Dallas, TX, Prestonwood Station Manager, Customer Services Jacqueline Minuette (left) presented Lead Retail Associate Callie Toney (center) and Letter Carrier Gregg Schlemmer (right) their 40-year Service Awards.

Dallas, TX, Manager, Customer Service Operations (MCSO) of Area 2 Rodrick Cole (far left) and Joe Pool Station Acting Manager, Customer Services Alexis Page (far right) presented Letter Carriers (from left) Lorenzo R. Credle, Harvey Ealum, and Timothy Harvey their 30, 35 & 40 Service Awards.  Timothy Harvey also received a Certificate of Appreciation for his military service with the U.S. Army.

Dallas, TX, Oaklawn Station Retail Associate Teresa Smith Anderson (right) received her 25-year Service Award from Manager, Customer Services Wayne Yu (left).

Dallas, TX, Vickery Station Retail Associate Aleyammma “Alice” John (left) received her 30-year Service Award from Supervisor, Customer Services Muhammad Jan (right).

A message from the Acting District Manager Scott Hooper…

Making Sure Every Vote Counts

With less than two weeks away before Election Day, November 6, 2018, it’s important to talk about our role in the democratic process. The Postal Service has a long, proud history of service to the nation. We are entrusted with securely delivering ballots to voters and getting those ballots back to election officials as swiftly as possible, to ensure every person’s vote counts.

All employees play a part to in making sure we are vigilant in identifying and properly handling election and political mail, all the way from the Business Mail Entry Units, to the plants, on the docks, in our vehicles, and at the delivery units.  Here are some important reminders:

Red Tag 57, for Political Mail, should be used for any political campaign mailing by a registered candidate, campaign committee, and committee of a political party.

This tag also can be used for a political message mailing by a political action committee (PAC), a super PAC or other organizations engaging in issue advocacy or voter mobilization.

Green Tag 191 should only be used to identify ballot mail addressed for domestic or international delivery.

If you handle mail, follow these tips to ensure Political Mail and Election Mail are properly processed and delivered:

• Use Tag 57 to properly identify, document and process Political Mail using your facility’s Political Mail log.

• Use Tag 191 to identify ballot mail, including sample ballots, and document this mail through your facility’s Election Mail log. All ballot mail is time sensitive and should be processed and delivered within USPS standards for items with paid postage.

• If you encounter Political Mail or Election Mail that isn’t identified with a tag, enter the mail information into the appropriate log and report the problem to your local Election Mail or Political Mail coordinator as soon as possible.

Thank you for keeping our country strong by ensuring both election and political mail are processed as quickly as possible so they can be delivered to America’s voters.

 

Dallas, TX, University Station Retail Associate Scott Menzdorf (second right) received his 35-year Service Award presented by (from left) Manager, Customer Services Rogenia Demus; Supervisors, Customer Services ShaRon Tolliver and Gregory Boswell.

Dallas, TX, Caesar Clark Station Lead Retail Associate Michael Jones (left) received his 35-year Service Award from Supervisor, Customer Services Alvin Daniels (right).

Lewisville, TX, Letter Carrier Mickey L. Hanes (above) received his “bling” for turning in a Customer Connect lead for a company called Texas Laser One which resulted in a sale of $53,000 of revenue for the Postal Service. 

Dallas, TX, Manager, Computerized Forwarding System Barrett Taylor (center) presented Joon H. Lee (left) and Lawanda F. Bell (right) received their 35-year Service Awards.

Dallas, TX, Spring Valley Station Retail Associate Janice Page (above) received her 45-year Service Award.

Carrollton, TX, (from left) Postmaster Darwin Adams presented Certificates of Appreciation to Letter Carrier Vernon E. Bell; Retail Associate Sabine Lagrave Grove; Letter Carriers Stacia Woodberry; and Calvin L. Carter for going above and beyond their daily duties and always willing to assist where they are needed.

Carrollton, TX, Main Post Office Lead Retail Associate Roman Hailemariam (right) received a Certificate of Appreciation from Postmaster Darwin Adams (left) for going above and beyond her daily duties and always willing to assist where she is needed.

The Dallas Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) kicked off their annual 2018 drive entitled “Show Some Love” on October 15, 2018 at the North Texas Processing Distribution Center.  Senior Plant Manager Larry Wagener (standing, center) welcomed CFC vendors and postal employees to its donation drive.

Dallas CFC District Coordinator Sonya Riser (standing, center) explained that USPS employees have the opportunity to support their favorite charities and help people who need it the most.  The United States Postal Service is the highest contributor to CFC every year.

