By Tommy GiglioContributing Writer

At least until the end of the summer, the Force is with everyone who mails a letter at a local mailbox.

On a street corner not too far, far, away is a U.S. Postal Service collection box in a Star Wars character’s costume. But unless they have visited the Web site address printed on the box, few passers-by know why this droid is in Evanston at the intersection of Sheridan Road and Foster Street.

The mailbox, which resembles the character R2-D2, is part of a promotion to celebrate the 30 years since the first Star Wars movie hit theaters.

Weinberg freshman Tyler Baum said though he walks by the Foster Street mailbox every day, he only knew it was “some kind of marketing ploy.”

“I think it’s kind of cool,” Baum said. “It’s very noticeable.”

R2-D2 made his Evanston entrance in March, when the Postal Service installed the themed collection box.

Of the nation’s 205,000 drop boxes, 400 are R2-D2s, five of which are in northern Illinois, said Tim Ratliff, a U.S. Postal Service spokesman.

Ratliff said the special edition mailboxes were placed in high-traffic, high-profile areas around the country and that the Northwestern location was chosen because it is highly visible and the closest outdoor drop box to campus.

“Usually students have an interest in these types of things,” Ratliff said.

The Postal Service also issued a 15-stamp series of various Star Wars characters, which will go on sale today. Until Wednesday, fans could go online and vote for their favorite stamp, to be sold by itself.

While R2-D2 doesn’t beep or scoot around with his friend C-3PO, Ashley Jelinek said she saw another Star Wars character standing by the droid.

“Once I saw Darth Vader standing next to it, which was kind of strange,” the Weinberg sophomore said.

Ratliff said this event was not planned by the Postal Service.

“There are different Star Wars fans that have gone out and posed by them,” he said. “It’s an opportunity to educate people in a fun way about some of our products and services and raise awareness about our stamp program as well.”

While McCormick freshman Yann Manibog said the decorated drop box caught his eye, he does not think the promotion was entirely effective.

“I think the idea is good, but they obviously haven’t implemented it well considering I go here and I don’t even think about what it actually is,” he said.

Ratliff said this is the first time the Postal Service has changed the collection boxes. There is no official date when the mailboxes will be removed, but he said they will remain on streets nationwide until the end of summer.

Reach Tommy Giglio at [email protected].