A dozen neighbors from Breyer Woods in Elkins Park got together to throw a pop-up birthday party on Thursday afternoon in honor of their popular mail carrier, Dennis Peterman.

Peterman, who turned 59 on August 17, was greeted with a chorus of “Happy Birthday!” as he drove his mail truck up to one of the cluster mailboxes in the development. Waiting for him across the street, along with the neighbors, were an array of cupcakes made of his favorite cake (chocolate) and a container of chocolate-covered almonds. 

“Thank you, everyone,” Peterman, a resident of Bensalem, said to the crowd. “You all are so sweet. You made my day special.”

Peterman has been a mail carrier since 1988 and has been delivering mail at Breyer Woods for five years. He described it as his favorite route.

“It’s the people. And I don’t have to carry a heavy bag. It’s been a blessing for me,” he said.

Resident Beth Rubin of 194 Linden Drive organized the party by posting to the Neighbors of Breyer Woods Facebook page.

On the day of the party, neighbors began texting each other Peterman’s location as he made his way through his route.

Neighbors have since thanked Ms. Rubin for organizing the event.

“I like to make people happy,” she said. “I definitely got that gene.”

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