North Texas Processing & Distribution Center (from left) Program Evaluation Guide Coordinator Rose Mary Greer; Mail Handler Equipment Operator Eddie Owens; and Mail Processing Clerk Charles Esters received vender information from charities at the CFC kick-off event.

Dallas CFC Loaned Executives Felicia Walton (left, green shirt) and Jeanette Lockhart (green shirt & hat) served popcorn to North Texas P&DC employees.

 

 

Duncanville, TX, Letter Carrier Ralph T. Fields (left) received his 25-year Service Award from Supervisor, Customer Services Scott McCain (right).   

Coppell, TX, Postmaster Ramona Rogers (right) received her 25-year Service Award from Acting Manager, Post Office Operations Amanda Morrell (left).

Coppell, TX, (from left) Retail Associates Brittini Hines; Marcus Jones; Sarita Tiwari; Jameel Kalimah; Postmaster Ramona Rogers; Retail Associates Hien Le; Abraham Lukose; Maria Wells; and Lunaria Flores proudly display their lobby decorations for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Carrollton, TX, Rosemeade Station Manager, Customer Services Jimmy Porter (left) and Lead Retail Associate Sabrina Reynolds (right) proudly display their lobby decorations for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  

Carrollton TX, Main Post Office (from left) Retail Associates Eboni Phillips, Hong Park, Heby Maliyil, Jim McCarthy, Roman Hailemariam, and Postmaster Darwin Adams proudly display their lobby decorations for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  

 

Coppell, TX, Retail Associate Abraham Lukose (center) received his second Gold Star Award from Postmaster Ramona Rogers (left) and Acting Manager, Post Office Operations Amanda Morrell (right) for a perfect transaction on a Retail Customer Experience.  He is proud to be a postal employee and enjoys giving exceptional customer service in a timely manner. 

It’s Time to Talk: Empowerment Starts with You ePromotion - Day 7

Day 7: Know Your Resources

Help is out there! 

Start the conversation and empower others to get the help they need and deserve.  An individual in distress may not know where to turn for help and you may be their best resource.  Keep these contacts available and add others you find may be helpful.

USPS EAP:  1 800 EAP-4YOU (1-800-327-4968) – 24/7 confidential counseling, support, and referrals for USPS employees and their family members; National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-TALK (8255) - 24/7, free, confidential support for those in distress and their families; SAMHSA National Helpline: 800-622-HELP (4357) - 24/7 treatment, referral, and information for individuals seeking mental/substance use disorder services; Imminent Danger: 911.

The EAP is a confidential resource providing professional counseling, referrals, and resource-finding services to USPS employees and their family members. The EAP can help find solutions. There are no out-of-pocket costs to use the EAP and licensed professional counselors are available by phone and in private offices close to home or work.

The EAP can provide consultation for USPS employees and eligible family members before, during, and after you reach out to help someone. They can provide counseling for those who are struggling with depression, substance abuse, suicide thoughts, or other difficulties and stressors.

For more information, you can check out the USPS EAP website at www.EAP4YOU.com.

Start the conversation!  It’s time to talk and empower everyone!

It’s Time to Talk: Empowerment Starts with You ePromotion - Day 6

Day 6: Empower Mental Health

Stigma creates barriers that prevent people from seeking mental health assistance when they struggle. In order to help end stigma:

• Use respectful language; do not use words like, “crazy” or “psycho”.
• Offer support and encourage seeking help.
• Educate yourself about mental illness. The more you know, the less there is to misunderstand. Knowledge also lessens fear and suspicion.
• Listen; create conversations around mental health. Being able to take the stigma out of the subject and discussing it can reduce the unknown and put a personal awareness to the situation.
• See the person, not the illness. Remember, mental illness affects 1 in 4 adults. By realizing how many people are affected, it helps to normalize it.

By being prepared and open to discussing mental health, you are opening the door to people seeking help and guidance.

The fear of being stigmatized should not stop you or others from seeking help. Many effective treatments are available for every kind of mental health problem. Knowledgeable professionals in the field of mental health are available in your area.

Terri

Terri Sitrin, LCSW, CEAP

Dallas District Consultant | USPS EAP

2341 West Northwest Hwy

Dallas, TX  75220

Office: 214-353-6996

It’s Time to Talk: Empowerment Starts with You ePromotion - Day 5

Day 5: Prevention Works & You Can Help 

According to the CDC, 9.8 million adults have seriously thought about suicide, 2.8 million made a plan, and 1.3 million attempted suicide. So, what happened to the 8.5 million people that didn’t attempt? Prevention.

