SIKESTON -- To the 300-plus customers on their paper route, Larry and Kathy Pluhar are more than the people who deliver their Standard Democrat newspapers on a near-daily basis.
The Benton couple are known to go the extra mile in ensuring the newspaper is delivered timely, dry and in one piece.
"We are firm believers that the customers are always right, and we're servers," Mrs. Pluhar said. "We serve you, and you don't serve us."
They also give daily treats to pets and children on their routes, and customers know when their paper is delivered by the special "ooga" horn the Pluhars honk upon making their delivery.
"We will always smile and give you an 'ooga' on our car horn to let you know your paper is at your door," Mrs. Pluhar said.
This year the couple made a photo postcard to show the 200-plus Christmas cards they received last year from their customers. They placed a wreath made of 100 issues of the Standard Democrat on top of the cards and took a photo. They gave the post cards to all of their customers.
Their route -- an approximate 175-mile roundtrip -- consists of portions of Matthews, Sikeston, East Prairie, Bertrand, Dogwood, rural Charleston and a couple other small towns.
The couple were newspaper carriers when they lived n Montana, and they delivered in Cape Girardeau for a while before joining the Standard Democrat about three years ago.
And they have a system.
When they receive a new customer, the couple give them a letter explaining their concept: courtesy, service and satisfaction. It also includes their contact information.
Pluhar drives the vehicle while Mrs. Pluhar sits in the back seat and rolls the newspapers. They refer to each other as "Mr. P" and "Mrs. P."
Their customers always look for "Mrs. P." in the back seat, too.
"When I wasn't there just one day, they were all concerned," Mrs. Pluhar said.
Their service is simply about ensuring their customers are satisfied.
To do that, the couple have pinned clips to the paper tubes so they can attach the newspapers and they don't blow away. Also, their customers can leave them a note if needed.
"That way the papers don't get dirty and ripped," Pluhar said.
In the senior housing, they try to prop the papers at the door for residents to pick it up, Mrs. Pluhar said. "Easy reach," she added.
Their customers' pets also look forward to seeing the carriers each day.
"There's one house where there are three dogs and four cats all lined up, waiting for us," Mrs. Pluhar said. "Our favorite part is meeting the people, the animals and the kids.
Community members recognize them, too.
"The kids will hang out of the school and yell "Uncle Sy!" Mrs. Pluhar said, adding the children say that because Pluhar bares a resemblance to Sy from "Duck Dynasty." "It's nice when they see us in the store and they know us. They're all family."
The couple, who are originally from Montana, said they're simply doing their jobs, but their customers said they appreciate the good service they provide.
"We couldn't have any better; I know that," said longtime Standard Democrat subscriber Carolyn Stockman. "They're super and one of the bests I've ever had."
Subscriber Henrietta Hubbard, 93, agreed.
"They're the nicest people I've ever seen," Hubbard said of the Pluhars. "They are the best paper people. I have a circle drive, and they bring it, throw it and honk -- that's the general rule."
Every now and then Hubbard said she will bake the couple a cake or pie, and she'll leave a sign in her yard that says: "Stop! Honk! I have pie!"
"That's how come we wanted to pay it forward," Mrs. Pluhar said.
In addition to giving treats to pets and children, the Pluhars are also known to give get well cards to customers they know are under the weather as well as cookies and other small gifts.
"We really appreciate working for the people, and we enjoy meeting the people," Mrs. Pluhar said. "We don't have family here so we treat everyone like family. We deliver like how we want our paper delivered."