VMF helps Jacksonville students celebrate Transportation Week

The North Florida District Jacksonville Vehicle Maintenance Facility held its fourth annual Vehicle Fair recently, this year at Jacksonville's Love Grove Elementary School. 

The district was acknowledging National Defense Transportation Week (May 12-18) as proclaimed by President Obama.

The President called upon all Americans to recognize the importance of our nation's transportation infrastructure and to recognize the contributions of those who build, operate, and maintain it.

Vehicle Auto Mechanic Dan Camacho spoke with Love Grove students about how he keeps the mail moving by servicing the Postal fleet.

“It is important for the kids to know that transportation gets them to and from school. It also allows them to see a different area of Postal Service and how it plays an important role to keep the mail moving," said Camacho.

Camacho was well prepared with a vehicle tour of an LLV and USPS gifts for the students.

Ocala Main and Ocala Paddock lead district with PEG Success

In recent PEG Safety audits, Ocala Main Post Office and Ocala Paddock Station each received a North Florida District high 97% on their evaluations.

The Safety and Health Program Evaluation Guide (PEG) includes criteria on contractor compliance with OSHA regulations. These are derived from OSHA guidance, an anticipated OSHA standard on safety and health programs, and OSHA's published citation policy on multi-employer worksites. The PEG - including standards, tests, and measurement criteria - is used to evaluate facility safety and health programs as required in the ELM. The evaluations focus on facility-level programs.

The PEG safety program covers everything from employee involvement to building hazards and inspections. In addition to the record breaking PEG score, Ocala Paddock is also a VPP site, recognized for outstanding performance and attention to safety by OSHA.

According to Officer-In-Charge Ron Jarrell, “The key to Ocala’s success is the commitment and importance all employees place on safety in the workplace. Craft and management work together to identify and correct hazards so everyone can go home after a day’s work uninjured and well.”

The Facility Safety Coordinators at Ocala Main and Paddock, Monique Foster and Toni Eckert put together the PEG and ensure the checklists and plans are followed in each office. Also assisting with the PEG success in each office was Maintenance employee Shawana Pinellas and Paddock Manager Bob Henriques.

Two Georgia rural carriers reach 1 million safe miles

Two more Georgia letter carriers were recently honored for achieving one million miles of safe driving.

Lizella, GA Rural carrier Marisa Mitchell has been employed with the Postal Service for 30 years, all in Lizella.

She was an RCA for 13 years and the remaining 17 years served as a regular carrier. She is pictured with Lizella Postmaster Dion Corbin.

Monticello GA Rural Carrier Thomas Loyd Burrell received both the million mile award and a 35 year service award recently.

He entered on duty as an RCA in1978 and became a regular carrier in1986.
He has spent his entire career in Monticello, GA.  Pictured are Mr. Burrell and Monticello OIC Bob Jordan.

The Million Mile Club is the National Safety Council’s highest safety honor among professional drivers and recognizes drivers who have driven more than one million miles or more than 30 years without a preventable accident.

The United States Postal Service and the National Safety Council have teamed up to promote and ensure the safety and health of the USPS workforce nationwide.

As a long-standing member of the National Safety Council, the United States Postal Service has established an agreement with the Council that entitles all facilities to take advantage of member benefits in an effort to prevent unintentional injury and illness.

Eligible postal employee participants of the Safe Driver Award Program include those who have a normal daily assignment that involves the driving of a motor vehicle for official business use, and who have not had their driving privilege revoked or suspended.

Panhandle PCC explains IMb to Pensacola mailers

The Panhandle Postal Customer Council in Pensacola FL held its annual general membership meeting and free Spring breakfast seminar earlier this month with 45 local business mailers.

Speakers included District Manager Charley Miller who discussed the State of the Postal Service and Marketing Manager Lucious Sumlar.

The featured speaker was Jermaine Person, Mailpiece Design Analyst, from Macon GA, who provided step-by-step instructions to help us prepare for Implementation of Full Service IMb.

Attendees learned about what IMb is, why it is important to their business and to the Postal Service.

Person also explained the nuts and bolts of IMb--how it works, what is costs, software/hardware needs and the benefits for mailers and customers.

