West Medford Woman Fights For Post Office

Marie Rizzo remembers West Medford's old five and dime. And the A & P. And the bakery that was across the street from it.

But those places are all memories now. She doesn't want the West Medford Post Office to join them as things of the past.

Rizzo, a resident of West Medford for over 60 years, has distributed petitions asking the Post Office Inspector General to keep the branch open.

By her tally, she's collected over 2,000 signatures so far.

"I just took it upon myself to do it. It was a lot more than I thought but I’m very happy I’m doing it," she said. "I just was tired of all these symbols of our community being torn away."

The post office at 485 High Street is . The post office on Boston Avenue in the Hillside is also on the list.

Rizzo said she knows most people use the internet these days in place of the post office in many ways - but not everyone uses the internet, especially in a place like West Medford, where there's a large senior citizen population.

"I thought we’ve got to try to do something," Rizzo said. "Everybody accepts things, and I take on the challenge."

She distributed the fliers to nearly every business in West Medford in mid-September and has since been going around to pick-up sheets filled with signatures and drop more off.

The businesses have all gladly helped her out, she said.

"I’m going to write them a thank you note when this is all done," said Rizzo, a former principal at the Forest Park and Franklin elementary schools in Medford. "They have been wonderful."

It's one of three branches in the city - along with one in the Hillside and one in Medford Square - Having the post office nearby allows residents to do their mail business without driving too far, if at all, she said.

"It’s well used," Rizzo said. "It’s very seldom you don’t see anyone in there. It's a center of our community.”

A public hearing on the post offices is scheduled for 6 p.m. in the Magoun Room of .