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| Letter Carrier Mark Gourley in his elf outfit. |
By Andy Fillmore
Correspondent
SILVER SPRINGS SHORES — Letter carrier Mark Gourley, known this time of year as the “Elf Mailman,” would have a heap of trouble sneaking up on anyone.
It's not just the red elf jumper with suspenders, the full-length green and white striped elf leggings, the red elf hat and the special shoes he dons for at least two weeks during Christmas season.
It's those big, noisy elf bells on his feet.
“People mention they hear the bells all the time,” said Gourley, 51, who has dressed like this during Christmas for the past six years.
The get-up is Gourley's way of spreading holiday cheer — even if all he has for you in his mail sack is a pile of bills.
Gourley's wife, Wendy, said the elf outfit was the result of a friendly seasonal costume competition among employees at the Maricamp Road branch of the U.S. Post Office.
“It started with bells,” she said, “and escalated.”
“The kids love it. They look for him coming along the route. If he wears the elf costume at a place like Walmart, everyone asks to take a picture with him,” she said.
Mark Gourley commented on the costume challenge that launched the elf look.
“I started doing this basically because someone said I wouldn't do it,” he said on a recent day after finishing his route.
“He sure brings a smile to your face,” said Ashley Huff, whose three children — Jayleigh Scott, 9, Jordyn Scott, 7, and Nevaeh Huff, 6 — “go crazy” when they hear the mailman pulling up to their home.
While making his rounds recently the kids piled out to see the elf. One even clutched the family cat, Tigress.
Ashley Huff's mother and the children's grandmother, June Huff, said both adults and kids like to see 'Mark the mailman.'
“The kids go crazy when he comes around; he makes everyone smile,” June Huff said.
On a recent day Gourley stopped to greet a young boy and his mother when he passed them near Wings of Faith Church, which is on his route.
The youth, Dylan Kucharck, chuckled at the elf when Gourley said he was a friend of Santa's.
People driving by Gourley as he delivers the mail often honk or wave.
“I don't think I could wear one of those outfits myself,” Wendy Gourley said.
The Gourleys live in Fort McCoy. He has been with the Postal Service about 14 years.
“As a rural carrier I'm not required to wear a uniform, but I had to get permission to wear this get-up. The first time I asked my supervisor he didn't really think I would do it,” Gourley said with a laugh.
Co-worker Cheryl Hopkins said Gourley is the only postal worker at the branch who dresses up in full seasonal costume.
“He's got the spirit,” Hopkins said.
Gourley said one of his favorite elf memories was when he had to take a certified (letter) to a door for a signature.
“A little girl answered the door and stared at me and shouted back to her mom, 'There's an elf at the door,' and the mother said, 'Yeah, yeah, and stayed on her cellphone until she also came to the door,” Gourley said.
When asked why he doesn't dress up like Santa, Gourely said with a wry look it was because elves are a bit “mischievous.”
“Actually, I wanted to dress up like Baby New Year,” he confessed. “But they wouldn't let me.”
