Community service

2014 Letter Carrier Heroes of the Year

2014 Letter Carrier Heroes of the Year

Washington Post:
Saving babies from fires, rescuing abducted children and other heroic acts by USPS employees

USA Today:
Stamp of approval: These mail carriers are heroes

National Hero of the Year: Jermaine Shirley, Greenwich, CT Branch 759

Jermaine Shirley

Letter carrier Jermaine Shirley smelled smoke in an apartment building one morning, alerted residents and caught two young children thrown from a window as fire engulfed the building.

Connecticut Post:
Greenwich letter carrier honored for heroism

Click here to read the story.

Humanitarian of the Year: Orlando Gonzalez, New York City Branch 36

Orlando Gonzalez

Letter carrier Orlando Gonzalez of New York City Branch 36 organized an annual march of letter carriers to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association

Click here to read the story.

Eastern Region Hero: Robert George, Worcester, MA Branch 12

Robert George

Letter carrier Robert George pulled a driver to safety before the man’s crashed truck burst into flames.

Worcester, MA Telegram & Gazette:
Letter carrier honored for rescuing truck driver in Leicester crash

Click here to read the story.

Central Region Hero: Jim Rurik, Columbus, OH Branch 78

Jim Rurik

Jim Rurik of Columbus, OH used his postal jacket to smother the burning clothes of a fire victim, then evacuated all residents of that victim’s burning building.

The Columbus Dispatch:
Letter carrier honored for saving burning man along route

Click here to read the story.

Western Region Hero: Steve Filson, Central Oregon Branch 1937

Steve Filson

Letter carrier Steve Filson saved the life of a man suffering heart failure.

The Bulletin, Bend, OR:
Bend letter carrier honored in D.C.

Click here to read the story.

Branch Service Award: Reading, PA Branch 258

Reading, PA

Reading, PA Branch 258 has been brightening families’ Christmases for more than a decade. Each year, the branch collects money from postal workers, carriers, clerks and managers, and sponsors two or three families.

Reading Eagle:
Award to honor special deliveries by Berks County letter carriers

Click here to read the story.

Unit Citation Award: Cristy Perfetti and Steve Plunkett, Peoria, IL Branch 31

Unit Citation Award

Letter carriers Cristy Perfetti and Steve Plunkett rescued a boy abducted at knifepoint, brought him to safety in their post office and trailed the suspect, who had prior convictions for crimes against children and soon returned to prison.

Peoria Journal Star:
Letter carriers at East Peoria office cited as national heroes for rescuing boy from sex offender

Click here to read the story.

Legacy Award: Victor Green, author of The Green Book

Victor Green

Victor Green, a New York metro area carrier, helped a generation of black Americans travel safely and without shame in pre-civil-rights-era America by publishing an annual travel guide to inns and private homes that accepted African-Americans.

Click here to read the story.