We've all heard rumors about the United States Postal Service making cutbacks and changes in service. Of course every governmental agency must make such decisions. That's certainly part of responsible government. However, those determinations must be met with discretion especially when under served customers will be affected. Earlier today Tinnie Pettway from Gees Bend in Wilcox County sent a letter informing us that the U.S Postal Service may possibly close the 60 year old post office in rural and isolated Gees Bend (Wilcox County), Alabama
For many reasons this would be a deplorable mistake. I just visited Gees Bend with AL-07 candidate Shelia Smoot a couple of weeks ago and she was equally dismayed when she read the letter. Residents of this small community would have to travel nearly 40 miles to the closest post office. But not only would the residents be inconvenienced, a piece of important history would be lost.
While I'm not sure if the current Congressperson for this district Artur Davis has issued a statement, I do have the following release from Shelia Smoot who is running to replace Congressman Davis in the June 1 AL-07 Democratic Primary. Last night Shelia wrote a diary here at Daily Kos explaining why she was running for Congress.
Today's statement
In 1949, a Post Office was opened in Gees Bend and this building has been a fabric of the community for 60 years. When I received word that the United States Postal Service is considering closing this landmark, I knew that it would be a travesty.
I received a letter from Tinnie Pettway, lifelong Gees Bend resident and quilter, about this possibility. I can sum up the dismay and the inconvenience when Mrs. Pettway says:
"We are still isolated from everyone and everything and our travel time to town is still lenghty when ferry is missed. Traveling 40+ miles to buy a stamp, money order, to send a package or pick up registered mail? We can't lose our post office.
We recently had the Historic State Landmark unveiling and the marker is right across the street from the post office and to stop service will be a great strain on the elderly of the community and those needing to get an important package sent or to receive time sensitive mail in a timely fashion."
When I recently traveled to Gees Bend for the unveiling of the Historic Marker across from the Post Office, I felt a great sense of pride. This building has its place in history. This is an isolated community that is burdened by the lack of infrastructure. While I understand that cuts must be made to government services such as postal, we need to consider who will be hurt the most when such changes are made. People worldwide know about the beauty and the magic created through the quilts of the residents at Gees Bend. The Post Office in this community allows these quilts to be shipped worldwide from this location. If we cut off this service, we will be hurting the economy and lifeline of this rich community.
I am calling on the Alabama Congressional Delegation to protect this post office and allow the residents of Gee’s Bend to continue to share their talents and receive and send mail in a timely fashion. It is the more rural parts of the country that rely most heavily on these services.
Shelia with Tinnie Pettway, the proprietor of the Mercantile Store across from the post office, and a founding Gees Bend collective Quilter.

Shelia at the unveiling of the placard

40 minutes to the nearest post office by car. There is ferry service but it runs intermittently and if you miss the ferry it may be hours before the next one comes.
This is another reason why I'm supporting Shelia Smoot in this important blue district +17 PVI Congressional Race. She fights for the least of these on a daily basis.
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