Reinbeck Postmaster Vicki Abels took over the office on July 1 and has been getting to know local customers over the past month and half. The Reinbeck post office on Clark Street is open Mon-Fri from 10:30-1 and 2-5:30.

The Reinbeck Post Office welcomed a new postmaster to their staff recently. Vicki Abels began work in Reinbeck as the newest postmaster on July 1.

She replaces Sharron Kruger who retired this summer after 15 years with the United States Postal Service (USPS), the last two spent at the Reinbeck office.

Prior to Kruger, Pam Anderson held the position until her retirement in 2019.

Abels is from Holland, Iowa where she lives and farms with her husband Fred.

The Abels are active in several conservation efforts as it relates to their farming experience.

Fred serves on several area boards including Grundy County Soil and Water Conservation District that focus on environmental stewardship and water quality.

They are also members of Practical Farmers of Iowa that believe in nature as the model for agriculture and try toward sustainability in agriculture.

I am active in my church. Enjoy our pets which includes a dog, cats and chickens.

She began work at USPS in 2013 as a clerk at the Holland post office. The last two years she’s worked at the Grundy Center office and now is the friendly face greeting customers in Reinbeck five days a week.

Before coming to the post office Abels worked for NCM Plastics in Grundy Center and then worked as a CNA. At age 50 she went back to school to earn her AA and AAS to be a Physical Therapy Assistant from Hawkeye Community College.

Abels said she enjoys spending time with customers and was drawn to USPS because of the benefits the company offers and for the opportunity to work close to home.

She’s also appreciated the stability USPS has offered her, particularly over the past year.

“I’ve felt privileged to have a job during the last year with the pandemic,” Abels said. “I don’t know what I would have done sitting at home during COVID. We stayed working.”

In her free time, Abels is active in her church and likes to sew, kayak and spend time with her grandkids. She also enjoys their family dog, cat and chickens out on the farm.

The Reinbeck post office was built and opened in 1961. Today it employs five staff members including Abels and four mail carriers.

Much like other employers in recent months, USPS has a sizable inventory of open positions they are looking to fill. According to the USPS careers website, 39 delivery or customer service positions are open in the state of Iowa.

A ‘We Are Hiring’ sign stands perched in the Reinbeck post office lawn. Abels encouraged local job seekers to consider USPS when applying for work as the company provides good benefits and opportunities to advance.

In terms of trends, over the past few years, Abels has noticed letter volume declining, while package volume increasing. She’s also been selling a lot of Forever Stamps as USPS is set to increase stamp prices from 55 cents to 58 cents on Aug. 29.

Since beginning work in Reinbeck, Abels was surprised to see how many customers she helps ship packages for services like eBay. She was also pleased to see her new office featuring a large variety of colorful greeting cards.

Although she doesn’t have any family connection to the Reinbeck area, she said it’s been interesting getting to know some of the local families that have ancestry going back to Germany near where her family originated from.