Newsclip from Seminole TV about the Rally

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHz9lvogNRQ&feature=plcp

Great article by the Seminole Tribune

http://seminoletribune.org/tribal-members-fight-to-preserve-piece-of-seminole-history/

The Friendship Dance, at the Rally

Rally on the River photo album

Be sure to check out the photo collection of the community Rally, on our Facebook page: Save the Las Olas Post Office.  Wonderful photos!  Thanks to Clay Wieland and Mark Merrill for the photos.

thank you Clay Wieland for the photo

Photos from the Rally

Here's a great online photo album from a professional photographer who was at the event:
www.claywielandphotography.com  

Tim Smith's blog

http://blog.timsmith.com/2012/05/04/las-olas-post-office-to-go.aspx

Rally on the River with Everett Osceola and Sister Robin

Don't miss it!  Join us, May 5 at high noon

Rally Press Release

For Immediate Release Artist Rallies the Troops and…the Seminole Indians, in Post Office Cause

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA - As a public art performance piece, "Sister Robin" Merrill is organizing an historical reenactment rally to help save the local post office. At "high noon" Saturday May 5th in the All Saints Church backyard, 333 Tarpon Drive, the public is invited to join together with the Seminole Tribe, Boy Scouts, a Frank Stranahan impersonator, the Fort Lauderdale Mounted Police, elected officials and a few live alligators to "Celebrate our Postal History".
Mail will be paddled down the New River by Everett Osceola and Pedro Zepeda of the Ah Tah Thi Ki Seminole Museum in a dugout canoe, with mailbags handed off to them at the historic Stranahan House, site of Fort Lauderdale's first post office, by an impersonator of the first postmaster, Frank Stranahan. At All Saints Episcopal Church along the New River, the Fort Lauderdale Mounted Police will imitate the Pony Express and receive the mailbags from the Seminoles. Live alligators, snakes and turtles will be on hand at the Rally in an educational display by Native Village of the Hollywood Seminole Reservation. All participants are invited to bring a piece of mail to send, and take off their shoes to imitate the Barefoot Mailman of Florida postal history. The procession will be led by the Fort Lauderdale Mounted Police to the Colee Station postal branch, two blocks away, where the mail will be deposited in the mailboxes on Las Olas Boulevard. Upon returning to All Saints Church, the Seminoles will lead the attendees in a Friendship Dance to close the ceremony.
The downtown Fort Lauderdale post office, which is over 60 years old, is on the list of potential closures by the United States Postal Service. The closure announcements will be made May 15, and this rally is an attempt to prevent a negative decision regarding the branch, which is a beloved local post office that services the international tourists of Fort Lauderdale, local businesses and residents.

Contact:
954-828-1505
www.savethelasolaspostoffice.blogspot.com
Facebook: SavetheLasOlasPostOffice ####

It won't be a RALLY if YOU aren't there!

Saturday, May 5, "high noon", All Saints Church backyard, along the New River.  Free parking, live alligators and reptiles!  Neighbors!  Concerned citizens!  Pony Express, Seminole tribe members, MAIL and more

Miami Herald investigative report

http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/05/03/2781902/las-olas-community-fights-to-keep.html

Sun-Sentinel video about the Post Office & Rally

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/videogallery/69629638/News/Rally-planned-to-save-Fort-Lauderdale-post-office

Frank Stranahan, Fort Lauderdale's first Postmaster

  T

Frank's impersonator, John, from the Stranahan Historical House, will be handing off a mailbag to the Seminole Indians at our Rally on Saturday, May 5, at high noon.  Launching from the little replica of a post office, two members of the Ah Tah Thi Ki Seminole Museum will paddle the mail up the New River in a dugout canoe from the museum.  The rally crowd will be at All Saints Church along the New River....join us!  The mail bag will be handed off from the river to the Pony Express...the Fort Lauderdale Mounted Police!

Counting the Cost

"Last year's USPS losses were $5.1 billion.  Let's see, that's about the cost of one U.S. war on foreign soil for ONE WEEK.  Let's say we re-prioritize, and defend our American way of life and public services on American soil.  Or put the USPS under the Department of Defense!"  -Robin Merrill

We're getting ready for the May 5 Rally, hope you are too!

Site of the first post office of Fort Lauderdale at the Stranahan House.
Everett Osceola (pictured) and Pedro Zepeda of the Seminole Tribe will be receiving a mailbag from
a Frank Stranahan impersonator, and paddling a dugout canoe down the New River to All Saints Church, where the public will gather for our Rally.  Be there!

Special Edition! (Save our Postmark too!)

Donations now being accepted for the Rally expenses!

Only two weeks away!  Please donate NOW, large or small amounts will help toward the goal of saving our post office!  Some of the needs:  Printing, mailing costs, posters, invitations, lawn signs & placards, and media expenses.  Please give today! (Tax deductible receipts will be issued by the Christian Cultural Development Foundation, which is undertaking this venture). If you don't want to give online, cash or check donations can be made to Christian Cultural Development Foundation (notate: Rally) and mailed to 1200 E. Las Olas Blvd #104, Fort Lauderdale FL 33301, or dropped off at Mission Gifts Fair Trade store.  Please support today! THANK YOU for doing all you can~

Your Official Invitation!

Please copy, print, and distribute this poster! Pick up a free 8x11 poster at Mission Gifts Fair Trade Store,1200 E. Las Olas

Rally to Save the Post Office!

May 5, Saturday, high noon.  JOIN THE COMMUNITY as we rally together to Save Our Post Office!  The USPS will be making their decisions May 15 or 16 as to whether our post office will live or die.  Don't wait 'till it's too late...come together to make our intentions seen!  Details for the Rally will be forthcoming.  Save the Date, invite others, see you there!  In Colee Hammock, on the New River.

Join Everett Osceola of the Seminole Tribe & "Sister Robin" Merrill-- join forces to help rescue our Post Office!

Channel 10 video from last year

http://www.local10.com/news/Residents-Oppose-Closure-Of-Post-Office/-/1717324/3929622/-/f72ditz/-/index.html

Looks like we might be losing the Broward County Postmark!

http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2012-02-23/business/sfl-postal-mail-fort-lauderdale-pembroke-pines_1_mail-processing-postal-operations-postal-service

Save the Las Olas Post Office!

Frank Stranahan started the Fort Lauderdale Post Office on Las Olas.  It's our job to work hard, and keep it here!  Don't neglect our Past and FUTURE!

A little reprieve

http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/12/13/2544671/postal-service-to-delay-cutbacks.html

Please show up!!

Tuesday, November 1, 2011.  Public hearing at the downtown Fort Lauderdale Main Public Library.  6pm-7:30pm.  The public will be allowed to speak regarding the potential closure of the Colee Hammock Branch Post Office on Las Olas Blvd.  You can sign in when you get there, to speak for 2 minutes.  Spread the word!  Please be there.

Notice about the meeting Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Another interesting read:

http://www.postalnewsblog.com/savingthepostalservice-org/

Bad News: We may lose the Fort Lauderdale postmark altogether! "Miami" postmark for all of Broward County??

http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/09/15/2408319/postal-service-may-study-possible.html

More bad news

http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/09/06/2392437/amid-financial-crisis-postal-service.html

This is the QR code for the Las Olas Post Office, that leads to the Facebook site

You can print it out and post it various places if you want to, to help get Facebook "Likes".  The Facebook page will act as our online "signature" gathering place, via "Likes".

Local News 10 Story by Roger Lohse

http://www.local10.com/news/29038137/detail.html

Another Statement and important facts from USPS

Postal Service Takes Next Step in Optimizing Retail Network Announces Post Office Replacement Model

