All of a sudden, Josh Crowell noticed the signs outside some of the homes on his mail route that seemed to appear overnight.
Dozens of them, saying a “Bow High School senior lives here,” and “Congratulations Class of 2020.”
Some were decorated with a photo of a student, others had balloons attached.
“These high school students that have gone through their 12 years of school, they deserve a graduation, but unfortunately, they can’t have one right now,” he said. “I just thought, ‘What’s something I could do to give them recognition?’ ”
Crowell bought a bundle of $5 Dunkin Donuts gift cards and started dropping them off at the mailboxes of homes on his route in Bow and Loudon with a note signed, “From your mailman, Josh.”
Traveling in his mail truck with his hair dyed blazing light purple, Crowell already brings a lot of brightness to the world. The gift cards were a small gesture he hoped would make the graduating seniors’ days a bit brighter.
He didn’t expect a response.
“It’s only a $5 to gift card, but I started getting ‘Thank you’ cards from the kids,” he said. “They really appreciate it. They say it means a lot, that it made their week.”
Crowell is not a regular carrier, but a Rural Carrier Associate, so he goes on multiple routes through towns surrounding Concord. He always makes sure to have at least a few Dunkin Donuts cards in his lunchbox in case he stumbles across the home of a new graduate.
Crowell said he remembers what a significant moment it was when his own children graduated from Concord High.
“My daughter, she struggled in school, and to have her be able to walk across and get her diploma was a huge thing,” he said.
He said he thought a Dunkin Donuts card would be a nice gift because it gives kids a reason to get out of the house and treat themselves, especially in families that might be struggling financially during the pandemic.
Crowell said he’s seen a lot of community appreciation in general lately while he’s been at work.
“I think everybody is more appreciative about what we are doing as postal workers,” he said. “We are essential workers, we go to all these different houses every day to deliver packages because people are ordering online because they can’t get to a store. If they didn’t have the USPS, we wouldn’t be able to do that.”
He said some people have started stopping him on his route to say thank you.
“They’re always saying, ‘Thank you – be safe, stay healthy,’ ” he said. Some have put signs on their lawns, doors or near their mailboxes.
The seniors who have left him notes recognized his role as an essential worker as well.
“One said, “Thank you for continuing to work in these times, I really appreciate all you are doing and thank you for bringing good into what has been a rough time,’ ” he read. “I had another one that said that it’s kind of strange how we don’t see the person in the truck who delivers our mail every day, but yet we get this card. They appreciate making the connection.”
Crowell has given 25 gift cards out to students so far with his personal money.