11/23/2007 9:46:00 AM USPS recognizes Johnson for 25 years of service
Sarah Johnson, who has been employed by the United States Postal Service for 25 years, is busy sorting mail before she heads out for her route.
By Mary Whalen
Postal employee, Sarah Johnson, received recognition for her 25 years of service with the United States Postal Service, Friday, Nov. 2. Postmaster Bill Bires read a letter acknowledging Johnson's service and presented her with a token of appreciation.
Being born in St. Paul, Johnson spent the first 25 years of her life in the Twin Cities. She was surprised to discover her delight in moving (with her husband, Kirby) into the country just northeast of Spring Valley.
Johnson is "impressed with the small towns and how they take care of their own."
She was at first "shocked when people I didn't recognize would greet me by name in the grocery store." For the first year, Johnson didn't even say hi to folks she'd meet while doing her route. However, after living in this area for 30 years. Johnson can't imagine living in the city.
The job of being a city carrier is a physically demanding one. Johnson says, "I loathe the heat and although the snow is beautiful, it makes my job much harder." Johnson never realized how many kinds of mailboxes there are or how hard some are to open with one hand.
If she could give some advice to others she would recommend that "people shovel from their boxes straight out to the street" paying special attention to snow plows that clean the streets.
Johnson encourages everyone to "be gentle with the mail carriers especially during the winter months when ice and snow make walking more difficult, especially when virgin snow hides a layer of ice."
Johnson is an active member of Garden Club, taking pride in her 30 years of growing flowers with hopes of someday having a "weed-free garden." She also harvests asparagus, rhubarb, strawberries and plants potatoes, onions, tomatoes, peas, beans, carrots and beets. This year, they had a "bumper crop of garlic" and are raising chickens.
Other interests of Johnson's include reading, going to plays, traveling, riding their tandem bicycle, embroidering, sewing and crocheting. She has been designing and crocheting doll clothes for the Christmas Santa workshop give-away for more than six years.
"I've also made costumes and other unusual items for the Masque Theater in Rochester for more than 30 years," says Johnson.
Johnson, heading toward a 35th anniversary on Dec. 20, is pleased to be recognized for her years of service and comments that she's "met some lovely people" as she has delivered mail during the years.
