BISMARCK POST OFFICE  - BEST FOOD DRIVE EVER!

L-R Dawn Sampson, Brant Buck, David Jones, John Payne, James Goff 

Bismarck Postal Employees collected approx. 3000 lbs of food during the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive. All collected food was donated to Hope Outreach Food Pantry.

The community really got involved with the food drive and utilized the orange bags distributed with the NALC post card. 

Hope Outreach Food Pantry would like to thank everyone involved, especially you for making this the best food drive ever.

NALC FOOD DRIVE A SUCCESS IN CENTRAL ARKANSAS

AR Governor Mike Beebe and NALC Food Drive Coordinator Phil Isgrig

AR Governor Mike Beebe and Clinton Elementary Student Council

Food collection at Clinton Elementary School

Food collection at Clinton Elementary School

This year marked the 22nd National Letter Carrier Food Drive Saturday, May 10 Carrier Food Drive.  

On Wednesday, May 7, Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe joined forces with the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), the Arkansas Foodbank, Feeding America, the AARP Foundation and others from the Arkansas Governor’s Conference Room, Arkansas Capitol Building, in Little Rock, AR to help spread the word to Stamp Out Hunger in Little Rock and throughout Arkansas on Saturday, May 10th. 

Governor Beebe was joined by Phil Isgrig, Little Rock Letter Carrier; Rhonda Sanders, CEO Arkansas Foodbank; Nan Selz, AARP State President; and Dominic Diamond, Clinton Elementary Student Council President.  

Following the Wednesday morning press conference, the Foodbank picked up food collected for the food drive at Little Rock’s Clinton Elementary School.

VILONIA POST OFFICE EMPLOYEES STAND STRONG

Vilonia Rural Carriers, left to right Jennifer Courtney, OIC Kim Moore, Jay Leifer, Kristie Loomis, Brandy Howard, Anna Barnard

Vilonia Post Office Flag battered, tattered, undefeated

re·sil·ient

riˈzilyənt/

adjective

1. (of a substance or object) able to recoil or spring back into shape after bending, stretching, or being compressed.

   synonyms:

   flexible, pliable, supple;

   • (of a person or animal) able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions.

     
     

     strong, tough, hardy;  quick to recover, buoyant, irrepressible "young and resilient" Resilient postal employees spring back from the F4 tornado destruction that damaged and destroyed many homes and business and took 16 lives throughout central Arkansas. Vilonia rural carriers continue to help bring a sense of normalcy in their community, simply by doing their job with excellence.

   • 
     

TORNADO DISASTER RELIEF

Chance Allmon, son of Betty Parrish  Murfreesboro Postmaster helps with "Never Thirst" in Vilonia

Many people across the state of Arkansas volunteered to help with the tornado disaster relief in affected areas.

Sarah Lane handing out gift cards in the west Little Rock area

Saturday, May 3, Kirk Lane, Sarah Lane, Brittany McDonald and Chenal Rural Carrier Diana Smith made 150 sack lunches topped off with an American flag napkin, cold Gatorade, water, chips and cookies. 

They used the Benton Police Dept’s Hummer to pass out the lunches to the volunteers and those affected by the tornado. Everyone was extremely grateful and many were waving their napkins around like flags. 

Benton Chief of Police Kirk Lane passed out several gift cards gathered by his department. The people in the rural area of Ferndale/Paron in Pulaski County received the assistance from Benton to help start the long road to recovery.  

U.S. Postal Service Brings Wonder and Amazement to Town with New Limited-Edition Vintage Circus Posters Forever Stamps Stamps Available Today Online and at Post Offices Nationwide

