Today in 2019, a community in suburban Atlanta wanted to show its appreciation for a guy who had been a daily part of their lives for more than three decades.
This was Floyd Martin, who had delivered the mail in Marietta, Georgia for 35 years.
Mail carriers often get to know those who live around their route – just the other day I saw my mail carrier offering pets and I think treats to a neighbor’s dogs – but Martin excelled at knowing the residents on his rounds.
He seemed to know just how he could help make each resident’s day a little nicer.
And when the man they called “Mr. Floyd” let people know he was going to retire, they wanted to return the favor.
So, for his last day on the mail route, Martin got a massive sendoff.
Just about everyone in the neighborhood decorated their mailboxes, put out signs and balloons, and wrote letters to say thank you.
Some gave those thank yous in person: they wanted Martin to know how much they appreciated his extra efforts on behalf of elderly parents, young kids, pets, and everybody else, too.
And when he finished the route, Martin found himself the guest of honor at a surprise neighborhood party, with hundreds of people bringing food and drinks to share.
Though newspaper reporter Jennifer Brett wrote that she wasn’t sure he actually got to eat or drink any of it, since he was so busy getting and giving hugs, and taking selfies with his friends.
Before the party wrapped up, Martin thanked these neighbors for caring about him, and encouraged them to keep caring for each other.
He also mentioned that he hoped that he might be able to take a vacation to Hawaii someday.
This was the last part of the surprise: neighbors, plus well-wishers who had followed Martin’s last day on the job on social media, donated over $32,000 so that he could take that trip, and an airline offered to kick in the airfare.
All of which just goes to show sometimes just showing up, doing a good job and being kind really does make a difference.
Starting today in Springfield, Illinois, it’s the International Carillon Festival.
Springfield is home to one of the largest carillons in the world, so players from all over the world come to town over the five day event to play the keyboard and get all those bells ringing.
When their mailman retired, the neighbors along his route threw him one heck of a goodbye party (CNN)
63rd Annual International Carillon Festival (Visit Springfield)
