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By CARLY BLUSTEIN Hernando Today correspondent

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 2, 2008

MASARYKTOWN - Niki Levesque hears it often: "It's just like Mayberry!"

She knows it is the congeniality and the familial tone that the Masaryktown Community Post Office offers that gives it the small-town charm of Mayberry from the "Andy Griffith Show."

Postmistress Levesque, 43, knows her post office is different than the Brooksville and Spring Hill post offices. Crammed in a little building once home to the Hernando County library, now adjacent to the Hernando County Sheriff's Substation on U.S. 41, it would seem like an easy place to miss when driving past.

That doesn't stop the customers from pouring in daily. Levesque has folks who she calls her "regulars," the people whose faces she can easily identify and whose stories she can quickly recall when they walk in each day to check their P.O. box, pick up a loaf of bread donated by Publix, or just chit chat with their local postmistress.

"Smile, it's a good day!" Levesque croons joyfully as a postal patron peters in to pick up a package.

Many Masaryktowners would agree that smiling is downright infectious in the pleasant presence of the postmistress, who has worked hard to make the post office as homey as possible.
Levesque has been the postmistress for three years and her personality gives the post office its charisma. She is the treasurer of the Masaryktown Activities Club and has lived in the area all of her life, barring a four-year stint in Arizona. She was born in Tampa and attended Land O' Lakes High School.

"It's a hard town to get out of and stay out of," she said. "It gets in your blood."

She does not mind riding her husband's beach cruiser to work, she is not afraid to don a Masaryktown T-shirt in public, and she loves her husband David because she thinks he is a natural comedian. She has been married to him for two years and has two children from her first marriage, Kendall, 19, and Mallory, 21.

"I love doing what I do," Levesque said. "As soon as I saw the flier for it three years ago, I said, 'You know, I could do that!' and I went for it. It opened my world for me, socially and emotionally."

Since then, Levesque has transformed the post office into a hubbub for charities, a patriotic showcase and a town gossip corner.

Regardless if there's ice on the windshield or spring flowers in bloom, it's the Fourth of July every day here, evident by the red, white and blue decor lining the bulletin boards and the walls of the post office.

There are the traditional ribbons and buttons that you might find on sale at a convenient store the day after Memorial Day. But then there are the lesser known collectibles Levesque has received from donations. Once she started decorating the office patriotically, many of the townspeople contributed with creations of their own, like a star design made out of stained glass and an authentic Hawaiian leu with the nation's colors.
Levesque also keeps a bulletin board tacked with photographs of the faces that used to fill the streets of Hernando County who are now fighting overseas.

"I like to show my enthusiasm for the troops," she said. "Even though not everyone supports the decision the government is making, everyone should support the troops."

Levesque's patriotism is coupled with her large support of the troops overseas, especially those from the community. She is heavily involved with Lea's Prayers and Postages, Inc., a local organization which collects American commodities like toiletries, candy, drinks, sports equipment, books, and clothing to the troops in Iraq.

It is headed by Dee Mills, a Masaryktown mother whose son Lea, a sergeant in the United States Marine Corps, was killed in action in April 2006. The nonprofit corporation pays for the postage stamps needed to mail the donated goods to the needy troops.

Lea Mills is center stage on the bulletin board, but has progressively been joined by more than 30 troops from the Masaryktown area. His death two years ago was the very first one that hit home for this community.

"Dee really turned a negative into a positive," Levesque said. "She could ask herself all day long, 'why did this happen to my son?' but instead she uses this as a way to cope and convey how much each warrior means to us. The community helped out and completely encompassed her, which really shows the type of people we have here."

Joe Dwyer is the perfect example of those "type of people." For the past year, the 54-year-old Masaryktown resident has docked several hours a week by cutting coupons for the troops.

"I love doing it," Dwyer said. "I get paid in personal satisfaction and great conversations with Niki."

During the down time, Dwyer and Levesque sit on the porch of the post office and watch traffic, have cherry-seed-spitting contests and play car-spotting games.

"You know how they say there are some things only your hairdresser knows?" Levesque said. "Well I'm a firm believer there are more things only your postmistress knows. I love the people. They make me absolutely love getting up and going to work each day."

Reporter Carly Blustein can be reached at 352-428-4619.

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