 

Jermaine Person

 

Pensacola Postmaster Stanley Walker

Mark Sullivan reaches 40 years of service

District Manager Charley Miller congratulates Mark Sullivan, Labor Relations Specialist by recognizing his completion of more than 40 years of dedicated service.

Mark’s career includes assignments as a Distribution Window Clerk in Milford, CT; General Supervisor Delivery and Collection in Whitter, California; Postmaster, Rogue River, OR; and Manager, Customer Service Medford, OR. 

He then accepted a position in the Labor Relations office. His contribution to the Labor Relations function has been immediate and is greatly appreciated.

Mary Esther FL retail team achieves 10th perfect score

 

The Mary Esther FL Post Office was honored recently for achieving their 10th RCE perfect score in a row. 

The award was presented by Post Office Operations Manager Keith Pierle to Postmaster Carol Smith, and clerks Leanna Davis, Carolann Davis, Martha Lambert, Trina Brown, and James Buchanan.

The Retail Customer Experience gives the Postal Service an objective view of our retail locations.

It can be used as a real-time snapshot of a customer interaction. It is not just about the score.

It is even more important that the results drive changes in behavior that will result in improved customer satisfaction and increased retail revenue.

The attributes measured in the Mystery Shopper program should become so commonplace to our everyday performance that if the program were to end tomorrow, it would not change the customer's retail experience in any way.

Mystery shoppers record how long they spent in line, how the retail unit looked, how courteous the retail associates were, and other details about their visit.

Keystone Heights FL Post Office focus 'fits' younger customers

SSA Ted Stanley, of the Keystone Heights Post Office, helps a young customer mail a package to her aunt in a priority box.  She purchased Ready Post bubble wrapping material as well. 

Keystone Heights FL Postmaster Steve Marcus knows a good slogan when he sees one.  Remember "If it fits, it ships."

"I love seing younger people (under 30 years old) coming to the Post Office to mail packages," said Marcus.  "They usual have a deer in the headlights look about them."

So Marcus worked with his staff to focus on younger customers to treat them extra special since it may be the first time they have visited the Post Office.

"I want them to feel comfortable so that they will come back," he said.

It must be working since a young man recently to the Post Office knowing only one thing about mailing a package:  "If it fits, it ships!"

And Marcus assessment of the slogan: "This is the most successful campaign we ever had."  The proof is in the customer feedback.

NFL District communities meet food drive challenge

The U.S. Postal Service and the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) conducted the nation’s largest single-day food drive on Saturday, May 11.

Communities all across the North Florida District participated in this annual event which provides food to local food banks and pantries that rely heavily on donations.

With more than 50 million Americans living at risk of hunger, food banks across the country continue to experience record demand for emergency food assistance.

Local letter carriers along with nation’s 175,000 letter carriers collected food donations left at the mailboxes of generous Americans in more than 10,000 communities and delivered them to food banks and other hunger relief organizations, such as pantries, soup kitchens and shelters.

Now in its 21st year, the Stamp Out Hunger food drive is the nation’s largest single-day food drive, having collected more than one billion pounds of food since its inception in 1993. In 2012, generous Americans donated more than 70 million pounds of food, which marked the ninth consecutive year that at least 70 million pounds were collected.

Here are some of the outstanding efforts in local communities:

 

Jesup GA--10,000+ lbs

 Warrenville SC--1,750+ lbs

McRae GA--3,000+ lbs

Sandersville GA--500+lbs

Beaufort SC Postmaster reaps rewards of patience with customer

Beaufort SC Postmaster Rick Reed recently spoke with an angry customer who assumed the Postal Service of manipulating her mail pieces, stealing the contents and not delivering the mail .

He  took her service complaint as she made the accusations and was adamant of her feelings and then made contact with the delivery units of addressees only to find that the mail had bad addresses.  

After explaining his findings, the customer apologized for her accusation.  

"I thought it was a done deal." said Reed  "However, she showed up  later with the pictured gesture items of appreciation. "

Nice work Postmaster Reed. 

Employees celebrate service anniversaries

Recently, the North Florida District recognized three Jacksonville employees who celebrated significant service anniversaries.

