC