Creative mail carrier delivers joy with wild costumes

"It's almost like the ice cream truck for a little kid!"

"It's almost like the ice cream truck for a little kid!"

WE WILL BROADCAST THE LIVE-STREAM ON OUR AIR SUNDAY MORNING AT 6:00. WE’RE STILL GETTING MAIL SIX DAYS A WEEK EVEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PANDEMIC SINCE THAT’S CONSIDERED AN ESSENTIAL JOB. AND ONE WOMAN IN WINSTON-SALEM IS DEVELOPING QUITE A REPUTATION. KENNY BECK JOINS US LIVE NOW WITH HER STORY. KENNY: GOOD AFTERNOON. HE WAS GOING TO LOVE THIS STORY AND SO WILL EVERYONE ELSE. TRACI LEWIS ISN’T JUST BRINGING BILLS, CARDS, LETTERS, MEDICINE, SHE IS ALSO BRINGING JOY TO EVERYONE ON HER MAIL ROUND. THE BORDER CREEK NEIGHBORHOOD, JUST OFF FRIEDBURG CHURCH ROAD IN SOUTH WINSTON-SALEM, IS PRETTY QUIET. MOST INTERESTING THING GOING ON RIGHT NOW IS ALL THE NEW CONSTRUCTION. THAT IS, UNTIL THE MAIL ARRIVES. >> OH, THAT’S COOL KENNY: TODAY, TRACI LEWIS IS DRESSED UP AS A WORK ZONE, COMPLETE WITH A TRAFFIC CONE ON HER HEAD AND A SIGN THAT SAYS NC STATE SYMBOL >> WE HAVE BEEN LOCKED IN THE HOUSE. IT IS SO FUN TO COME OUT EVERY DAY AND SEE HER. SHE’S A JOY. KENNY: NOTICE HOW SHE SAID EVERY DAY. DURING THIS STAY AT HOME ORDER, TRAFFIC CONE TRACI HAS ALSO BEEN MAMA SHARK, A BUTTERFLY, A PIRATE DEMANDING YOUR TOILET PAPER NO LESS, A BUMBLEBEE, AND IT’S QUARANTINE CASUAL FRIDAY. SO WHAT’S THE DEAL? >> NUMBER ONE, MY PARENTS BROUGHT ME UP TO WORK HARD AND LAUGH AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. NUMBER TWO, I AM HEAVILY INVOLVED IN GIRL SCOUTS AND PART OF OUR LAW IS TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE. SO I WANT TO MAKE EVERYBODY SMILE, ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW. THE THIRD REASON, IT MAKES ME FEEL BETTER. KENNY: TURNS OUT IT’S MAKING EVERYONE FEEL BETTER. IT IS NOT AT ALL UNCOMMON FOR PEOPLE TO STOP HER ON HER ROUTE AND ASK FOR A PICTURE. AND SHE’S GLAD TO DO IT. >> SHE BRINGS A JOY TO A TIME THAT IS A DEPRESSING TIME. TO HEAR THE TRUCK, IT IS ALMOST LIKE AN ICE CREAM TRUCK FOR A LITTLE KID. KENNY: MAIL CARRIER IS ONE OF THE FEW JOBS LEFT WHERE YOU STILL INTERACT WITH PEOPLE EVERY DAY. TRACI MOSTLY TOUCHES MAILBOXES, AND HAS A MASK AND GLOVES WHEN SOMEONE HAS TO SIGN FOR SOMETHING. SHE BELIEVES HER JOB IS ESSENTIAL BECAUSE SHE’S OFTEN DELIVERING MEDICINE TO RURAL PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY. SHE FEELS SAFE. AND SHE FEELS LOVED, MAYBE THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT THINGS RIGHT NOW. >> LAUGHTER IS THE BEST MEDICINE. I WAS RAISED THAT WAY, AND I AM A FIRM BELIEVER IN IT. IT MAKES ME FEEL LIKE I AM MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN A WAY THAT I ACTUALLY CAN. KENNY: TONIGHT WAS DAY SIX OF TRACI DOING THIS. I ASKED HER HOW LONG SHE PLANS TO KEEP IT UP. SHE SAID UNTIL MY BOSS TELLS ME I CAN’T ANY MORE, UNTIL THE STAY AT HOME ORDER IS OVER, OR UNTIL I RUN OUT OF IDEAS. BUT THEN SHE THOUGHT ABOUT IT FOR A SECOND AND SAID YOU KNOW, I REALLY HAVE A LOT OF IDEAS. SHE HAS A SPECIAL COS