WASHINGTON — As more customers choose to conduct their postal business online, on their smart phones and at their favorite shopping destinations, the need for the U.S. Postal Service to maintain its nearly 32,000 retail offices — the largest retail network in the country — diminishes. To that end, the U.S. Postal Service announced today that it will be taking the next step in right-sizing its expansive retail network by conducting studies of approximately 3,700 retail offices to determine customer needs. As part of this effort, the Postal Service also introduced a retail-replacement option for affected communities around the nation. "Today, more than 35 percent of the Postal Service’s retail revenue comes from expanded access locations such as grocery stores, drug stores, office supply stores, retail chains, self-service kiosks, ATMs and For communities currently without a postal retail office and for communities affected by these retail optimization efforts, the Postal Service introduced the Village Post Office as a potential replacement option. Village Post Offices would be operated by local businesses, such as pharmacies, grocery stores and other appropriate retailers, and would offer popular postal products and services such as stamps and flat-rate packaging. "By working with third-party retailers, we’re creating easier, more convenient access to our products and services when and where our customers want them," Donahoe said. "The Village Post Office will offer another way for us to meet our customers’ needs." With 32,000 postal retail offices and more than 70,000 third-party retailers — Approved Postal Providers — selling postage stamps and providing expanded access to other postal products and services, customers today have about 100,000 locations across the nation where they can do business with the Postal Service. "The Postal Service of the future will be smaller, leaner and more competitive and it will continue to drive commerce, serve communities and deliver value," Donahoe added. The list of offices being studied and additional information, including video, audio soundbites, b-roll and JPEGs, can be found at usps.com, open 24/7," said Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe. "Our customer’s habits have made it clear that they no longer require a physical post office to conduct most of their postal business." http://about.usps.com/news/electronic-press-kits/expandedaccess/welcome.htm The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations. We’re everywhere so you can be anywhere: www.uspseverywhere.com # # # A self-supporting government enterprise, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation, 150 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes. The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations. With 32,000 retail locations and the most frequently visited website in the federal government, usps.com, the Postal Service has annual revenue of more than $67 billion and delivers nearly 40 percent of the world’s mail. If it were a private sector company, the U.S. Postal Service would rank 29th in the 2010 Fortune 500. Black Enterprise and Hispanic Business magazines ranked the Postal Service as a leader in workforce diversity. The Postal Service has been named the Most Trusted Government Agency six consecutive years and the sixth Most Trusted Business in the nation by the Ponemon Institute. .

Facebook Page

Please visit our Facebook page and press "Like".  It is like an online petition where we are gathering "signatures", which are when people click "Like" on the facebook page.  This page has many comments and also a variety of videos and information.
https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Save-the-Las-Olas-Post-Office/252395941456161?sk=wall

Here's a good webpage

http://www.savethepostoffice.com/

Roger Lohse of Channel 10 news came out today to do a story. It will air this week, we will post a link once it's aired. It looks like he did a fantastic job in covering the story.

Blog article about Saving the Post Office

http://blog.timsmith.com/2011/08/05/save-the-post-office-.aspx

Saving the Las Olas Post Office

On July 26, 2011 the USPS announced that it will be closing 3,653 post offices around the country.  The Colee Hammock branch on Las Olas Blvd, downtown Fort Lauderdale, is one of those listed for probable closure.

