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(105 seconds)
-- How Will You Use This Story? --
(OPEN):
EVERYONE KNOWS HIS OR HER LOCAL LETTER-CARRIER--WHO DELIVERS LETTERS
AND PACKAGES, SIX DAYS A WEEK. AND, LETTER-CARRIERS REGULARLY
CHECK ON THEIR ELDERLY OR HOME-BOUND CUSTOMERS--NOTICING SIGNS THAT
SOMETHING MAY BE AMISS. BUT, DID YOU KNOW THAT, IN ADDITION,
THERE'S A FORMAL PROGRAM--CALLED "CARRIER ALERT"--THAT WAS
LAUNCHED BY THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LETTER CARRIERS
AND THE U-S POSTAL SERVICE? THE N-A-L-C'S PAM
DONATO DISCUSSES HOW THIS FREE, COOPERATIVE COMMUNITY-SERVICE
PROGRAM WORKS...
(DONATO):
"AS ONE OF THE
FEW POINTS OF HUMAN-CONTACT FOR MANY ELDERLY OR HOME-BOUND PATRONS,
LETTER-CARRIERS ARE PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT IN NOTICING SIGNS THAT COULD
INDICATE AN ACCIDENT OR ILLNESS--SUCH AS MAIL THAT HAS BEGUN TO PILE UP.
THAT'S WHY LETTER-CARRIERS, THROUGHOUT THE NATION, SERVE THE PUBLIC BY
PARTNERING WITH THE 'UNITED WAY', THE 'POSTAL SERVICE', AND LOCAL
LAW-ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, TO PROVIDE THE 'CARRIER ALERT'-PROGRAM.
WHEN A CARRIER NOTES SOMETHING UNUSUAL CONCERNING A PATRON WHO'S
REGISTERED WITH 'CARRIER ALERT', HE OR SHE REPORTS IT TO A POSTAL
SUPERVISOR OR OTHER DESIGNATED INDIVIDUAL--WHO, IN TURN, CONTACTS THE
SPONSORING LOCAL AGENCY. THAT AGENCY MIGHT BE THE LOCAL 'UNITED
WAY'-ORGANIZATION, 'AMERICAN RED CROSS'-CHAPTER, OR 'AREA
AGENCY ON AGING'. THE SPONSORING AGENCY THEN CHECKS ON THE
PERSON--AND, IF SOMETHING'S WRONG, WILL CONTACT FAMILY, POLICE, OR
EMERGENCY-SERVICES, AS APPROPRIATE. IF YOU HAVE ELDERLY OR
HOME-BOUND FAMILY-MEMBERS OR RELATIVES, PLEASE ENCOURAGE THEM TO SIGN UP
FOR THE 'CARRIER ALERT'-PROGRAM. REMEMBER, THE PROGRAM IS
COMPLETELY FREE."
(CLOSE):
TO FIND OUT IF THERE'S A "CARRIER ALERT"-PROGRAM OPERATING IN YOUR AREA,
CONTACT YOUR LOCAL N-A-L-C BRANCH-OFFICE--OR YOUR LOCAL POST-OFFICE.