SARASOTA, FL — Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, Children Of All Ages… step right up and share the magic of the circus as the U.S. Postal Service today issues the new, limited-edition Vintage Circus Posters Forever stamps. With the help of a Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey ringmaster and clowns, the new stamps were unveiled during an interactive stamp dedication ceremony held at The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art. Customers may purchase the stamps at usps.com/stamps, the Postal Store, at 800-STAMP24 (800-782-6724) and at Post Offices nationwide or visit ebay.com/stamps to shop for a wide variety of postage stamps and collectibles. The new Vintage Circus Posters Forever stamps are modeled after original circus posters — including those promoting the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus — and are now part of the Tibbals Digital Collection at The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art. “P.T. Barnum, the great American showman, businessman and founder of the Barnum & Bailey Circus, once wrote that ‘the noblest art is that of making others happy.’ At the Postal Service, we think these new stamps will do a spectacular job of doing just that,” said Ellen Williams, member, Board of Governors, U.S. Postal Service, in dedicating the new stamps. “We hope people will proudly display these new stamps on all their cards, letters and packages and, just like the circus does, we hope they will bring joy, wonder and amazement into the lives of everyone who receives them.” Joining Williams to dedicate the stamps were Mark Riddell, national public relations director, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus; Steven High, executive director, The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art; and David Shipman, ringmaster for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Presents Super Circus Heroes. The circus has brought together Americans of all ages and walks of life to watch the amazing acts and let imaginations soar. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, companies such as Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey used evocative posters to let people know that an exciting attraction was coming to town. “The magic of the circus is celebrated here every day at The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, the estate of the Circus King John Ringling,” said High. “There is no better place to issue stamps honoring circus history than in Sarasota, the Circus Capital of the World. We are grateful for the philanthropic efforts of Howard and Janice Tibbals, whose collection and life’s work including their namesake building on our campus ensures that the legacy of the American circus will never be forgotten.” “We are honored to be a part of this celebration along with our partners at the U.S. Postal Service and The Ringling Museum. At Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey we create circus legends, The Ringling Museum preserves the history and now the U.S. Postal Service celebrates that history and honors the legacy of the circus,” said Nicole Feld, executive vice president for Feld Entertainment and producer of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. About the Vintage Circus Posters Forever Stamps The Vintage Circus Posters Forever stamps pay tribute to the wonder and amusement of the circus which Americans have enjoyed since the late 18th century. This pane of 16 self-adhesive stamps features reproductions of eight vintage circus posters. In the 19th century, lithography became the medium of choice for poster artists. The Amazing American Circus Poster, a book featuring the work of the Strobridge Lithographing Company, describes the process as being “based on the principle that oil and water do not mix.” Using grease crayon or liquid, the artist applied the design in reverse onto a flat surface such as limestone. A chemical process fixed that grease image to the plate, making it receptive to holding ink. Then, the surface was moistened, covered with an oil-based ink and printed onto paper. During the process, the wet, blank areas repelled the ink. Companies such as Strobridge and Erie Lithographing & Printing created bright, detailed works of art that were displayed prominently in cities and towns across the United States. These posters were not simply modest, restrained ads either. They were big and bold — just like the circuses they touted. Poster size was measured by the “sheet.” A sheet was 42 inches by 28 inches (or vice versa). But posters didn't stop at one sheet. There were two-sheet, three-sheet, four-sheet and even 12-sheet, 24-sheet and 100-sheet posters, which covered entire sides of buildings. The language incorporated on the posters was usually as colorful as the images it described. These eye-popping late 19th and early 20th century posters showcased majestic elephants, fierce tigers and colorful clowns, alongside acts such as acrobatic gymnasts, graceful wire dancers and daring stuntmen. Colorful clowns were also poster mainstays. “Clowns might easily thrive outside the circus,” The Amazing American Circus Poster states, “but the idea of a circus without clowns is almost inconceivable.” Each stamp features one vintage circus poster. The pane's verso text includes a brief discussion of the history and purpose of circus posters. The selvage features an image of a circus entrance shot by photographer Edward J. Kelty in 1937. Art director Greg Breeding worked on the stamp pane with designer Jennifer Arnold. Customers may view many of this year’s other stamps on Facebook facebook.com/USPSStamps, Twitter @USPSstamps, Pinterest pinterest.com/uspsstamps, Instagram instagram.com/uspostalservice or on uspsstamps.com, the Postal Service’s online site for information on upcoming stamp subjects, first-day-of-issue events and other philatelic news. Ordering First-Day-of-Issue Postmarks Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at local Post Offices, at The Postal Store at usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-STAMP-24. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes to themselves or others and place them in larger envelopes addressed to: Vintage Circus Posters Postmaster 1661 Ringling Blvd Sarasota, FL 34230-9998 After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. For more than 50, the price is five cents each. All orders must be postmarked by July 4, 2014. Ordering First-Day Covers The Postal Service also offers first-day covers for new stamp issues and Postal Service stationery items postmarked with the official first-day-of-issue cancellation. Each item has an individual catalog number and is offered in the quarterly USA Philatelic catalog, online at usps.com/shop or by calling 800-782-6724. Customers may request a free catalog by calling 800-782-6724 or writing to: U.S. Postal Service Catalog Request PO Box 219014 Kansas City, MO 64121-9014 Philatelic Products There are 10 philatelic products for this stamp issue: 472104, Pane of 16 with selvage, $7.84 472106, Press Sheet with die cuts, $47.04 (print quantity of 2,500) 472108, Press Sheet without die cuts, $47.04 (print quantity of 2,500) 472110, Keepsake (Pane of 16, 1 random single Digital Color Postmark), $9.95 472116, First-Day Cover (set of 8), $7.44 472118, Full Pane First-Day Cover, $10.34 472119, Cancelled Full Pane, $10.34 472121, Digital Color Postmark (set of 8), $13.12 472130, Ceremony Program random single, $6.95 472124, Framed Art, $39.95 The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations. # # # Please Note: For broadcast quality video and audio, photo stills and other media resources, visit the USPS Newsroom at about.usps.com/news/welcome.htm. For reporters interested in speaking with a regional Postal Service public relations professional, please go to about.usps.com/news/media-contacts/usps-local-media-contacts.pdf. Follow us on twitter.com/USPS and like us at facebook.com/USPS. For more information about the Postal Service, go to usps.com and usps.com/postalfacts.

GREENWOOD RURAL CARRIER MISTY TEAGUE HONORED AS A HERO

Misty Teague, Greenwood Rural Carrier recently received a letter from Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe commending her for quick action in helping a customer.

"I want to commend your selfless display of civic duty.  You deserve the highest level of admiration for alerting a business owner that a fire he left unattended had spread out of control, and you called the fire department.  Your actions resulted in this emergency situation having a positive outcome.  Thank you for being the eyes and ears of your community."

Congratulations and thank you Misty!

LITTLE ROCK MAIN OFFICE PASSPORT AGENT RECOGNIZED FOR PROFESSIONALISM

Little Rock Passport Agent Owen White often receives compliments and positive comments regarding his enthusiasm and professionalism.  

"His office is a reflection of his passion for travel and excellence in his position as a passport agent," one customer stated. "He has flags from several countries, clocks that reflect the different time zones and a map that displays the countries from which the customer is from, and has filled out a passport application in Little Rock. The Postal Service should be proud of his commitment and positive attitude."