The FriendShip Newsletter - May 2020Office Contact InfoWhile the physical office is closed right now, The FriendShip is still here for you! You can call the main number (803-602-6434) and leave a message; your call will be returned during our regular business hours of 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (As soon as you leave a message, it is forwarded to the Services Coordinator.) You can also always email contact@thefriendship.org. As a reminder, The FriendShip office will be closed on Monday, May 25 in observance of Memorial Day. Midlands Gives Success Means So Much!Dana Turner and Paul McCullough (pictured above) are the co-chairs of The FriendShip's Fundraising Committee, and there's a wonderful reason for the smiles in these photos! The FriendShip is so happy to announce that we more than met our Midlands Gives campaign fundraising goal and earned all available match money for a total of over $15,000. More donors contributed this year than ever before! A huge, heartfelt thank you goes out to everyone who supported our Midlands Gives campaign by raising awareness about our work and making donations. The show of support and generosity has been truly overwhelming--and is especially meaningful during these challenging times! We cannot thank you all enough! The FriendShip ZoomsWhile we have had to pause in-person programs due to the coronavirus, The FriendShip decided to try something new last month in order to (re)connect. On April 30, we held a Social Hour via Zoom! Members and volunteers who participated shared stories of special trees in their lives, and the discussion of this unique topic proved a wonderful way to spend time together and get to know each other better. Special thanks to volunteer Mike Leonard who helped get members connected to Zoom in time for the social hour. For some of us, the social hour was our first time video conferencing; kudos to our participants for trying new technology. Some members who haven't been able to attend previous programs were able to be a part of this social hour, thanks to the technology. Another neat outcome: one of our members subsequently used Zoom to visit with her grandchildren who live out of town! The Program Committee plans to continue these Zoom gatherings periodically so keep your eye out for more details. In fact, we will hold another program via Zoom on May 14 at 2:00 p.m. See separate blurb in this email for details. Additionally, there are tentative plans for another Social Hour via Zoom on Tuesday, May 26 at 2:00 p.m. Best Wishes & Many Thanks to a True Friend!Michelle Rabon, who has been the Director of Parish Operations at St. John's Episcopal Church, will be leaving St. John's in late May to become the Director of Life Enrichment at Still Hopes. While we are happy for her new adventure, we will certainly miss the tremendous support she has provided to The FriendShip over the years. She has been so generous with her knowledge and expertise, from consulting on the nuts and bolts of how to set up the office in the early days to offering guidance as The FriendShip has grown. We wish Michelle the best of luck in her new role--and it is great to see that she will be using her talents in the field of aging services! Peace Corps Volunteer to Share Her Story (May 14)Check out The FriendShip's upcoming program for an opportunity to learn about the Peace Corps! Columbia resident Jane Teas will share her personal experiences of joining the Peace Corps at age 65 and living in Tanzania for 2 years. The virtual gathering will take place via Zoom on Thursday, May 14 at 2:00 p.m. If you haven't already done so, please RSVP so we'll know how many to expect. The meeting link and dial-in information will be sent out the day before the program to all members and volunteers. If you need assistance setting up Zoom or want to practice using it in advance of the program, just contact The FriendShip office. (As a reminder, Zoom is a video-conferencing program that can be used from your smartphone, tablet, or computer. But, you can also dial in on your phone if you don't have those devices or prefer using your phone.) * And, while you are marking your calendar for this program, please note that there are tentative plans for another Social Hour via Zoom on Tuesday, May 26 at 2:00 p.m. More details are forthcoming! Fresh Blueberries Anyone?!Last year, we had a great program on the development of the Palmetto Trail. Alongside learning so much about the trail, we found out that our speaker, Suzette Anderson, owns an organic blueberry farm called Black Pearl Farms so we organized a group order of delicious blueberries! If there is sufficient interest again this year, we can coordinate another group order as well as pick-up/delivery (ensuring social distancing, of course). A five-pound box is $20, and a pint is $4. Please contact The FriendShip office if you are interested in ordering and let us know how many blueberries you would want. (Note: last year, the blueberries were ready in late May.) Update on Annual Meeting PlansAs many of you know, The FriendShip's Annual Meeting has traditionally been held on the second Tuesday in May. This year, the Board postponed the meeting due to the coronavirus and an announcement about our plans is forthcoming. Stay tuned! COVID-19 ResourcesAs some parts of our state are opening back up, it is important to continue to follow public health guidelines to protect yourself and others during the coronavirus outbreak. Keep practicing "social distancing" (i.e., stay home as much as possible, stay at least 6 feet away from other people in public, and avoid large gatherings). Use a cloth face covering to avoid possibly spreading the virus to others in the event that you are infected and do not know it. And, of course, wash those hands often for at least 20 second! Here are some helpful resources:
Info on Absentee VotingDuring the coronavirus outbreak, many people are choosing to vote absentee by mail. The SC Election Commission website includes information on who is eligible to vote absentee, how to request and complete an absentee application, how/when to return your ballot, etc. Richland County residents can also call the Richland County Board of Voter Registration and Elections for information on absentee voting at 803-576-2240. If you want to vote absentee in the June 9th primary, you will need to complete and return an absentee application as soon as possible (and no later than the Friday before the election). You can also begin the absentee application process for the November General Election. |