(COLORADO SPRINGS) — There’s a famous phrase often associated with American postal workers: “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.”

These poetic words have been acknowledged as an informal motto of the Postal Service. And there’s no doubt that mail carriers brave all kinds of weather to deliver our letters and packages.

That being true, winter storms can take a toll on mail carriers. Ice and snow in areas around mailboxes can make their job more difficult—and even impossible.

For the sake of your local mail carrier (and the timely delivery of your mail), the Postal Service is issuing a request for help during this weekend’s cold snap and winter storm expected to begin on Saturday, Jan. 13, and go through the weekend and into early next week.

Whenever possible, clear snow and ice from sidewalks, porches, stairs, and the approach to mailboxes on houses and curbsides. This is a courtesy we can perform for mail carriers who are susceptible to slipping on snow and ice as they carry out their duties.

If mail carriers are faced with a situation where a mailbox is impossible to access, mail may be curtailed. But the Postal Service only does this as a last resort. Attempts will be made the following day to deliver any curtailed mail.