Before closing an office, the U.S. Postal Service said it would study the impact the closing would have on the community, the effect on employees, compliance with government policy to provide service to rural areas and small towns, and the economic savings.
With this in mind, I am rallying the community to demonstrate the impact it will have on our community.  If our voice isn’t heard within the 60 day evaluation period, we will indeed lose our post office.
Merrilyn Rathbun of the Fort Lauderdale Historical Society says that this post office is “quite historic”, dating back to the 1940’s.
As a local business owner, I use the post office to mail packages to my customers.  Often, I have someone from out of town give me a call or email and say that they would like more of the item that they purchased while visiting us in Fort Lauderdale.  I box it up and walk over to the post office to mail it.  If this post office were to close, I would have to close my store (I’m the only one on duty), drive across town to the Aldridge station on 7^th Ave, stand in line and then drive back, wasting time and gas.  It would be painful to put it mildly, I dread going to that post office branch.
The Colee post office on Las Olas is important to our downtown and to our tourists.  Las Olas is an international tourist destination, and many foreigners come to the post office with their post cards, letters or parcels, and get individualized service from the postal clerks that they would not get from a vending machine, from buying stamps at Publix or Office Depot.  The post office offers their services at the lowest price and not the premium you would spend at a place such as the Mailbag which marks up substantially to offer products that the post office offers.
Furthermore, out of town visitors often do their shopping along Las Olas and then stop in the post office to mail their purchases instead of taking them on the airplane, due to the new luggage restrictions.  Boxes, tape, all types of shipping supplies are on hand at this post office, and daily you can see shoppers loading their purchases into gift boxes or envelopes and mailing them off.
Although many people use email and internet services, there is something to be remembered about OBJECTS.  I mail objects and products and thus utilize the post office, even though most of my transactions are done over the internet in regard to bill paying and sending messages.  Historically, it is tangible OBJECTS such as letters and documents that will chronicle our legacy and emails can be lost in a blink of an eye.
Environmentally speaking, this post office is pedestrian friendly and serves the community, whether its tourists, residents in the neighborhoods, or local businesses.  Closing it will mean that a drive across town will be necessary for anyone living in downtown Fort Lauderdale.
Financially, everyone knows the US post office is losing money and therefore must close some of its operations.  But this particular post office does not lose money; it makes money over its expenses and provides a vital service to the community.  However, it falls slightly under the USPS criteria of “less than $600,000 in annual revenue”.  Last year they retailed at about half a million dollars, and currently they are close to approaching that same figure (doing better than last year).  If you need to stock up on stamps, now would be the time to buy those rolls at this post office, to help produce the numbers they need during this evaluation time.
The Colee Hammock area of Las Olas acts somewhat as a Village, with walkable services for the general public.  At a time when the city should be strengthening its core-- its downtown-- yet another building block is about to be lost. Colee Hammock and Las Olas Blvd are woefully lacking care.  It cannot be left to the business owners.  City and County leaders need to step in and help with restoration and revitalization efforts.  The loss of an historic post office without any such efforts will be a terrible blow to this struggling area.  I urge everyone, even those who do not use this post office, to help take action.  Here are some suggestions:
-Stop in and make some purchases, get your supply of stamps at this location.  There is free parking in a lot behind their premises, accessed by the alley.
-“Like” the page on Facebook, entitled “Save the Las Olas Post Office”.  This page acts as a modern version of collecting signatures on a petition.  Yes, it’s ironic to use the internet to help save a dinosaur like the post office, but both services are vital to our needs and we need to learn how to assimilate both without too much loss.
-Write your Congressperson, Senator, and US Postmasters to tell them why you want to rescue this post office.  Snail mail needs to be sent to: USPS Postmaster Sal Vacca, 1900 W. Oakland Park Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33310-Spread the word, get more people involved and activated about this issue.
.  And: USPS South Florida District Manager Mr. Becker,

16000 Pines Blvd, Pembroke Pines, FL 33082

 Time is of the essence, write now.

I am trying to get permission to do a bit of a Makeover inside this post office, by adding some historical photos and Fort Lauderdale post cards.  A stamp collection has been donated and I’d like to frame it up and hang in the post office.  Stop by the Colee Hammock Post Office and show your support!

-Robin Haines Merrill, August 4, 2011

Facts and Statement from the USPS

As more customers choose to conduct their postal business online, on their smart phones and at their favorite shopping destinations, the need for the U.S. Postal Service to maintain its nearly 32,000 retail offices – the largest retail network in the country --- diminishes.  To that end, the U.S. Postal Service announced today (July 26) that it will be taking the next step in right-sizing its expansive retail network by conducting studies of approximately 3,700 retail offices to determine customer needs.  As part of this effort the Postal Service also introduced a retail-replacement option for affected communities around the nations.  Please see attached news release.  There’s a link to the national list, but below are SOUTH FLORIDA POST OFFICES being studied for possible closure.  There are no imminent closures from this list.  No Post Offices on this list will close before December 2011.  If all Post Offices on the national list were to close, that would save the Postal Service approximately $200 million annually.

FORT LAUDERDALE

Colee Finance Unit, 1404 E Las Olas Blvd, Fort Lauderdale FL 33303 

Everglades Branch, 6759 SW 196 Ave, Fort Lauderdale 33332

MIAMI

Goulds Finance Unit, 22350 Old Dixie Highway, Goulds FL  33170 

WEST PALM BEACH

Northwood Finance Unit, 516 Northwood Road, West Palm Beach FL 33407 

Palm Beach Gardens Mall Finance Unit, 3101 PGA Blvd Suite E160, Riviera Beach FL 33410 

Singer Island Finance Unit, 1217 E Blue Heron Blvd, Riviera Beach FL  33404 

Study to include: 

*   The effect closing a Post Office would have on the community serviced.