City Letter Carrier Lewis Benton received his 45-year service award and commented: “I love my job. My attitude about work has not changed over these 45 years, and the best part is the family atmosphere- -it keeps me committed.” 

Also recognized were Supervisor Distribution Operations Gregory Smith,  and Maintenance Mechanic  Clifford Beaugrand,  for achieving 40 years of service.   

USPS recognizes career employees with service award pins at the 25, 30, 35, 40 and 45 years of creditable government service. 

These awards are not to be taken lightly as many of our employees retire or leave military service prior to beginning work with the USPS.    

All of the employees recognized have built their careers in different areas, yet they have demonstrated their abilities to remain committed.  

District Manager, Charley Miller visited the offices to congratulate and thank each employee.

Clifford Beaugrand, MPE 

Gregory Smith, SDO

        
      

Lewis Benton, City Letter Carrier

           

Sopchoppy FL Post Office honors fisherman's favorite worm

Nelle McCall (left), recognized as a founder of the Sopchoppy Worm Gruntin'
Festival, with Sopchoppy Postmaster Renee Temples.

The 13th Annual Worm Gruntin’ Festival was held recently in Sopchoppy FL and the U.S. Post Office on Wheels was there to celebrate with full service including a special pictorial postmark.

Located 35 miles South and 100 years behind Tallahassee, Sopchoppy is known as the Worm Gruntin’ capital. 

There and in the Apalachicola National Forest is the only place in the southeastern U.S. where you can find the earthworm known as "diplocardia mississippiensis", which has 16 hearts each the size of a pinhead and is sought after by fishermen because it does not go limp in the water or easily wilt in the sun. 

The Sopchoppy Worm Gruntin' Festival has received commentary and notoriety including coverage by the Associated Press, United Press International, St. Petersburg Times, Miami Herald, and Tallahassee Democrat. 

There has also been extensive TV coverage including ABC's On the Road with Charles Kurault, Assignment America with Steve Hartman, Discovery Channel's Dirty Jobs, and on the Canadian Broadcast Corporation. 

The postmark will be available until May 13, 2013.  Please send your requests to:

POSTMASTER
2284 SOPCHOPPY HWY
SOPCHOPPY FL 32358

REMINDER: NALC food drive set for Saturday, May 11

Once a year, Postal Service letter carriers go the extra mile in the fight against hunger by participating in the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive.  This year, letter carriers will pick up nonperishable food donations left at residential mailboxes on Saturday, May 11.  The goal is to collect 400,000 pounds of food for Second Harvest North Florida.

Although the NALC effort is a national event, much of the food donated in the Jacksonville area will directly benefit the Second Harvest North Florida, which provides food to more than 450 community programs such as church pantries, soup kitchens, homeless shelters and senior citizen centers in 17 counties. The NALC Food Drive provides much-needed food during the typically lean summer months when children are not in school.

The need for food continues to rise – from 6.62 million pounds distributed in 2007 to 22 million last year.  One in six adults and one in four children in north Florida do not know when or from where their next meal will come.  Fifty-five percent of all schoolchildren attending Duval County Public Schools are eligible for free or reduced-fee meals.  Their families struggle to feed them over the summer when school meals aren’t available.

This will be the 21st annual "Stamp Out Hunger," which is the largest one-day food drive in the United States. Residents receive a postcard reminder in their mailbox during the week leading up to the event. They are asked to leave nonperishable food donations in bags or boxes by their mailboxes, which will be picked up by their Postal Service letter carriers as they deliver mail on their routes.

Hundreds of volunteers and Second Harvest staff wait eagerly at postal distribution centers to receive the donated food from the letter carriers.  They sort the food and send it to Second Harvest’s warehouse so that more volunteers and staff can begin preparing it for distribution.

“We are so appreciative of the extra work that the letters carriers take on in picking up this food,” Ganger said.  “There is no way that we could secure all this food in one day without their help.  We hope they finish an exceptionally long and hard day knowing that they have helped feed hungry children and their families.”

Postal worker retires in Gulf Breeze 41 years and one million miles later

BY MATT PELLEGRINO Gulf Breeze News

Gary Rhodes smiles during his going away party on March 27. Rhodes retired from the
GB Post Office after 41 years. Photo by Mat Pellegrino | GBN

If there’s one thing that Gary Rhodes has seen throughout his life, it’s been change.

