Mankato Free Press (November 17, 2023) — Talk about building a legacy.
Harold and Alice Weed of North Mankato commissioned a sculpture called Delivering For You from Bad River Art Studio in Aberdeen, South Dakota.
The sculpture is being dedicated Tuesday. The public is welcome to attend the 3 p.m. program where the sculpture will take center stage.
It’s a 6-foot-tall bronze statue of a letter carrier delivering mail and it will become a permanent part of CityArt Mankato. The sculpture will be staged in front of the former post office on South Second Street in Mankato.
The Weeds commissioned the sculpture via the Mankato Area Foundation as a way to “give back,” Harold said, as his career was with the U.S. Postal Service.
Harold served as a 30-year postal employee and retired as a letter carrier after holding many offices in the Mankato Branch of the National Association of Letter Carriers. He also served as a Minnesota State Letter Carrier president. Alice worked at Minnesota State University.
Now retired, the couple has a fund through the foundation and are phenomenal community stewards, said Maureen Gustafson, the foundation’s donor relations and program director.
She said the Weeds have helped the community more than once with donations.
“There is not too many statues of letter carriers around the country,” Harold said. “I’m interested. I just kind of thought I’d like to do this. What I’m thinking is that people, as they drive by and walk by, and see it and see it and see it, maybe they’ll realize how much of a service the letter carriers give them. Maybe they’ll send a letter to their son or daughter.
“They have to see that letter carrier and realize ‘Oh yeah, I’ve got a letter carrier. He works six days a week delivering my mail.’ I want to make people aware because letter carriers do such a service. They deserve a statue so that’s kind of my path, my message.
“I thought well, I think I’ll do this. And so I did,” Harold said.
He said he is hoping the Mankato and North Mankato mayors attend the dedication, along with other notable politicians such as Gov. Tim Walz.
Harold said above all else, he has a soft spot for letter carriers and wants to honor them.
“If you drive through on a cold winter day, it’s snowing and it’s 10 below, your letter carrier is out there working,” he said. “No matter the weather. For 20 years, I only got called back twice into the post office because of the weather. We are a dedicated workforce.”