 Maybe they talked themselves out of it or just couldn’t go through with it. More than likely, someone else intervened – whether they did it intentionally by purposefully getting involved or unintentionally just by being kind to someone who couldn’t find kindness in their world. Either way, something prevented the person from going from thinking to acting.

So we know that prevention works, especially for those who seek care within our health system. What you may not realize is that you can help.

You can help in many different ways:

• It’s time to talk. Remind the person you are concerned about that the world will NOT be better off without them. Being kind can make a difference. Human connection can make a huge difference. The biggest part of prevention is opening up the door for a conversation about how desperate the person feels and allowing them to talk about it. Remember the QPR process from earlier in this ePromotion. 
• Another key for suicide prevention is within our communities: where we live, where we work, where we play. Positive social connections strengthen each of us allowing for more successful navigation of life’s challenges. When we’re connected it can help us identify those who may be at risk for suicide and to connect them to appropriate resources for care (e.g. encouraging use of the EAP or, if the person is in imminent risk, dial 911).
• Fight the stigma associated with mental illness. Get involved in walks and other events to help raise awareness about mental illness and suicide awareness.

Dallas, TX, Farmers Branch Station won the National Greeting Card Contest for most cards sold in a single day during week three between August 27^th and September 2, 2018 held by Headquarters.  Pictured (from left) Acting Manager, Customer Services Morris Fields; Supervisor, Customer Services Thuy Pham; Retail Associates Maya Edley; Mary Abraham; and Supervisor, Customer Services Mavis Carter.

 

Celina, TX, (from left) Rural Carrier Associate Ed Godwin; Postmaster Cindy Osterman; Retail Associate Kris Garcia; and Rural Carrier Associate Mitchelle Gabiana proudly display their lobby decorations for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Prosper, TX, Retail Associates (from left) Brittany Martin, Sherri Johnson, and Angie Sestito proudly display their lobby decorations for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  

Prosper, TX, Post Office setup a special parking space (pictured above & below) for breast cancer survivors (pictured above) during the month of October.  

Prosper, TX, Rural Carriers Joe Ross (above) wore pink in support of Breast Cancer Awareness month and sold Breast Cancer Research Semi-postal Stamps while delivering mail on their routes.

Prosper, TX, Rural Carrier Josh Cantrell (above) wore pink in support of Breast Cancer Awareness month and sold Breast Cancer Research Semi-postal Stamps while delivering mail on his route.

 

 

 

Frisco, TX, Retail Associate Lizy John (left) received a Certificate of Appreciation from Supervisor, Customer Services Leonard Ingram (right) for going above and beyond her daily duties and always willing to assist where she is needed.

Frisco, TX, East Carrier Annex Station Letter Carrier Wayne Pague (left) received a Certificate of Appreciation from Supervisor, Customer Services Jose “Joe” Gomez (right) for going above and beyond his daily duties and always willing to assist where he is needed.

 

Frisco, TX, Retail Associate Miles James (right) received a Gold Star Award from Supervisor, Customer Services Leonard Ingram (left) for a perfect transaction on a Retail Customer Experience.  He takes pride in getting packages to our customers on time.  James remarked, “I enjoy the people I work with.  They make me laugh and we have fun together.”

On October 10 and 11, 2018 the Southern Area Sales Department held their strategy meeting for FY 19 at the North Texas Processing & Distribution Center.  Dallas District Sales Manager Keith Parmely (standing) started the meeting off with a smart business moment.

The Southern Area Director of Sales Linda McChristian (standing) spoke about current and future sales projections for the area and thanked employees for their hard work and contributions in exceeding the sales goals of FY 18.

Dallas, TX, Processing & Distribution Center Safety Specialist Jessie L. Taylor (left) received her 30-year Service Award from Acting District Manager Scott Hooper (right).

The Little Elm Post Office held a passport fair on October 6, 2018.  They processed 23 passports and generated $985 in total revenue.

Little Elm, TX, Retail Associate Sajanu Kurien (left) processed a customer’s passport application.

Little Elm, TX, Retail Associate Nancy Harris (right) answered questions for a customer about her passport application.

 

 

On October 4, 2018 the McClendon Elementary school visited the Lavon Post Office.  McClendon Elementary is part of Community ISD, which serves the cities of Lavon, Nevada, Copeville, and Josephine.  In total there were around 100 students.  Retail Associate Lillian Johnson (standing) taught the second graders about the different parts of addressing a letter.  They also played a trivia game in which the children learned some fun facts about the Postal Service, such as the oldest Post Office in the U.S. in Hinsdale, NH, which was built in 1816 and the most used office supply in FY18 was rubber bands with over 700 million used.