Creative mail carrier delivers joy with wild costumes

"It's almost like the ice cream truck for a little kid!"

While many businesses have been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, mail remains an essential service throughout the state of North Carolina. One carrier in southern Winston-Salem is delivering more than bills, medicine and magazines though. She is also delivering joy.For the last week and a half she has been dressing up in a variety of wacky outfits, much to the delight of the people on her route and her friends on Facebook.Traci Lewis says her parents raised her to work hard and laugh as much as possible. She also says she's heavily involved in Girl Scouts, where she teaches young women to make the world a better place and make people smile."And the third reason is, it makes me feel better," she says with a chuckle.So far she has dressed up as a shark, a butterfly, a pirate, a bee, 'quarantine casual Friday,' and road construction, complete with an orange cone on her head. It is not uncommon for people to stop her on her route and ask for a picture after patiently waiting for her arrival."She brings joy to a time where it is one of those depressing times," says Gwen Whitaker, who lives along her route."It's almost like the ice cream truck pulling up when you're a little kid.""We've been locked in the house and it's just so fun to come out and see her every day. She's such a joy," said Vicki Baltierrez, another neighbor.Mail carriers are some of the few remaining workers right now, carrying out a job that cannot be done from home and requires regular human contact. For the most part, Lewis is only touching mailboxes, but she also carries hand sanitizer, a mask and gloves when someone has to sign for a package. She also makes sure to maintain social distancing when she is taking pictures. Lewis says she plans to keep dressing up until she's told not to, the shelter-in-place-order is lifted, or she runs out of ideas."It makes me feel like I'm actually making a difference for a few people and in a way that I actually can," she says.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. —

While many businesses have been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, mail remains an essential service throughout the state of North Carolina.

One carrier in southern Winston-Salem is delivering more than bills, medicine and magazines though. She is also delivering joy.

For the last week and a half she has been dressing up in a variety of wacky outfits, much to the delight of the people on her route and her friends on Facebook.

Traci Lewis says her parents raised her to work hard and laugh as much as possible. She also says she's heavily involved in Girl Scouts, where she teaches young women to make the world a better place and make people smile.

"And the third reason is, it makes me feel better," she says with a chuckle.

So far she has dressed up as a shark, a butterfly, a pirate, a bee, 'quarantine casual Friday,' and road construction, complete with an orange cone on her head. It is not uncommon for people to stop her on her route and ask for a picture after patiently waiting for her arrival.

"She brings joy to a time where it is one of those depressing times," says Gwen Whitaker, who lives along her route."It's almost like the ice cream truck pulling up when you're a little kid."

"We've been locked in the house and it's just so fun to come out and see her every day. She's such a joy," said Vicki Baltierrez, another neighbor.

Mail carriers are some of the few remaining workers right now, carrying out a job that cannot be done from home and requires regular human contact. For the most part, Lewis is only touching mailboxes, but she also carries hand sanitizer, a mask and gloves when someone has to sign for a package. She also makes sure to maintain social distancing when she is taking pictures.

Lewis says she plans to keep dressing up until she's told not to, the shelter-in-place-order is lifted, or she runs out of ideas.

"It makes me feel like I'm actually making a difference for a few people and in a way that I actually can," she says.

Creative mail carrier delivers joy with wild costumes

"It's almost like the ice cream truck for a little kid!"

TRACKING THE COVID-19 VACCINE