PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) - The holiday season is arguably the busiest time of year for many industries, especially for postal workers who are working to get everyone's packages delivered on time.
It's also the time of year Andrew Gaudreau, a USPS Letter Carrier of 18 years, said is the most challenging.
"We're doing a lot for the people of America. We're helping them communicate with each other, we're giving them gifts especially this time of year and we try to do that efficiently and safely," Gaudreau said.
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Gaudreau works out of the Kenton Post Office on North Kilpatrick Street, meaning his routes almost always encompass some North Portland neighborhoods. While he won't be working Christmas day, he is working every day leading up to Dec. 25.
"This is the world we live in now where people buy things online and we deliver them and we're just helping the country grow and get people what they want," Gaudreau said.
Making sure folks get what they want is what Gaudreau does day in and day out. However, during the holidays, things only get more challenging because there is more volume to deliver. However, Gaudreau said what makes it all worth it, is the connections he gets to make along the way.
"That's one of the things that really draw carriers to the job and keep them there and makes us feel good about our jobs," Gaudreau said. "If you're on a route for a long time or even a little bit of time, you make a connection with the community, you get to know people, you get to meet their kids and their animals and you form a bond. It feels really good. Not everyone has that kind of job where they can get that kind of good feeling about doing something for the public."