The world of mail is a busy one. The number of letters and packages sent by way of the post office is only amplified by the holidays. It is a postmaster’s job to make sure the mail goes out correctly and on time.

David De Los Santos, the new Postmaster of Kalona, was hired this September. Even though Kalona is a small town, he was caught off guard just how busy a small town can be.

“Oh my gosh, I’m surprised how busy Kalona is considering how small we are,” De Los Santos said. “I was shocked how much business comes into the office, but it’s great for the community, it’s great for us. There really isn’t a slow day here. With Christmas time being here right now it has been insane. There’s always something to do and I’m always trying to help my employees.”

De Los Santos has been the postmaster for about three months, and he believes Kalona is a wonderful place so far. His interactions with people have been nothing but friendly and he is getting to know some of the local leaders. The Kalona Coffeehouse, a place he visits frequently, already treats him like a regular. They know what his order will be before he even says anything, and it is those small moments that make him glad to be here.

“It’s been fantastic. I mean, everyone’s so friendly, and I am starting to get to know the local businesses. I really couldn’t have asked for a better office to come to,” De Los Santos said.

Before coming to Kalona, De Los Santos worked as a supervisor at the Burlington post office for five years. He appreciates the smaller office of Kalona compared to Burlington because he can spend more time communicating with his employees, forming stronger connections that would have been difficult to form in a larger workspace.

“I was trying to get into a less stressful office,” De Los Santos said about his decision to come to Kalona. “I live in Washington. I actually grew up in Washington, so it was nice getting an office that was close to home.”

The title of Postmaster sounds lofty and exciting but working with mail is something most kids don’t think of when they think of a future occupation. De Los Santos was the same. He didn’t know his future would be a bustling world of papers, stamps, and packages, but he takes pride in the work he does.

“I was in the Marines before this. I was in for about four years before I got hurt. So, I medically retired,” De Los Santos said. “Honestly, I was sitting at home bored. I don’t think I made it a whole month before I just decided I needed to do something. So, I applied for the Washington Post Office as a clerk, and it was fun. It was something for me to do and it just took off from there. That’s how I got into the post office; I never thought I would be a postmaster ten years ago.”

While De Los Santos does not go out and hand deliver mail himself, he still gets to interreact with customers when working at the front window of the post office, something he does for about three hours a day. His main responsibilities are the finances, scheduling, and making sure his employees have everything they need.

“I’m responsible for my employees and being a leader for the community, making sure that we’re providing the services our customers expect from the post office,” De Los Santos said. “We have a great crew of workers here, they’re all fantastic.”

Life as a postmaster may be a busy one, even in small towns like Kalona, but De Los Santos has the right attitude and above-average know-how when it comes to mail to get the job done well. He may have only been Kalona’s postmaster for three short months so far, but he hopes there are many more months to come.

“I could see myself being here for quite a long time,” De Los Santos said. “The community is great, and I’m just really excited to be here.”