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Veteran letter carriers get national award for safety

Dee Henry

Eugene Curtis, of Granite Falls (left), stands with Hickory Postmaster Jim Frizzell and Karen Thrift, of Conover. Curtis and Thrift were inducted into the National Safety Council’s Million Mile Club on Thursday.

By Dee Henry | Hickory Daily Record

Published: June 29, 2009

HICKORY - Two postal letter carriers have attained a milestone many do not reach.

Eugene Curtis, of Granite Falls, a 36-year veteran of the U.S. Postal Service, and Karen Thrift, of Conover, 30-year veteran, were inducted into the National Safety Council's Million Mile Club on Thursday.

Professional drivers who have driven at least 30 years without a preventable vehicle accident are presented the honor, which the National Safety Council equates to reaching the peak of Mount Everest by a mountain climber.

Thrift said she has always abided by the postal service's motto of ABC, or Always Be Careful.

"We're out there to do a good job, but we also want to go home to our families at the end of the day," she said. "I'm constantly looking in all directions for anything to pop up."

"And it will," said Curtis.

Thrift and Curtis started working with the postal service at the same time as clerks and moved to route carriers in 1979.

Thrift said driving 1 million miles with no accidents was no easy feat, as other drivers don't always have the patience to allow postal carriers to do their jobs.

"I can't tell you how many times I've run off the side of the road because I see someone coming up behind me too fast," she said. "We're always driving defensively, because even if it's not our fault, it doesn't make a difference. We don't want accidents of any kind."

Both drivers' routes take them along Springs Road and 29th Avenue Drive, both roads very curvy and dangerous, making their accomplishment even more admirable.

Hickory Postmaster Jim Frizzell said he is proud of Curtis and Thrift.

"I was thinking about what this accomplishment means and Hickory has challenges if you're out there driving for your own personal business," he said, "but these two are out there for six hours every day."