About Me

Twenty years ago I asked a Tarot card reader what would I be doing when I was 50. She replied, “I see you doing something so wildly creative, it defies a job title.” Only recently did I realize that was a slick way of saying, “I have no idea of what you’ll be doing.” But that prediction kept me charging ahead to the fifties with zeal and anticipation. Now that the future is today, I’m ready for anything!

The Little Post Office that Roared

The Kerrick Post Office in east central Minnesota is on the list of 3700+ small post offices nationwide to be shut down. On November 3, over 90 people -- more than the population of Kerrick itself, which is 79 -- crowded into the Duquette Hall to make their case to USPS representatives. I learned about the meeting via Colette Stadin, editor of the local weekly paper, the Askov American. I wasn't able to attend but wished I had. The meeting was an example of democracy in action.

When a little post office roars -- or more accurately, the people who rely on the little post office -- news travels far. Duluth's Fox News station was there. Watch here.

Duluth is only 35 miles or so from Kerrick and 33 miles from Duquette. But when you're a mere "wide spot in the road," as Duquette General Store owner Curtis Gunderson put it, 35 miles is light-years away.

According to Stadin, among the people at the Duquette meeting were State Senator Tony Lourey and a representative from U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar's office. One of the solutions put forth by the USPS, says Stadin, is to "bank by carrier." Residents could buy postage stamps and such by leaving the money in a brightly colored envelope for the mail carrier to pick up. Citizens at the meeting immediately pointed out the potential for drive-by theft from rural residents who are already on a fixed income.

In this time of budget cuts, is saving the Kerrick Post Office a lost cause? Maybe, maybe not. But when a little town catches the ear of the U.S. government -- or even a city of 80,000 thirty-five miles away -- it did more than try. It roared.

Watch the Fox 21 News story by Jeremy Scott and photojournalist Kristian Tharaldson.
Subscribe to the Askov American by calling 320-838-3151.


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Posted by Susan Maricle
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2 comments:

  1. Suerae SteinNovember 15, 2011 at 5:38 AM

    That's quite a story. I am saddened by the whole post office situation. I rely heavily on our small local post office, for work and personal business and would hate to see it shut down. It's nice to hear that a small town can make so much noise. :)
    Suerae

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  2. Susan MaricleNovember 15, 2011 at 12:28 PM

    And it's a story that's happening across the country. All we can do is keep talking to each other, learning from each other, and questioning decisions, no matter how high up in the decision tree they're happening.

    There's a Word document on this Web site that outlines steps to take if your post office is closing. http://www.savethepostoffice.com/what-you-can-do.

    Thank you to Colette Stadin of the Askov American for the extensive coverage.

    And Suerae, always a pleasure to hear from you!

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