JENNIFER LAVIOLETTE

Many people give the true essence of what it’s like to be part of a small-town community. Most of these people work in public sector jobs where they see people on a regular daily basis. Pat Cross spent 27 years working at the Roblin Post office and officially retired from the job this summer. Cross started her career with Canada Post as a casual position and worked up to full-time. “There was a part-time casual opening that Mavis Ready had brought to my attention,” said Cross. “She told me if I was interested to put in my application, so I did and got the job back in June of 1997, I have Mavis to thank for putting me on the path to this job. “Getting a job with Canada Post was a good career, for it was a government job with benefits. I started with a casual position, but as I progressed in hours, things became more established and permanent. Having a job that offered benefits, pension and regular set hours was crucial back then and still is today.

I got to know a lot of people during my time working at the Roblin Post Office.” Over Cross’ time working at the Roblin Post Office, she saw the change in how people use the postal service. Before technology and email, the post office was the primary source for people to receive correspondence and bills, now it has changed to being a depot for picking up parcels. “Lots has changed over the years,” said Cross. “When I first started, letter mail was a big portion of what we processed and received, not so much parcels. It took a lot longer to sort the mail because of the amount of letters that would come in. People relied on the post office for all their mail because it was where all their correspondence, bills, and important items were sent. “People still wrote letters back and forth, and Christmas cards were another huge thing back then. People don’t send Christmas cards anymore. Then at Christmas time, there maybe were a few more parcels than normal, but nothing like what it is today.  “Back then we received maybe 30 parcels a day and now the majority is parcels,” said Cross. “We are probably looking at 300 parcels a day. Then during Christmastime, it’s almost double to triple that amount. It’s a big part of what the post office does today and sometimes it feels like there is no room to store them all.

“People in rural communities still rely on the mail service for things, it just may have changed in terms of what people are picking up.” Cross enjoyed her time working at the Roblin Post Office. Her biggest enjoyment was getting to meet and talk with people every day. “I enjoyed the camaraderie with the people every day, whether that was my co-workers or the general public that came in to pick up their mail,” said Cross. “A lot of them would casually come up and start a conversation or tell you about their day and then they are off. The people really made the job enjoyable and I had an amazing staff to work with too. “We had lots of laughs as a staff and when Larry Kines worked there, we laughed a lot.

My most memorable moment working at the post office was when the staff came together and organized a fundraising barbeque for our family when Jaycee was going through his kidney transplant and I was his donor. What they did for me on that level, just melted my heart. It was a personal thing we were experiencing and my coworkers went above and beyond to help us. It was very emotional for me and something I will never forget. The way they all came together for that, made them feel like one big family to me. “I will miss seeing the people and getting to know everyone in a sociable atmosphere,” said Cross.

“I will miss having that chance to see people and talk to them every day. This job introduced me to so many new people and I won’t have that same opportunity now that I’m retired. “Over the years, I’ve gotten close with some of the people who have come in to get their mail, and then there would be a day when the funeral home comes to put up a person’s funeral announcement, and I would get saddened by their passing. You feel the loss after seeing them regularly and it’s heartbreaking.” Cross has plans to enjoy her retirement and spend more time with her family. “I’m looking forward to not having to wake up to that alarm clock now that I’m retired,” said Cross. “For me, that’s the best part, especially on those stormy winter days. I plan to spend more time with my family and enjoy my granddaughter as she grows up. It will be nice not to have to plan get-togethers with them around my holidays. “All the years I have worked at the Roblin Post Office have been great and I will miss seeing the people every day.”