A change in the Gulf Breeze area, the color of his hair, and the cost of a stamp.

And now, the Gulf Breeze resident wants something else in his life to change: what he does with his days.

That’s because the postal worker decided to hang up his hat after 41 years, and nine months of service with the postal service.

The local post office held a retirement celebration for the worker on March 27, presenting him with some overdue thanks.

That included a check from the United States Postal Service for one million miles on the force with no traffic accidents.

Rhodes said that he was excited to get the check because it was something he had waited on for some time.
When Rhodes started on the force four decades ago, there were a total of nine routes in Gulf Breeze. Now, there are 24 routes in Gulf Breeze alone.

A lot of Rhodes’ co-workers said he hardly missed any days of work.

The native showed his age when he admitted Buddy Anderson was the post master when he started working.

The current postmaster, Val Johnson said she knew Rhodes for almost a decade, and was proud that he served the Gulf Breeze Post Office for so long.

Rhodes officially hung up his hat on March 28.

Quincy Post Office receives first perfect score for passport office

Pictured, left to right,  are Retail Clerks Jeanie Green, Justin Wells, and Julia “Granma” Wilson.

The Quincy, FL Post Office is the first Passport Application Acceptance Facility throughout Florida, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands to receive a perfect score on the 2013 Acceptance Facility Oversight Program “Acceptance Facility Review Report”.   

Earlier this month the Quincy Post Office underwent an Oversight Assessment by the US Department of State, Passport Agency.  

This assessment  consists of one-on-one interviews with the Facility Manager, inspections of facility space and security features as well as real-time observations of Acceptance Agents accepting and executing passport applications from the general public.  

With nearly 300 Facilities in the Miami Passport Agency’s Region having undergone the same rigorous assessment, it is no small feat to be recognized as one of the best.

Columbus million milers have tips for safe driving

City carrier Robert 'Bob' Swint started carrying mail in Columbus in 1979. He says always watching the other drivers is the best way to stay safe.

City Carrier William 'Norman' Wise started his career in Phoenix City, AL in 1979. In 1980 he decided to carry mail and transferred to Columbus. He credits his success to always being aware of those around you and to realize you don't know what they are going to do.

Rural carrier David Thompson has been carrying mail for 34 years in Columbus. He said he thought he would retire before seeing this award. He says paying attention to his surroundings is the secret to his success.

The Million Mile Club is the National Safety Council’s highest safety honor among professional drivers and recognizes drivers who have driven more than one million miles or more than 30 years without a preventable accident.

The United States Postal Service and the National Safety Council have teamed up to promote and ensure the safety and health of the USPS workforce nationwide.

As a long-standing member of the National Safety Council, the United States Postal Service has established an agreement with the Council that entitles all facilities to take advantage of member benefits in an effort to prevent unintentional injury and illness.

Eligible postal employee participants of the Safe Driver Award Program include those who have a normal daily assignment that involves the driving of a motor vehicle for official business use, and who have not had their driving privilege revoked or suspended.

Ashburn carriers reach safe million mile mark

The employees of the Ashburn Post Office gathered  recently  to watch Ray Pritchard and Mary Ann Nolan receive the million mile award from Postmaster Wendy Spears.

Ray started with the Postal Service in December 1979. Mary Ann started in October 1980. They have both been rural carriers at the Ashburn Post Office their entire careers.

The Million Mile Club is the National Safety Council’s highest safety honor among professional drivers and recognizes drivers who have driven more than one million miles or more than 30 years without a preventable accident.

The United States Postal Service and the National Safety Council have teamed up to promote and ensure the safety and health of the USPS workforce nationwide.

As a long-standing member of the National Safety Council, the United States Postal Service has established an agreement with the Council that entitles all facilities to take advantage of member benefits in an effort to prevent unintentional injury and illness.

Eligible postal employee participants of the Safe Driver Award Program include those who have a normal daily assignment that involves the driving of a motor vehicle for official business use, and who have not had their driving privilege revoked or suspended.