Published: July 05, 2009 07:26 pm      

Mercer postmaster to receive record fourth ‘Eagle Award’

LASHMEET — A Mercer County postmaster will be ending her term of service on the National League of Postmasters board of directors next month with an exclamation point — earning her fourth “Eagle Award” from the organization in recognition for her recruitment efforts, and establishing a new record for Eagle Awards by one member.

While she will step down from her national post when the League meets in Buffalo, N.Y., on Aug. 1, Linda Rumney, postmaster at Lashmeet, was elected president of the West Virginia Branch of the National League of Postmasters on West Virginia Day, June 20.

“I really love being the postmaster at Lashmeet,” Rumney said in an e-mail response to a question. Rumney served as postmaster at Anawalt and Eckman prior to accepting the position as postmaster at Lashmeet four years ago. She is a native of Rock, and continues to live there.

“As the postmaster in a small office like mine, you really get to know the customers,” she said. “I grieve with them when a death occurs in their families and I celebrate with them when something good happens in their lives. I also benefit from their overflowing gardens and their candy-making skills at Christmas time. I have the best job there is!”

Rumney, 53, was elected to the National League of Postmasters’ board in Puerto Rico in 2005, and was re-elected in Las Vegas in 2007. During that 4-year period, she has served as the league’s national secretary/treasurer, has received several national awards and has recruited almost 400 new members.

“It has been such an honor to be a part of (this organization),” Rumney said. “I’ll always work for this organization. It is dear to my heart.”

Along with serving as postmaster at Anawalt, Eckman and Lashmeet, Rumney has also worked in various capacities at post offices in Rock, Montcalm, Bluefield, Princeton, Leckie, Gary, Welch, Iaeger as well as in Bluefield, Va., and Grundy, Va.

– Contact Bill Archer at barcher@bdtonline.com