Passing the torch

By Jo Mahlum

Contributing Writer

ALGOMA – A postal career of 32 years is coming to a close as Kim Weckler looks to retire.

Her postal career started as a transition employee in 1992 as a city carrier in Sturgeon Bay, and a year later, was transferred to the clerk side of the job.

In 1994, she was no longer considered a transition employee.

Her work led her to Egg Harbor and Door County throughout the years where she worked as a clerk.

“I was approached and asked if I wanted to transfer to Algoma 19 years ago. I agreed and worked as both a city carrier and clerk, I was able to do both at the time. I stayed for about two years but then transferred back to Sturgeon Bay,” she recalled.

At that point in her life, Weckler was only working as a part-time employee, and 11 years ago, she decided to call the postal union and ask for a full-time position, which she was granted.

From there, she moved back to Algoma where she has been working for the past 11 years as a full-time window clerk.

Weckler noted that occasionally the post office will have kids come in and receive a tour of the office and of some operations that take place during the day.

“My favorite thing is doing the tours. I love it when the kids come in and they are excited about the new stamps, or they want to know how to get a job at the post office,” she said.

“Most of them only see the packages that arrive on their doorstep or in their mailboxes so they are amazed at the different operations that go on behind the scenes.

 “I start a tour by inviting everyone in and showing them the PO Box section. I then take them over to the safe and show them all the stamps we have.

“When I was in Sturgeon Bay, we had a giant scale and all of the kids wanted to get on the scale to see how much they weighed.”

But, getting to know the community has also been an important part of the position.

“Being in the post office as long as I have been, I truly have met some amazing people. It’s not very often that I can go out and not know someone, or at least know what street someone lives on,” she stated.

“I am going to miss the comraderie with my customers and really just the people.

“I am not going to miss getting up at 3:45 a.m. though,” she added.

In Weckler’s 32 years of service, she noted all the amazing people and great friends that she has made along the way that will make this transition in her life much harder.

“It’s time for me to retire and pass the torch to someone else,” Weckler stated.