The FriendShip Newsletter - April/May 2019Office InformationContact Info: 803-602-6434 or contact@thefriendship.org Regular Hours: The office is open Monday - Friday from 9 a.m - 1 p.m. Eleanor's Hours: Eleanor staffs the office on Mondays, Wednesdays & Thursdays. Join in a Variety of Spring Programs!The FriendShip’s members and volunteers have enjoyed such good times together over the last couple of months. We’ve heard a talk on urban planning, learned about the extensive Palmetto Trail, enjoyed a lovely meal together at USC’s McCutcheon House, shared favorite animal stories at a recent social hour, explored tech resources from the Richland Library, and more! Looking at our spring schedule, it looks like there are many good times ahead! Check out the info below about upcoming activities! Tigers Over China: A WWII Adventure Story Join The FriendShip on Friday, April 12 at 11:00 a.m. for an outing to learn about a fascinating World War II adventure story: American fighter pilots secretly travelled overseas long before Pearl Harbor to help defend China from the Japanese invasion. These “Flying Tigers” were legends in their time! This “Tigers Over China” program is part of an educational series offered in the State Museum complex for homeschooled middle schoolers. The program is open to the public, and FriendShip members enjoyed an offering from the same series last year. It was a fun way to learn something new and to find out what our young neighbors or grandchildren are learning too! The presenter, Mr. Joe Long, is the Curator for Education and did an excellent job. Please RSVP by 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 10 by calling 803-602-6434 or emailing contact@thefriendship.org. Please let us know if you need a ride or can provide one for a member. Rather than carpooling from St. John's, participants are asked to meet just inside the door of the SC State Museum at 10:45 a.m., and we will walk through together to the SC Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum where the program is housed. April Afternoon Social Hour The next Afternoon Social Hour will be held on Tuesday, April 23 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. As always, this will be a fun opportunity to get together with FriendShip members and volunteers in a relaxed atmosphere. There will be plenty of time to chat, and light refreshments will be served. Location information is TBA. May Activities In addition to joining us for the programs listed above, mark your calendars now for the following May activities as well:
Save-the-date: Annual Meeting on May 14The FriendShip will hold its annual meeting on Tuesday, May 14. All members, volunteers, and other supporters are encouraged to attend! The event will be held at St. John's. Please plan to come by for a reception between 5:00-6:00 p.m., and the meeting will be from 6:00-7:00 p.m. Additional details are forthcoming. Office Closure AnnouncementPlease note that The FriendShip office will close at noon on Friday, April 19 and will be closed on Monday, April 22. We'll back for regular business hours (9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.) on Tuesday, April 23! Calling All Champions of The FriendShip! Midlands Gives is May 7!It’s time to gear up for Columbia’s own one-day philanthropy blitz! Midlands Gives is an online giving event hosted by the Central Carolina Community Foundation that raises "money and awareness for local nonprofits in 11 Midlands counties." Last year, the event raised over $1.75 million for nonprofits in our community. This year’s event is set for May 7, and The FriendShip is proud to be participating for the fourth year in a row. Here’s how you can help make sure that The FriendShip has its most successful Midlands Gives campaign yet:
S.C. Dept. on Aging to Host “Senior Citizen Day”The S.C. Department on Aging (SCDOA) will host Senior Citizen Day in recognition of Older Americans Month on Wednesday, May 8 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Goodman Building at the S.C. State Fairgrounds. This free event is jam-packed with activities including music, entertainment, on-site health screenings and medication reviews, vendors, and guest speakers. To register and RSVP for lunch, please call the SCDOA at 803-734-9880. If you are interested in attending but need a ride, please let The FriendShip know, and we can work to arrange transportation. Local Resource of Interest: New Website on Advance Care PlanningHaving discussions about end-of-life and advance care planning isn’t always easy—but putting into place mechanisms to ensure your end-of-life wishes are followed can be an important way to provide peace of mind to you and your loved ones as well. Recently, a new website has been developed here in South Carolina to be a comprehensive resource to assist people with end-of-life and advance care planning. The website contains all kinds of important sources of information including advance care planning documents, education and training resources, and a list of expert speakers. You can visit the website at: https://www.mylifemychoices.org/. You can also read more about the My Life My Choices initiative and website in a recent AARP bulletin. April is South Carolina Health Care Decisions Month, and April 16 is set aside as South Carolina Health Care Decisions Day. So, now is a great time to take action for yourself on this important issue! You Could Save Taxes by Donating to The FriendShip Directly from Your IRASince tax season is in full swing, here’s some information that may be of interest on how you might save taxes by donating to The FriendShip directly from your IRA. After reaching age 70 ½, people with IRAs are required to take an annual withdrawal, called a Required Minimum Distribution. If you are in the fortunate position of not needing your distribution for living expenses, you can avoid income tax on your required withdrawal by donating your money directly to a qualifying charity that is a 501(c)3 organization—like The FriendShip. The FriendShip has received these kinds of charitable contributions, called Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs), from donors in the past—and the gifts make a huge difference in our ability to achieve our mission! For more information about how you can make such a gift, please consult your financial/tax advisor. QCDs must be made by December 31 each year in order to exclude the amount from your taxable income. (Please note that funds must be transferred directly from your IRA to the eligible charity in order to qualify for the tax break. If you withdraw the money from your IRA and later donate it, it won't qualify as a tax-free QCD. Your financial/tax advisor can walk you through this process.) You Shop and Amazon Donates to The FriendShip!Do you shop on Amazon? Here’s a simple, automatic way to support The FriendShip every time you shop, at no cost to you. Click here to designate The FriendShip as your favorite charitable organization and Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to us! Spread the word! |