Devyn LeBlanc, reporter@greenepublishing.com
After 35 years of untested loyalty to the United States Postal Service (USPS), Starlet Gail Vickers, otherwise known as Gail, has retired. Gail is a Madison County native and graduated from Madison High School in 1975 and is the daughter of James and Flossie McDaniel. She has one daughter, Caroline Vickers.
Gail began her journey with USPS on January 7, 1987, when she started as a distribution clerk on the night shift in Tallahassee. As a distribution clerk, Gail's primary responsibility was to process the mail. She worked in the Tallahassee location for five years before she transferred to the Madison office, where her skills were utilized in many areas of the Post Office.
In her 35 years of employment with USPS, Gail noted there have been some major changes within the processes of the mail service. For instance, mail is now pre-sorted in distribution centers, making it easier for post office workers to begin their day. “They just pick it up and go to the screen [because it's] already in order.” Gail also noted that when she first began her career with USPS, stamps cost 25 cents. When speaking on Gail's retirement, Postmaster Erica Carmichael noted that when Gail first started at USPS, the stamps were not self-adhesive; the backs of the stamps often had to be dampened in order for them to stick.
When asked about her retirements plans, Gail chuckled and said “not to work,” and proceeded to say she looks forward to traveling. “I'm going to miss coming in and clocking in,” states Gail. In a statement regarding Gail's retirement, Carmichael stated “We are going to miss her tremendously, she has been a great help to me here in the office and has also been a lead clerk and acting supervisor. I've leaned on her a great deal.”