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Kokua Line
June Watanabe
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Many factors could delay mail delivery
Question: Can the postmaster for the Zip code 96818 explain why the mail delivery across town is taking so long? A business letter (legal-size, prepaid, embossed address envelope with the bar code on the bottom) that was postmarked July 25 to a business at 96813 was received July 31. Could it be possible that this letter went to the mainland and back instead of going five miles? I lost five days of monetary interest.
Answer: Without actually seeing the envelope, it's not possible to say what happened to your letter, said Lynne Moore, manager of consumer affairs in Hawaii for the U.S. Postal Service.
Depending on when a letter is sent from and to an address in Honolulu, "we pretty much give overnight service," she said.
Because most mail is handled by automation, "mail goes through our system without leaving a trail" or clue, unless it is designated for special services or registration, she said.
"Because we handle so much mail every day, it would be difficult to say specifically what happened to a single piece unless there was something about it that we could pick up on, like unusual bar codes or something about the address itself," she said.
For example, by looking at an address, there might be "aspects of it" that could result in a letter being misdirected, she said; or sometimes the bar code might not match the address.
"But that would be an anomaly," Moore said. "There could be so many things that contributed to the delay" in delivery.
In your case, "Unfortunately, there is no real obvious answer or reason" for what happened, she said.
READERS, ANY TIPS?
We've received a couple of questions about donating items and volunteering and hope our readers can provide some leads:
» I have accumulated shopping bags of different sizes over the years and would like to donate to anyone who can make use of them. I also have empty boxes and cans (excellent for storage) to donate. Anyone interested?
If you know of any group or organization that can use them, call Kokua Line at 529-4773 and leave a name and contact number. We'll pass on the first couple of names to the person asking.
» The Harold K.L. Castle Foundation offers grants of up to $5,000 to Windward school and youth groups for doing volunteer work in their community. As an alternative to traditional fundraisers, this program encourages young people to improve their community and earn money in return. This is an excellent, win-win program that matches young people's energy and enthusiasm to our island's need for cleanup and beautification. Unfortunately, it's limited to Windward Oahu. Are there other foundations or city/state agencies that offer similar grants for community service in metro Honolulu or statewide?
We'll publish the name of any other grants that might be available for volunteerism in the community. Again, please call 529-4773 and leave a message.
Got a question or complaint? Call 529-4773, fax 529-4750, or write to Kokua Line, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210, Honolulu 96813. As many as possible will be answered. E-mail to
kokualine@starbulletin.com.
See also: Useful phone numbers