Postmaster

Emily Younker

Nov. 1, 2009 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- CARL JUNCTION, Mo. -- Postmaster Sharon Clark has surpassed her goal of selling $10,000 worth of breast cancer stamps during Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October.

Clark said Saturday that she feels "awesome."

"With the economy the way it is," she said, "you better believe it."

The U.S. Postal Service sells the blue and gold stamps, which depict a woman doing a breast self-exam, for 55 cents. Eleven cents per stamp is donated to national breast cancer research programs.

To reach her goal, Clark had to sell more than 18,000 stamps. She said she ordered 20,000 at the beginning of the month, and she already had some in stock.

As of Saturday, she had 160 stamps left, she said.

"This morning, it was over $10,000 (in breast cancer stamps sold), and we had a line almost the whole two hours we were open today of people wanting breast cancer stamps," Clark said.

Clark's sales will add more than $2,000 to breast cancer research. She said she has gone above what she made last year, when she had set the same goal.

Clark, herself a breast cancer survivor, said she expects to have a final count of stamps sold on Monday. It's not too early to start planning for October 2010, she said.

"Tomorrow, I'll start thinking about what I'm going to do next year," Clark said.

Clark said it has been touching to meet breast cancer survivors and to hear from those who were moved by her campaign, which she said was a joint effort between herself and her community.

"I didn't do it on my own," she said. "It took a village to do it."

When Clark reached her goal last year, several people in Carl Junction dyed their hair pink in celebration, she said. School Superintendent Phil Cook said he's prepared to do that again this year.

"She does a great job for the community," Cook said of Clark. "I know our staff has helped support her. Carl Junction is just a real giving community."

To recognize both Clark and the people who contributed to her cause, the city has planned a group photo at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Carl Junction High School football field.

Newstex ID: KRTB-0368-39348663