With a passport comes a request for postcards
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Jan Dick (left) and Wendy Dethlefs stand in front of their map that showcases where residents have traveled and features postcards that have been sent to them. They have received so many that the rest are kept in an album. News-Register/Jeni Moellenberndt
When community members make their way to the Hamilton County District Court they are given a chance to look over a map of the world that’s covered with pins in different countries and postcards around the edge.
District Court Clerk Wendy Dethlefs and recently retired Deputy Clerk Jan Dick have been managing their map that showcases postcards sent to them from locals who have traveled abroad for the last 10 years.
“We just said that we should have a board when we started doing passports,” Dick said. “We thought it would be
“We thought it would be cool to do, because we always ask people on the form where they’re going,” Dethlefs added. “Then with just talking to them we would hear about the places they’re going. We kind of started saying, ‘Well bring us postcards.’ Then it seemed natural to have a map.”
Dick has found that many visitors like to see where they are headed off to on their map, especially the children.
“We had the space there and we have everybody put a pin in where they’re going, unless it’s a really populated country because then we get too many,” Dethlefs explained. “Then if they remembered to bring the postcards back we will put them up.”
Previous postcards have been taken down when new maps are put up. The first time they had to be removed, Dick had the idea to put them in an album that is kept on the counter at the District Court office.
Those who are planning on some international travel can either mail in postcards from their trip or bring them up to the office directly when they return.
“We’ve had them both ways,” she said. “We’ve gotten them in the mail and been so excited.”
While some postcards are given to the District Court blank, some bear messages and stories of the trip, both signed and unsigned. Dick recalled receiving postcards from England and neither she nor Dethlefs have figured out who sent it.
They added that ones that are mailed and postmarked do have the year on it, and when the post cards are dropped off in person they make a note of when and who brought it.
When asked about unsigned messages that stood out, Dick explained that a 2015 postcard from St. Thomas stood out to them. It read: “Feeling a little sad because you are working. Wish you were here. It is absolutely beautiful here. Lots of things to see, lots of places to go, lots of people and lots to eat. Thanks for all your help.”
Dethlefs noted that the country they get the most postcards from is Mexico, but she is hoping that they soon get one from Venice.
One of the most unusual countries that is missing from their collection is the neighbor to the north, Canada. She explained that while many locals get passports to go to Canada, especially for fishing, none have sent back any postcards for them.
“We have many people that go, but it didn’t use to be a requirement that you needed a passport,” Dethlefs explained.
The other country that has been visited by residents that stood out to the ladies was Russia, though they added that it would “be cool” to have one.
Though not all postcards have come from overseas as she has sent one to her coworkers from a trip to Florida, and her sister-in-law sent one with the solar eclipse and special eclipse stamp to the office. A favorite postcard of the
A favorite postcard of the ladies is from an island off of Madagascar called Mauritius, which is currently pinned onto their map.
“I love our France one too, but they’re all fun to get,” Dethlefs said. “We are just happy when we get them, because we get excited when they come in and apply for passports and this is the culmination of the whole passport experience.”
“Then we put it on our bucket list,” Dick added with a laugh. “With what it looks like (the postcard) we want to go there, too.”
Sharing in the fun of a vacation has been a high point for the ladies, as friends and neighbors have even made a point to bring photo albums from their trips to the office. Dethlefs voiced that this is the fun part of their jobs.
Even the attorneys have joined in on the fun of sharing snapshots of their trips, she noted. Having people think about them while on vacation, when they weren’t supposed to think about home, felt nice, she added. Dethlefs is
Dethlefs is hoping that with Dick’s recent retirement, after 11 years with the District Court, that she will be able to send postcards herself.
“A big part of her job was passports,” Dethlefs explained. “She processed many, many passport applications and did a wonderful job. Hopefully she’s going to bring us some from all of her travels.”
Dick concluded by bringing attention to a quote that she put on the outside of their postcard album, “Of all the books in the world, the best stories are found between the pages of a passport.”
Those who would like to share postcards from their own international travel can mail them to P.O. Box 201, Aurora, Neb. 68818 or deliver it in person to the District Court office.
The District Court is currently doing passport applications by appointment only. They can be scheduled by calling 402-694-3533 or by visiting www.travel.state.gov.
‘We are just happy when we get them, because we get excited when they come in and apply for passports and this is the culmination of the whole passport experience.’
Wendy Dethlefs