Dallas, TX, Robert E. Price Station Laborer Custodian L.J. Lee (above) received a Certificate of Appreciation for his hard work, attention to safety, and positive attitude while doing his job.

It’s Time to Talk: Empowerment Starts with You ePromotion - Day 4

Day 4: Know What to Do

The main thing to remember is to do something.  If you are concerned, get involved – ask the person if they need help, call the EAP or another resource to get advice on how to proceed, ask others for their thoughts and advice. You want to be prepared and that starts now. Educate yourself. Learn what you can.

The more you know, the better you are prepared to recognize the signs of suicidal behavior, help a person considering suicide, and possibly save a life. Resources are abundant and include your USPS EAP (www.EAP4YOU.com), Suicide Prevention Resource Center (www.sprc.org), National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention (www.actionallianceforsuicideprevention.org), and National Alliance on Mental Illness (www.nami.org).

You can also commit to memory QPR. Question – Persuade – Refer. These 3 steps are important to take if you are concerned about someone.

Question: Ask the person if he/she is thinking about suicide.

Persuade: Talk to the person about getting help

Refer: Offer assistance in finding help with a local resource or their EAP.

Don’t just ignore the warning signs that you might be observing.

Know that if you suspect that a loved one or friend is thinking of suicide, it is alright to have a conversation. Ask, “are you depressed or thinking of hurting yourself?”. Be ready to listen and avoid judgments. Remember they are in pain and may not be able to see the love and support around them or the good things that life has to offer. When a person becomes suicidal, they often see the world with blinders and can only focus on ending the pain. First, let them know that you care. Let that person know their loss would hurt you. If you can convince them to go to the nearest hospital, call the suicide hotline or the EAP 800#, then try to get them to do that or dial the phone for them. Let them know that there is always help and hope. If you feel that they are in imminent danger of hurting themselves, please call 911. Do not leave the person alone until they have agreed to get help or are in a safe place.

It’s Time to Talk: Empowerment Starts with You ePromotion - Day 3

Day 3: Know the Warning Signs

While there are no warning signs that definitively tell if someone will attempt suicide and people who do display the warning signs do not always contemplate suicide, there are some things that should raise concern:

·       Observable signs of severe depression (e.g. hopelessness, desperation)

·       Increased substance use/abuse

·       Recent impulsiveness/taking unnecessary risks

·       Threatening suicide or voicing a strong wish to die

·       Unexpected rage or anger

You should also be very vigilant when it appears as though someone has already made a plan:

·       Giving away prized possessions

·       Putting personal affairs in order

·       Sudden or impulsive purchase of a firearm or obtaining other means of killing oneself (e.g. poisons, medications)

Trust your gut. If you are concerned, ask. Remember, talking about suicide will not give someone the idea to contemplate, attempt, or complete suicide. However, asking if someone is considering it may be the point where someone decides to get help instead of ending their life.

If you are concerned that someone is at immediate risk of harming themselves, call 911

Dallas, TX, Vickery Station Retail Associate Krystle Miller (left) received her fist Gold Star Award from Supervisor, Customer Services Arnett Donahoo (right) for a perfect transaction on a Retail Customer Experience.  She enjoys getting to put a smile on everyone’s face any time she can.  Miller remarked, “I love my work and family.  I would do anything for my daughter.  She’s my inspiration that allows me to give exceptional service with a smile on a daily basis.”

Mckinney, TX, Postmaster Clarence Henderson (third left) was given a retirement dinner in appreciation of 37 years of loyal service to the USPS.  He was joined by (from left) Supervisors, Customer Services Juan Barrera; Gerald Hamilton; wife Patricia; Supervisors, Customer Services Jason Nguyen; Amber Berger; and Mark Kordi who wished him well in his upcoming endeavors.  Henderson’s last day was September 28, 2018. 

Duncanville, TX, Retail Associate Glenda Richard (left) received her fifth Gold Star Award from Supervisor, Customer Services Scott McCain (right) for a perfect transaction on a Retail Customer Experience.  She is a U.S. Army veteran and does her best to give excellent service to all her customers.  Richard commented, “My co-workers are great.  We have a fantastic team here and always help each other out when needed.” 

The Dallas Main Post Office held a passport fair on September 29, 2018.  They processed 78 passports and generated $3,615 in total revenue.

Dallas, TX, Main Post Office Retail Associate Deborah Wilkerson (above) verified passport applications.