A common phrase associated with the U.S. Postal Service is "neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds."
And that rings true with Mail Carrier Tom Vaske. He has been with the Webster City Post Office for over 20 years, and his dedication to his job is well known throughout the community.
The mail carrier position is what brought him to Webster City.
"I worked at Hormel for 16 years in Algona," he said. "I wanted to get out of that business and I heard about jobs open at the post office. I first started out in Whittimore as a clerk and I did some mail carrying in Algona."
"I put out a letter seeing if there were any mail carrier positions available within a hundred miles of my hometown, Bancroft," Vaske continued. "The Postmaster in Webster City gave me a call."
Vaske started out as a part-time/flex carrier. It was six years before he had a regular route.
"There are six different routes in town and three rural routes," he said. "My route includes Elm, Walnut, Boone and Collins. There are around 649 stops per route in town."
Although he drives a mail truck, he only spends about 45 minutes delivering curbside mail boxes.
"I walk pretty close to ten miles a day," he said.
The Webster City Mail Carrier's day is from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
"That is if you can get the work done during that time," he said. "During this time of year, we usually run over that time due to the larger mail volume and the weather conditions."
Carriers start off in the morning at the post office, putting flat mail into "pigeon holes" for various businesses and individuals. Then carriers are off on their individual routes for the rest of the day.
The weather conditions can prove difficult for carriers.
"Most like the summers better," Vaske said. "I personally don't like the heat. In the wintertime, if you layer and you keep walking, you can keep pretty warm."
"The disadvantage of the wintertime is the ice and working with gloves on," he continued. "It does slow you down. I wear layers, two or three on my legs. You also need to have the proper footwear or overshoes. The biggest obstacle is keeping my face covered."
He said that the worst kind of weather is a cold rain.
"You get wet, cold and you have to try and keep the mail dry," Vaske said. "The second worst is ice. But snow, that is just part of the seasons."
KCCI News Channel 8 even followed Vaske around for a day.
"It happened on a 95 degree day with a lot of humidity," he said. "I don't think the crew enjoyed it."
The news crew came to film Vaske while he carried mail and watched over his customers.
"If there is mail left in the box, especially after the second day, we will knock on the door or talk to a neighbor," he said. "If there is something unusual, like a light or door open, there has been times where I will call a relative or neighbor."
"There was one time where I found a neighbor that had fallen and had a stroke," he said.
Although dogs and other animals can be a hazard, Vaske isn't afraid of them.
"I have been bitten twice by dogs," he said. "But I'm not afraid of them and dogs can sense that."
But, he added, homeowners should know that if an animal is there, mail carriers do not have to deliver the mail to that household.
Vaske does enjoy his job, and he definitely has a favorite aspect of it.
"What makes the job so good is the customers," he said. "Sometimes I am the only person some customers see all day."
He also enjoys being outside and working on his own.
"I was born and raised on a farm, so I have always enjoyed being outside," he said. "And when you are out of the office, you are on your own. It's your route and at your own pace."
And there isn't any question of what he thinks of the 18 people working at the Webster City Post Office.
"Our office, I would say, is the top office in the state," Vaske said. "Everyone gets along really well and everyone also pitches in. There are some good carriers in Webster City, that is for sure."
When he isn't busy with the mail, he enjoys woodworking and being with his family. Vaske also was a midget league coach for 9 years when his sons were in school.
Vaske is happy to call Webster City home.
"I'm originally from a town of around 800 to 900 people," he said. "It was quite neighborly. Webster City is quite a bit bigger, but it has the same friendly atmosphere. Everyone helps each other out."
"To me, it's just a bigger Bancroft," he said.
Contact Carrie Olson at lifestyles@freemanjournal.net or call 832-4350.