*   The effect closing a Post Office would have on the employees of the facility.

*   Compliance with government policy established by law that the Postal Service must provide maximum degree of effective and regular postal services to rural areas, communities and small towns where Post Offices are not self-sustaining.

*   Economic savings to the Postal Service.

*   Other factors the Postal Service deems necessary.

It is important to note that as part of the study, there will be a community meeting.  The public’s comments will become part of the official record for the study and will be reviewed in the decision-making process as to whether or not to close the Post Office.

FEDERAL REGISTER

The Postal Service has published a final rule in the Federal Register that revises the procedures for discontinuance of Postal Service-operated retail outlets.  These revised procedures enhance the transparency and public participation, increase efficiency of the discontinuance process and ensure sound business judgment in decisions affecting Postal Service retail operations.

The final rule has four key elements:

*   To assure consistency of approach across the retail network, the final rule calls for a top-down process whereby decisions to identify retail outlets for initial feasibility studies can be made by Postal Service Headquarters management

*   The final rule clarifies the factors that could be used to identify a retail unit for an initial feasibility study to include workload, customer demand and access to products and service through other channels.

*   The final rule provides for efficiencies in the discontinuance process.

*   The final rule also contains provisions to enhance public input and transparency in reviews of Postal Service-operated stations and branches, through use of public posting requirements and public input procedures.

The Postal Service undertook a process review to streamline the discontinuance process and make improvements, including improved opportunities for public input in decision making, particularly with respect to stations and branches.

Cost saving is only one of many factors that must be considered at the local level in the Post Office discontinuance process.  Federal law directs the Postal Service to consider a multitude of criteria before closing Post Offices, including the effect on communities, postal services and employees, along with economic savings.

Currently, the Postal Regulatory Commission is reviewing the USPS’s request and documentation and will be issuing an advisory opinion.  This is required when the Postal Service makes a decision that has national implication.  Additional info may be found at www.prc.gov.  The commission is asking for public input at that time.  (But this is not part of the official postal study.)

USPS KEY FACTS

*   In the past five years, mail volume declines by 43.1 billion pieces.

*   Customer Post Office visits has declined by 200 million, and retail transactions have declined by $2 billion.

*   Reduced revenue, coupled with the unique burden of pre-funding retiree health benefits, is creating enormous financial pressure on the Postal Service

*   The national retail network consists of 31,871 facilities:  27,077 Post Offices, 3,313 stations, and 1,481 branches.

*   Customers are encouraged to go to uspseverywhere.com to identify alternate access locations to conduct postal business.  Type your ZIP Code and an interactive map will show you where to purchase stamps and other postal products in your own neighborhood.

VILLAGE POST OFFICE CONCEPT

*   As the Postal Service continues to evolve to better meet customers’ needs, it is rethinking how to provide more convenient access to postal products and services.  One new concept developed is the Village Post Offices.

*   Village Post Offices are part of the Postal Service’s Approved Postal Provider” network – retail outlets for postal products and service that also include Contract Postal Units, Approved Shippers, Stamps on Consignment locations and Community Post Offices.  Approved Postal Providers are operated by third parties and complement the Postal Service’s own network by offering customers expanded retail access to postal products and services at convenient hours and locations.

*   Village Post Offices will be located within existing communities in a variety of locations, such as businesses, town halls or government centers, and will be run by those entities.

*   Village Post Offices will offer a range of popular products and services – the ones most used by customers --- that would involve collection boxes, PO Boxes, Forever stamps, and Prepaid Priority Mail Flat Rate boxes and envelopes.

*   By being located at business and other places that consumers already frequent, Village Post Offices will offer Postal Service customers time-saving convenience, and in many cases, longer hours than regular Post Offices.  Businesses interested in becoming a VPO can find information at www.usps.com.  Please see attached VPO Fact Sheet.