Monday, October 13, 2008 12:31 PM EDT
Monday Profile Gail Whittaker
|
Grandma of eight also serves as postmaster in Hopkinton
|
 To Gail Whittaker, the Post Office next to Town Hall is more than a place to drop an envelope in a mailbox. |
HOPKINTON — To Gail Whittaker, the Post Office next to Town Hall is more than a place to drop an envelope in a mailbox.
Whittaker, the officer in charge at the one-person Post Office, said she keeps lollipops on hand to give to children — just as her predecessor did 20 years ago. Those who come to the Post Office today have told her that, when they were younger, former Postmaster Helen P. Mills used to bake pies and sell penny candy to them.
That was before the Post Office moved to the first floor of the Thayer House — below the town’s planning and finance offices — in 1995. Mills served as postmaster from 1961 to 1989 while the post office was in the Hopkinton General Store across the street.
It is believed that the Post Office started out of a house on Woodville Road, Whittaker said. The first financial records for the postal operation are dated 1811.
Now, about 168 residents keep a box at the Post Office and another 181 have their mail delivered.
“They talk as they come in the lobby, they see friends,” she said about her customers. “It is kind of a meeting place for people.”
The people are what makes Whittaker’s job “by far” the best of her work experiences.
Whittaker said she applied to be a postmaster relief — a second-in-command who would work in the absence of the postmaster — six years ago. Her husband Alan applied first, but he could only work Saturdays because of his weekday job as mailroom manager at Paul Arpin Van Lines in West Warwick.
He told his wife the Post Office was looking for someone to work during the week. Whittaker has been there ever since. She was postmaster relief until two years ago when she became officer in charge.
At noon on Thursday, the operations manager for the U.S. Postal Service’s southeastern district will officially swear her in as postmaster.
Whittaker, a grandmother of eight who lives in Wyoming, previously worked on an as-needed basis to serve lunch at Chariho Regional School District schools. She had also worked in customer service at Paul Arpin.
“I love being with the people,” she said about what drew her to the Post Office. “I like the atmosphere of being in a small office. I just like being able to help people.”
During her workday that begins at 7:30 a.m., Whittaker said she does “a little bit of everything,” from advising customers on which class to send their mail to sorting mail for the mail carriers and boxes at the office.
And when she has time each season or holiday, she decorates a glass case displaying specialty stamps and other items, in order to keep with the tradition of making the Post Office more than just a place to mail packages.
Whittaker, the officer in charge at the one-person Post Office, said she keeps lollipops on hand to give to children — just as her predecessor did 20 years ago. Those who come to the Post Office today have told her that, when they were younger, former Postmaster Helen P. Mills used to bake pies and sell penny candy to them.
That was before the Post Office moved to the first floor of the Thayer House — below the town’s planning and finance offices — in 1995. Mills served as postmaster from 1961 to 1989 while the post office was in the Hopkinton General Store across the street.
It is believed that the Post Office started out of a house on Woodville Road, Whittaker said. The first financial records for the postal operation are dated 1811.
Now, about 168 residents keep a box at the Post Office and another 181 have their mail delivered.
“They talk as they come in the lobby, they see friends,” she said about her customers. “It is kind of a meeting place for people.”
The people are what makes Whittaker’s job “by far” the best of her work experiences.
Whittaker said she applied to be a postmaster relief — a second-in-command who would work in the absence of the postmaster — six years ago. Her husband Alan applied first, but he could only work Saturdays because of his weekday job as mailroom manager at Paul Arpin Van Lines in West Warwick.
He told his wife the Post Office was looking for someone to work during the week. Whittaker has been there ever since. She was postmaster relief until two years ago when she became officer in charge.
At noon on Thursday, the operations manager for the U.S. Postal Service’s southeastern district will officially swear her in as postmaster.
Whittaker, a grandmother of eight who lives in Wyoming, previously worked on an as-needed basis to serve lunch at Chariho Regional School District schools. She had also worked in customer service at Paul Arpin.
“I love being with the people,” she said about what drew her to the Post Office. “I like the atmosphere of being in a small office. I just like being able to help people.”
During her workday that begins at 7:30 a.m., Whittaker said she does “a little bit of everything,” from advising customers on which class to send their mail to sorting mail for the mail carriers and boxes at the office.
And when she has time each season or holiday, she decorates a glass case displaying specialty stamps and other items, in order to keep with the tradition of making the Post Office more than just a place to mail packages.
 | Share your thoughts.... Our TalkBack option has been updated to improve service to our viewers. Some comments made prior to March 26 may not be available for viewing outside of the archives section. Thank you for your patience during this update. TalkBack is an opportunity for viewers to exchange comments regarding online content. Comments are moderated. Please allow time for posting. Comments are not edited. They are either approved or they are not. Comments should be void of personal attacks, foul language, advertisements or impersonations. Please limit comments to 200 words or less. |