A lot can hinge on a promptly sent thank-you note.

By Kimberly Seville

Frankly, it irks Gladys and me both. Because I investigated when the checks cleared, I can verify that several organizations had no problem with a backlog in caging and cashiering, since some checks were posted as early as Day 5 during the heaviest mailing season of the year.

On the upside, however, nearly 80 percent of the organizations have thanked me. Some, wonderfully.