SUPPORT...LJ HOPKINS

Let’s  help  our  dear  friend  LJ  Hopkins! 

LJ’s last day of delivering mail to Swan’s Island and Frenchboro was March 31, 2016.  Since that day, he has continued to deliver freight, including medical prescriptions, six days a week despite the financial hardship it has caused him.  LJ has gone above and beyond for Swan’s Island and Frenchboro residents for nearly 6 months and it’s time for us to show him our support. 

At a meeting back in April with LJ, his accountant Jim Snow, TIMS owner Brian Krafjack and Island Institute’s Economic Director Brianna Warner, LJ estimated he would be losing approximately $4,000 per month without the mail contract.  Despite this loss of income, LJ has continued to meets the needs of everyone who has come to depend on him for delivery services.  He has been faithful and loyal to the communities of Swan’s Island and Frenchboro while suffering a tremendous financial loss each month.

Thanks to the great job by Brian Krafjack, attorney Keith Harriton, and many others, LJ has been able to bid on the U.S Postal contract again and if awarded the contract, he will be able to “resume business as normal”—carrying the U.S. Postal Mail and freight at the same time in the same vehicle.  If LJ is awarded the new contract, he will not start delivering the mail again until mid October and will not receive any compensation from the U.S. Postal Service until sometime in November.  Recovery of lost compensation for LJ was part of the legal claim filed against the U.S. Postal Service, but it was denied.  LJ will never recover the income lost during his time without the mail contract—approximately $20,000-$30,000! 

We need to show our support for LJ and help him recover financially.  This ordeal has taken a toll on LJ in many ways and we need to show him how much we love him and how much we appreciate the friendly, dependable service he has continued to provide for us over these last six months and continues to provide for us each day.  I can’t think of anyone who hasn’t benefitted from the services of LJ Hopkins and his family business, Swan’s Island Freight.

If you’ve ever received a prescription, a boat part, a UPS/FedEX delivery, a newspaper, a part from NAPA, building materials, furniture, food co-op order, floral delivery, any number of thousands of different things that have occupied the inside of LJ’s van or his big truck, please help him to recover from his financial hardship and to continue doing what he does so well by making a contribution.