Affectionately called "Gloria, the Mail Lady" by many students, Gloria Parker has been working for the AU Mail Service for 20 years and working in the Quad mail room for three years.
Without hesitation, Parker said her favorite and the easiest thing about working in the mail room is talking to the students.
"The students are my life," Parker said.
Students often show their appreciation for Parker's hard work by bringing her cards or baked goods.
"On my birthday, they brought me cookies," Parker said as she opened a drawer full of cards she has saved over the years.
Parker's positive attitude stays strong even during the difficulties in the mail room.
She often has problems when the students' packages have either no name or no room number.
Sorting and getting the packages out on time adds hardship to her day.
Sometimes, though, the packages that come into the mail room add interest to the otherwise tedious task of sorting.
"One of the students received one of those huge gym balls," Parker said.
The ball came without any packaging, covered in the student's name and little greeting messages.
"It was really neat," Parker said.
When Parker isn't sorting through packages or talking to students, she enjoys working in her yard and visiting with her friends and grandchildren.
She also likes to vacation in Foley.
"We ate at Lambert's Cafe," Parker said. "It's awesome. They make homemade rolls, and then they throw them at you across the restaurant."
After a day at work or a vacation in Foley, Parker drives to her home in Wadley, nearly an hour's drive from Auburn.
A typical day's schedule
5 a.m. Wake up and get ready to come to work
6 a.m. Leave home
7 a.m. Arrive in Auburn and eat breakfast
7:45 a.m. Check in for work
8:30 a.m. All US Mail arrives
9:30 a.m. US Mail is in mailboxes or package racks
11 a.m. FedEx Mail arrives
11:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. Eat lunch on campus
1 p.m. UPS Mail arrives
4:45 p.m. Leave Auburn and return home
5:45 to 9 p.m. Arrive at home, eat dinner, read a book, study the bible, water plants
9 p.m. Go to bed
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