What:

The U.S. Postal Service will host an official renaming ceremony which designates the Grand Central Station Post Office building in honor of Vincent R. Sombrotto, past President of the NALC – National Association of Letter Carriers. The ceremony will pay tribute to the dedication and service he provided to the nation.
The bill, sponsored by New York Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, passed the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously and was signed into law by President Obama.
During the ceremony, which will take place inside the post office, an official commemorative plaque will be unveiled, and at a later date installed in a prominent location inside the lobby so that all who enter will know the building is designated, the Vincent R. Sombrotto Post Office Building.
The public and media are invited to join with Congresswoman Maloney and the Postal Service, along with the NALC in this free ceremony.

MEDIA

The media is invited to video, take live feed, and photos and interview speakers and agreeable guests.

When:

Thursday, Oct 16, 2014
11:00am

Where:

Grand Central Station Post Office
450 Lexington Ave Front A, (Between West 44th and 45th Street)
New York, NY 10017
(There is no street parking. Paid public parking garages can be found adjacent to the building.)

Who:

Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney
Richard P. Uluski, Vice President Area Operations Northeast Area
Assembly Member Dan Quart
Frederic V. Rolando, President National Association of Letter Carriers
George Mangold, President NY State Association of Letter Carriers
Charlie Heege, President Vincent Sombrotto Branch 36 NALC 
Dr. Lisa Sombrotto, Daughter of Vincent Sombrotto
Postmaster of NY Elvin Mercado
Graphics Campus Navy Junior ROTC
Patrick McNally, Second Vice President of the NALC Branch 36
Jillian Diaz, Performing the National Anthem
Cleveland Morgan, invocation
Additional Union Leaders
US Postal Service Officials
Family and Friends

Background:

At the time of the 1970 federal walk out, (postal strike) to protest, in part, dismal working conditions and poverty-level wages (letter carrier salaries were $2.70 an hour) which entitled some to federal assistance programs, Sombrotto played an instrumental role that led New York City and 10s of thousands of federal workers countrywide to walk off the job and march in protest.

The following year Sombrotto was elected as New York NALC Branch 36 President during a crucial time in history when the United States Postal Service (originally called the U.S. Post Office Department and completely managed by the U.S. Government before 1971) was transitioning to an independent agency of the United States federal government. (Postal Reform Act) He went on to become the 16th National President of the NALC leading one of the nation’s most powerful unions for 24 years (1978-2002).

In 1992, Sombrotto began the NALC food drive, (Stamp Out Hunger) which has developed into the country’s largest one-day food drive. Held on the second Saturday of May, it has to date provided more than 1.7 billion pounds of food for families in need throughout the United States.
As a firm believer in civic responsibility, Mr. Sombrotto and the NALC worked with the United States Postal Service and emergency services organizations to establish Carrier Alert. This nationwide program allows carriers to perform heroic and humanitarian deeds on their routes including saving lives, finding missing children, looking after the elderly, and stopping crimes.

Sombrotto passed away on Jan 10, 2013. His family, wife, Rae and their 7 grown children and 14 grandchildren, carry on the family name.