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Ava Anderson holds up a shirt she received during her retirement party at the Murphy Post Office.
Murphy - One day about 34 years ago, Ava Anderson’s mail carrier, Glenn Roberts, delivered a message that changed the rest of her life.
She had been staying at home with her two young daughters and her father-in-law, who had just passed away the week before. She had been praying for a part-time job.
Roberts stopped at her house and asked Anderson if she’d like to have a job working for the post office. It wasn’t something she had ever thought of doing, but she went in for an interview and was hired.
Anderson’s last day with the Murphy Post Office as a rural mail carrier was April 30. Her co-workers threw her a party with balloons, a cake and gifts.
“I really enjoyed my work, but it’s good to be retired,” Anderson said. “I’m going to miss my friends, my co-workers and the people that I’ve met.”
She plans to spend more time with her family, plus go shopping when things open back up.
Anderson started off subbing for other mail carriers before getting her own route almost 23 years and 10 months ago. She said she really enjoyed meeting people along the routes and getting out to see all the different areas of the county. She primarily got to meet people when she delivered packages.
“I met a lot of people, and I got to know a lot of people,” Anderson said.
Depending on the amount of mail, her day would start at the office working for two or three hours, making sure no mail gets left behind. Then she’d spend five to seven hours driving along her route up to Panther Top, through Hiwassee Dam and down Sunny Point.
“Not every day was the same,” Anderson said.
She especially had to be careful when it was snowy and icy, traveling slower on back roads that were slick and not even treated. When it rained, sometimes she’d come across a road that washed out.
“We’d just have to keep going,” Anderson said. “It’s hard work.”
In the past year, she had a first – she had never been bitten by a dog, but twice in her last several months as a carrier she was “nipped.”
“I never was afraid of dogs,” Anderson said, but at least she won’t have to worry about any along her mail route anymore.
Community plans
fundraiser for Danner
Andrews – At only 11 years old, Danner Cochran is battling cancer for the second time in his life.
He first had cancer when he was 18 months old. His parents, Matt and Ashley Cochran, recently found out he has cancer again, this time in cartilage in his hip and in his lungs, according to family friend Amy Waldroup.
The community is invited to raise funds for the Cochran family with a Facebook Live Auction Benefit from 3-7 p.m. Saturday. Donated items will be on display in the Andrews Community Center starting at 10 a.m. People may stop by any time during the day to purchase items or view them before the auction.
Purchased items may be picked up that night or the following day.
Grandpa Charlie’s Country Cookin’ is also selling tickets for a drawing to win a free meal a day for a week. Tickets for the drawing are $10 each, and the drawing will be held Friday.
All proceeds for to the Cochran family. For details, call Waldroup at 557-2677.
Samantha Sinclair is the Scouting Around columnist for the Cherokee Scout. You can reach her by phone, 837-5122, Ext. 24; or email, scoutingaround@cherokee-scout.com.