December 3, 2004

Jumped for Joy

Skydiving once filled local businessman’s weekends

By Bea Baechle
Editor

Ten years ago, before mail centers became such a popular franchise option, Evergreen resident Harry Evans opened Mail + Advantage at Capital Expressway and Silver Creek.

Evans has owned and operated Mail + Advantage in Evergreen for 10 years.

He was a retired sergeant first class in the U.S. Army with 22 years of service under his belt, looking for a new “day job.” Evans took a few years off to go to college, then decided to open a business in San Jose, starting Mail + Advantage on Nov. 1, 1994.

“I liked the area so much, I decided to buy a home here,” recalls Evans, who lives in the Mt. Pleasant area of North Evergreen with his black cat “Shadow.”

He has resided in California for 25 years, the first 15 of which were spent on the Monterey Peninsula. At that time, Fort Ord was still an active military base along scenic Hwy. 1, housing the 7th Infantry Division until it was inactivated in 1993.

Military service opens up doors
Yet there’s much more to Harry Evans than meets the eye. It’s apparent when you walk into his mail center and peruse the many skydiving photos that adorn his wall, not to mention, a parachuting diploma from Vietnam.

His military service began with a draft notice. In the two tours he served in Vietnam, he learned how to parachute, and as a paratrooper, completed seven jumps there.

What started as a job requirement soon became a favorite pastime—and source of income—on weekends after he completed his Vietnam service.

“I got paid to have fun,” says Evans with a huge smile. “As a skydiver, I was on demonstration teams that traveled all over the world. I’ve done every air show known to mankind.” He also served as chief instructor at several skydiving schools.

Harry Evans joins Santa Claus (to his left) and his fellow reindeer (skydiving instructors) over Hollister, Calif., in the mid-90s.

His 4,000 jumps over the years range from the opening ceremonies of the Veteran’s Day Parade in downtown San Jose’s Cesar Chavez Park to skydiving demonstrations at Fleet Week in San Francisco’s Ghirardelli Square.
At one “Battle of the Bays” football game between the ‘49ers and the Raiders, Evans landed at the 50-yard line dressed as an umpire, with the game football in hand. “The 49ers still lost,” he remembers.

Evans has also toured throughout Europe, including jumps in Paris, France and Barcelona, Spain.

Now retired from instructing others how to safely jump out of airplanes, you can usually find Evans at his Mail + Advantage store Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“I have two wonderful employees who are the backbone of my business,” said Evans. He credits the manager of the store, Crystal Resurreccion, and employee Silvia Amevcua “for making him look good.”

Another important activity in his life now is the volunteer work he does as a member of the Lions Club, a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving others, particularly in the preservation of sight and hearing.

“I’m in charge of a committee helping needy families who can’t afford glasses, to get glasses,” says Evans, noting that his mail center is a drop spot where he collects used eyeglasses.

Mail + Advantage, 1658 E. Capital Expressway at Silver Creek, is located next to Hollywood Video. Phone: (408) 274-3304, Fax: (408) 274-2837. In addition to the standard mailing services and mailbox rentals, the store cuts keys, creates rubber stamps and provides gift-wrapping.