21/05 Leader 4/23/21 11:17 AM Page 17 The Acadiana Advocate Brad Bowie/

Linemen work to restore power after a devastating tornado hit Palmetto, LA, on April 10, 2021.

tamps.com has donated $475,000 to the in our democracy and building a life of dignity for Postal Employees Relief Fund (PERF) as themselves.” part of its special promotion that late- The singer and songwriter was inducted into night comedian and host John Oliver the in 2019. In 2020, he launched last year on his show, “Last won a Grammy for Lifetime Achievement. And this SWeek Tonight with John Oliver,”to promote and year, he won a Grammy for Best American Song support the Postal Service. and Performance for “I Remember Everything.” Oliver’s show staff worked with Stamps.com Prine never forgot the Postal Service and made to launch a line of “Last Week Tonight” branded sure PERF was a beneficiary of his good fortune. stamps that were available last June. This benevo- Director of Marketing Eileen lent donation will allow PERF to help about 235 Tilson and Director of Operations Jody Whelan, USPS families in times of need. Prine’s son, joined a March 12 Zoom meeting PERF also received a $70,000 donation from where PERF presented them with a plaque and Oh Boy Records in Nashville. The company was thanked them for the donation. launched in 1981 by John Prine, an American coun- PERF was the recipient of another recent contri- try folk singer and songwriter who used to be a let- bution. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy showed his ter carrier in Chicago in the late ’60s. Prine died support of the relief fund with a generous donation. April 7, 2020, from complications of COVID-19. You can help your fellow postal employees—ac- According to RollingStone, his mail route provid- tive and retired—whose homes have been destroyed ed the time and space for Prine to reflect on the unor- or left uninhabitable by natural disasters with a dona- dinary characters and emotions that defined his tion to PERF. Also, consider working with businesses music.“He often discussed the way that working as a in your community to educate them about PERF and postal carrier gave him the freedom and security to ask for their support of this worthy effort. hone his craft as a songwriter. He was just one of The easiest and fastest way to make a donation countless hard-working Americans who have found a is to send your check to PERF, PO Box 41220, Fred- steady job with the USPS, serving a crucial function ericksburg, VA 22404-1220.