“Mailbox” filled with letters of appreciation

“Neither Snow nor Rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds,”

If he were writing that tribute today, Herodotus may have added “Nor pandemics nor politics” and included a picture of Minh Tran.

Tran is the mail carrier whose “appointed rounds” include Foulkeways at Gwynedd, a Quaker-run retirement community in the Gwynedd Valley where his dedication has not escaped notice.

Tran’s daily visit is a lifeline, bridging the divide between families and friends, that allows residents then to shop and pay bills and access their favorite publications. Minh Tran brings the world to their doors.

Which is why Foulkeways residents made a surprise delivery to him Monday. Residents gathered and presented him with a “mailbox”, filled with letters of appreciation from grateful residents and a colorful poster designed by resident artist Anne Baldwin.

“We needed to stop a moment and thank him,” said Gretchen Hall, one of the organizers of the tribute. “He is always cheerful and helpful, he’s like part of our community. He’s delightful, intelligent and never too busy to stop and talk; He’s just a lovely person.”