"Local Personalities"

Carol Lee Weber

by Maggie Van Ostrand

California's infamous rolling brownouts do not affect Pine Mountain Club residents as they do other towns, because we have a special source of electricity -- the smile of Postmistress, Carol Lee Weber. It can light up the entire community.

In 2002, in order to be closer to her Pine Mountain Club home and spend more time with 11-year old son, Shane, Carol Lee left her job selling financing for medical equipment at a Culver City medical instrument company, and joined the Post Office.

Shane currently attends Pine Mountain Learning Center, which his mom feels is "giving him a good foundation." Shane wants to grow up to be "a head-banging rock 'n' roll star," as soon as his Uncle Tommy, a luthier (guitarmaker), builds him an instrument of his own. Shane may get his love of music from his mom, who says "We always have music playing at home, especially the rock 'n' roll of the 60's and 70's."

Back in 1988 when Guns N Roses, Def Leppard, and INXS were the most requested rockers on the airwaves, young Carol Lee was busy moving from Chicago to Los Angeles. Before that, she lived in Grand Rapids, MI, where she "was raised on downhill skiing," a sport she still loves.

A former body-building weight lifter, Carol Lee also enjoyed basketball, swimming, and diving, and a talent for dancing lead to ice skating. "There is no 'slow' about me," Carol Lee grins, patting her fast-growing long hair.

She sells Mary Kay cosmetics more to help people with skin problems than to make money. Carol Lee's ability to help others is also directed at mentoring children. "Shane brings home strays," she explains, "some with four feet and some with two, and I try to help in a light and airy way." She believes completely that people should serve their community and get involved whenever they can.

One of the four-footed critters who benefits from that extra loving care is their pet leopard gecko who is named "Leopard," after himself. He eats crickets and lives in Shane's room in a tank. The fact that "Leopard," the leopard gecko, has his own condominium complete with both a hiding rock and a heating rock doesn't mean he's spoiled, just comfortable.

Mom and son are close in most things, except their taste in movies. Shane likes gory horror movies, while Carol Lee's favorite film is "The Wizard of Oz." She thinks the Post Office should have Wizard of Oz stamps with the Cowardly Lion, Scarecrow, Tin Man, Toto, and Dorothy.

Her favorite is the Breast Cancer Stamp, which costs 40 cents; the extra three cents are donated to breast cancer research. Carol Lee has many friends in the community who survived breast cancer, as did her mom.

Managing Pine Mountain Club's Post Office for contract owner Bob Saberhagen, Carol Lee gratefully acknowledges the valuable help she gets from mom-and-daughter team, Nancy and Bethany Centanubondh, and Barbara Sioussat. When they're all behind the counter, it's impossible not to smile. It's a "feel good" kind of place.

Next time you're in the PMCPO and can't remember your box number, just ask Carol Lee. "I may not recognize your face," says the smiling Postmistress, "but I'll definitely know your number."

Reprinted by permisson of Maggie Van Ostrand

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