My name is Ellen Damin and I’m the postmaster for Yosemite National Park in California.
I was working as postmaster for Tuolumne, CA, last May when my boss asked if anyone wanted to cover for Yosemite’s retiring postmaster. I blurted out: “I will! I will! I will!”
After two weeks, I applied for a lateral transfer. I don’t ever want to leave.
The entire vibe of the park is just wonderful. It’s pure joy. Think about when you last visited a national park — everyone is on vacation, everyone is happy.
People come in to mail a whole lot of postcards and souvenirs, and we hand out a lot of packages, often boxes of supplies that hikers along the Pacific Coast Trail send themselves in advance.
The Post Office building will be 100 years old next year. That brings some challenges. There’s no air conditioning, for example, but it’s a really great building. People come in and take photos all the time.
There are historical items everywhere. I even found old “Wanted” posters in a filing cabinet! Nothing was ever thrown out.
It’s neat to be able to walk to work. I live in a little duplex up the road. My husband is still in Tuolumne. We had just started a renovation on our home there when I transferred, but we visit each other on the weekends. He loves it here, too. I have two grown daughters in their 30s.
Our white husky, Luna, accompanies me often on walks. The park mentioned us in its daily email when we first arrived and people will often stop and ask, “Is that Luna?”
I’m an old-school bleed-blue type of gal. My grandfather was a postmaster, and my father worked as a clerk for a while. I love the Postal Service and want it to succeed.
I’m really honored to represent the Postal Service here in Yosemite.