Published: July 11, 2008 11:10 pm            

New Shanksville postmaster prepares for Sept. 11

SHANKSVILLE — Beginning Sept. 11, Wendy Calhoun will spread history by mail.

As officer in charge of the Shanksville post office, she is preparing to mail the new Flight 93 pictorial cancellation for those requesting one.

“I’m proud to be a part of it,” said Calhoun, 36. “It’s history, every year when Sept. 11 comes around.”

A Johnstown resident, Calhoun has been with the U.S. Postal Service for 15 years and previously was the officer in charge at post offices in Hooversville and Acosta.

She takes over for Postmaster Kathy Bates, who was transferred to the Tire Hill post office in October.

Calhoun is becoming acquainted with the tiny borough that grabbed its piece of history when United Flight 93 crashed on Sept. 11, 2001. Forty innocent passengers and crew were killed when the hijacked jet crashed near Shanksville.

“It changed the community and brought a lot of people together,” she said.

Co-worker Judy Baeckel, an ambassador at the nearby Flight 93 temporary memorial, remains close to crash victims’ families.

The new pictorial cancellation will be available on the seventh anniversary of the terrorists’ attack.

The special postmark – bearing the image of the Flight 93 Memorial Chapel – will be available Sept. 11 until Oct. 11.

Such cancellations are especially sought-after by stamp collectors.

It is the sixth pictorial cancellation offered at the Shanksville post office.

Last year, the small post office handled 3,222 cancellations requested from as far away as Britain, Belgium and Germany.

“When I open them up and read the notes, I’m just amazed at the plethora of people who are interested in the little town’s cancellations,” Calhoun said.

The most poignant requests are kept on file.

One letter came from the sister of Pilot Jason Dahl, 43, who died in the crash.

“The people in your community are so warm and caring,” Joan Dahl writes. “I’ve been trying to collect your postmarks as they come out.

“I think it’s a wonderful tribute to Flight 93. The Dahl family really does appreciate what everyone in Shanksville has done to honor the passengers and crew.”

The Shanksville post office is critical to keeping alive the memory of the heroes of Flight 93, said the Rev. Alphonse T. Mascherino, director of the memorial chapel.

“It’s important for this little town to be recognized,” he said.

“The whole United States is aware of Shanksville, and people all over the world request the postmarks.

“Wendy is helping to advance the message of Shanksville,” Mascherino said.

As Sept. 11 nears, you can receive the special postmark by sending a self-addressed stamped envelope or postcard inside a larger envelope and mailing it to:

Pictorial Cancellations

422 Stutzmantown Road

Shanksville, Pa. 15560-9998.

        

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