The U.S. Postal Service annually processes more than 202 billion pieces of mail for delivery to more than 141 million addresses. Many of the employees who accomplish this monumental task are heroes in their communities through their work on the job during natural disasters, terrorist attacks, and other emergencies, or by their community service activities off the clock. These postal heroes are reflective of the spirit, diversity, and pride that are the strengths of our great nation.

Kenneth Maly - Grand Island, NE, Letter Carrier
Grand Island, NE, Letter Carrier Kenneth Maly heard a customer cry out for help. The woman said she'd fallen and couldn't move. Maly went to a neighbor's residence and called for an ambulance. The customer was later treated at a hospital for a broken leg. It was an especially eventful day for Maly, who earlier at his office had been recognized with a 35-year service award.

Jackie Burton - Sun City, CA, Letter Carrier
Credit Sun City, CA, Letter Carrier Jackie Burton with performing double-duty recently while assisting an elderly wheel-chair bound customer who had fallen. While delivering to her home, Burton heard the woman cry out for help. Burton called 911 and stayed with the customer until the paramedics arrived. Burton then secured the woman's dogs so that emergency personnel could enter the yard.

Deon James - Los Gatos, CA, Letter Carrier
While driving on his route in Los Gatos, CA, Letter Carrier Deon James saw a man lying on the sidewalk. When he stopped to investigate, he discovered the man was unconscious, suffering from an allergic reaction to a bee sting. James called 911 and cared for the man according to the operator's instructions until paramedics arrived. Originally found by James in critical condition, the man was admitted to intensive care and has fully recovered.

Billy Groves, Jr. - Madisonville, KY, Letter Carrier
Madisonville, KY, Letter Carrier Billy Groves, Jr. was concerned when his elderly customer didn't meet him at the door for several days. Aware that the woman had no family living in the area, Groves contacted police, who entered the home and found the customer unconscious on her bedroom floor. Paramedics took her to a local hospital, where she made a complete recovery.

James Lindsey - Palm Harbor, FL, Rural Carrier
When Palm Harbor, FL, Rural Carrier James Lindsey saw flames shoot from a fence next to a house on his route, he grabbed a garden hose and sprayed water on the fast-moving fire, which by then had spread to the house, according to an article in the St. Petersburg Times. He extinguished the fire and was gone by the time firefighters arrived. "This man [Lindsey] did a great service to the community," a fire rescue official was quoted as saying in the article. "Thank goodness for our postal worker," said the homeowner, who credits Lindsey for saving the house and the pets inside.

The Tampa, FL, Post Office and NALC Branch 599
The Tampa, FL, Post Office and NALC Branch 599 partnered with the U.S. Marine Corps to collect and distribute more than 150,000 new toys during their sixth annual Christmas toy drive. Letter carriers collect toys as they deliver mail on the first Saturday each December. The annual project has been such a hit that it's being duplicated throughout the Suncoast District.

Employees of the Sterling Heights, Utica and Shelby Township, MI, Post Offices
Employees of the Sterling Heights, Utica and Shelby Township, MI, Post Offices gave a needy family a Christmas to remember. The family, which included five kids, was having a tough time after the father lost his job of 32 years. Letter Carrier Jim Burdette delivered a truckload of presents donated by employees to the family. "I'm blessed to be working with such an outstanding group," said Sterling Heights OIC Kate Brooks.

Daun Darnell-Lumm - Melbourne, FL, Rural Carrier
Melbourne, FL, Rural Carrier Daun Darnell-Lumm rescued a man whose foot was pinned under an automobile. While delivering her route, Darnell-Lumm heard cries from a nearby residence and discovered the man in distress. After freeing him, she used her cell phone to call 911 for assistance.

Bill Ang - Concord, CA, Letter Carrier
Fast-acting Concord, CA, Letter Carrier Bill Ang extinguished a fire while delivering his route. Ang noticed a fire in a customer's yard and extinguished it with a garden hose before it could spread. The homeowner was recovering from recent surgery and unable to walk, making Ang's swift response even more heroic.