It’s not easy for Jean Paige to go out and get her mail. Recently, it’s even harder.

Her local post office closed and without rural delivery, Paige must drive 10 minutes on winding back roads to get to the next closest one.

“One of my neighbors, who is also handicapped, I've been getting her mail for her because she has nightmares about going up that road," Paige said. "And so I said, 'I'll get your mail.' And now my daughter is getting the mail because she doesn't want me going up there.”

Post offices like the one in Westbrookville provide a critical resource to rural communities. However, according to the U.S. Postal Service, 63% of post offices in rural areas are not profitable.

Folks like Paige may not be able to travel very far to go to a different post office and without delivery, they may have to get to the post office to pick up mail order prescriptions.

Rep. Marc Molinaro has been communicating with the U.S. Postal Service about the need to get a new office in Westbrookville quickly. He says with a national post office consolidation process underway, rural communities can’t be left behind.

“It’s a public service, it's a constitutionally protected service," the Dutchess County Republican said. "And so long as the people I represent are concerned, we're going to continue to use every resource and every leverage available to us to impact their decision-making.”

In Westbrookville, residents are using petitions to let the postal service know their frustration. They’re glad to hear discussions are underway for a third-party contractor to fill this post office, but a timeline is still unclear.

“In one case, there was a woman who was waiting for a letter from an agency to get her another aid because she needs help. And she didn't get the letter," said Deborah Mulqeen, co-organizer for the petition.

Paige’s message to the postal service is simple.

“Please open this post office," she said. "We need it in this town. I mean, it's like taking the fire company away.”