County Post Masters offer challenge to employees

    A once-in-a-lifetime economic crisis. Shocking failures of venerable financial institutions. Two overseas wars. Energy costs causing unprecedented hardship in Maine and elsewhere.     Where does one turn for a ray of hope under such dark clouds of gloom and cynicism? One place you can find it is actually many, and it might be unexpected to some: It’s at local Post Offices throughout the County.
    That’s where you’ll find members of the “Crown of Maine Quality of Work Life Team.” Composed of rural letter carriers and management officials, its objective is to keep open the lines of communication, to make their busy jobs easier and, consequently, improve mail service levels to their customers. Original and creative thinking is not unusual when they meet, and sometimes, their goal of improving their jobs also brings satisfying benefits that extend beyond the workplace, and to the spirit.
    Such is the case when then Postal Service focuses its effort on selling its popular Breast Cancer Research stamp. Since its inception in 1998, more than 823.7 million of the “semi-postal” stamps have been sold. Offered at a premium ranging from six to eight cents above the price of regular postage, the extra pennies are donated to breast cancer research. Despite the extra cost, the stamp remains popular because it’s a tangible way for customers to express support for loved ones with the disease. To date, the stamp has raised nearly $62.5 million for breast cancer research.
    The Quality of Work Life team began working on a flyer to promote the cause during October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness month. “I contacted area postmasters to find out if there were any employees who were breast cancer survivors,” Stockholm Postmaster Cynthia Harvey said. She learned that Sharon Crane, a recently-appointed Postmaster in Easton who had been the supervisor in the Presque Isle Post Office, and Rita Anderson, the Postmaster Relief in New Sweden are both survivors.
    “They have been through a life-changing experience. We thought that promoting the Breast Cancer Research stamp would not just raise money for the cause, but it also could show them that their fellow workers are aware of their experience and that they have our support,” Harvey said.
    The team came up with a challenge to the 175 employees in Aroostook County Post Offices: for each to purchase at least one sheet of Breast Cancer Research stamps, with the Postmaster buying the first sheet. “In little more than a week since the challenge went out to the offices, the response has been great,” she said. “Postmasters say they have bought their sheet of stamps and that their employees will be following suit. We expect to raiseover $600 for breast cancer researach,” she said.