[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Page 10192]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                    CONGRATULATIONS TO MAGGIE MILLER

  Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I would like to let my colleagues know 
about a woman who, this morning, is working at the post office in Knox, 
ND. Knox, ND, is a little town of 42 people, but it is big enough to 
have a post office.
  Just recently, the postmaster of the Knox, ND, post office, a woman 
named Vivian Seter, retired. Upon Vivian's retirement at age 73, Maggie 
Miller took over the job.
  Now maybe my colleagues are thinking there is nothing unusual in 
that. But Maggie is 83 years old, and she just took over the running of 
the post office in Knox from her 73-year-old friend Vivian.
  The post office has cut its hours a bit since Maggie took over, so it 
is open now from 8:30 until 10:30 a.m. In fact, in about 10 minutes 
from now, central time in Knox, ND, Maggie will be hanging it up for 
the day. But for now, at age 83, after working 62 years in the postal 
system, Maggie has assumed the reins of the Knox Post Office.
  The reason I mention this today is that I have talked a lot over the 
years about rural values. There is something quite remarkable and 
unique about life in the small towns of rural America. I represent a 
wonderful State, North Dakota, with a lot of small communities. Knox, 
ND, is one of them.
  There are also a lot of hard-working, remarkable people in these 
small towns, and Maggie Miller is one of them. Again, she has been 
working for the postal system for 62 years, and I read in the newspaper 
that the postmaster from Rolla, ND, had to come train her for her new 
position. Vivian, the retiring postmaster, joked: She has only been 
doing this 62 years, so she needs a little training.
  The article I read about her said that last year Maggie, who was age 
82 at the time, bowled a 204. Then she broke her wrist and has had to 
take the summer off. But Maggie being Maggie, she vows to make a 
comeback to her bowling league.
  When I saw this story in the paper, I just had to call Maggie. When 
she answered the phone, I said: Maggie, this is Byron Dorgan calling 
from Washington, DC. I wanted to tell you that it is wonderful that you 
are stepping in as postmaster at age 83. Maggie said: Tell me another 
one. I said: No, Maggie, it really is Byron Dorgan. And she said: I bet 
it is.
  So Maggie, if you happen to be watching this debate in Congress, I 
really did call you. I say congratulations. You have a lot of spunk. I 
am proud of all the things you have done and of the values that you 
represent of folks in small towns helping each other and working 
together. I know the post office in many small towns is the hub of the 
community, and I am confident you will serve Knox well.
  Congratulations to Maggie and to the town of Knox.

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