The FriendShip Newsletter - February 2018Office 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. (Call or stop by to chat!) A Few Notes from the Services CoordinatorThanks to everyone who was able to participate in the "Love The FriendShip" meeting on February 8. We had a terrific turnout and could really feel the love in the room! We got helpful feedback and also appreciated that people rolled up their sleeves to help plan programs, make contacts to spread the word about The FriendShip, and more. I had the pleasure of presenting some of our accomplishments this year to those who gathered, and I'd like to highlight two of those here. The FriendShip's volunteers have provided over 200 services to our members already this year. That service level well exceeds our full number of services from all of last year! Thanks to each and every volunteer who has provided a ride, taken a call at the office, helped with pet care, fixed a broken drawer, or served as a walking buddy! You are the backbone of the organization and make a huge difference in the lives of our members. I do not say that lightly... I am in the office and talking to our members most every day; I hear it from them directly. When it comes to our volunteers, every month is filled with hearts! We love our volunteers! Another notable, recent accomplishment is that we had a very successful year-end annual appeal. Thank you, thank you to our generous donors. Your gifts are incredibly important to our overall sustainability and mean so much as we work to help older adults live with independence and dignity. Finally, I want to thank the Hollywood Rose Hill Neighorhood Association and St. John's Episcopal Church for inviting us to provide presentations/displays at recent meetings. These outreach opportunities are important ways for The FriendShip to be even more visible in our community and to reach new volunteers and members. - Eleanor Board UpdatesThis month, Lucas David, who had been The FriendShip's Board Treasurer, moved to North Carolina to take a new job and be closer to his loved ones. Though we are sorry to see him leave, we are very excited for him both personally and professionally. The FriendShip thanks Lucas for his service during this year and wishes him all the best! The FriendShip is very fortunate that Pat Blackwell has agreed to join the Board on an interim basis (through June 2018) and fill out this year of Lucas's term as Treasurer. Pat is a long-time supporter of The FriendShip and has been serving on the organization's Finance Committee. Having worked in finance, accounting, and grants contracts for many years at USC, he brings a wealth of experience to the Board. He is also active with the Richland SERTOMA club and attends St. John's Episcopal Church. He retired in December 2017, and we are grateful that he will be spending a bit of his retirement time with us! Recap of January and Early February Programs2018 has started off as a busy year for The FriendShip! We had great attendance at our Dutch treat lunches at Lizard's Thicket and Red Lobster, proving once again that eating together is always a popular activity! FriendShip groups also enjoyed gathering for a fun afternoon social hour in January, taking advantage of complimentary tickets from the Columbia Classical Ballet, and touring an exhibit of gorgeous, unique quilts made by a local artist. The program schedule for upcoming months was discussed in depth at the Program Committee work table at the "Love The FriendShip" meeting, and plans for other great programs this spring are in the works. Please feel free to send along program ideas that you have! Also, please let Eleanor know if you are up to something interesting and want to "take The FriendShip along." We can organize a small group to go together! Thursday, February 22: Join in the Afternoon Social HourOn Thursday, February 22, all members and volunteers are invited for an afternoon social hour. Come on by for a chance to chat with and get to know FriendShip friends in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. We will meet in the Dining Room at St. John's at 2:30 p.m. Feel free to bring guests who might be interested in learning more about The FriendShip! And, here's good news for all you animal lovers... Our special guests from last month, Betty and her beautiful poodle, Maddie, will stop by for a visit once again. After the January social hour, Betty commented what a treat it was to spend time with our group--and what a perfect opportunity it is for Maddie to have lots of social interaction! (Apparently, that's a big help in her training process!) So, we told her that she's welcome back any time! It should be fun to hear an update on how Maddie's first dog show entry went! Tuesday, March 6: Enjoy a Delicious Meal on USC's Historic HorseshoeYou are invited to join The FriendShip on Tuesday, March 6 for a delicious meal at the McCutcheon House, located on USC's historic horseshoe. This is one of the prettiest spots on campus, and dining at McCutcheon House, which is operated by the university's Hotel, Restaurant, & Tourism Management program, promises to be a unique treat. Please RSVP no later than noon on March 1 because we need to make carpool arrangements due to the parking challenges at USC. Participants will be asked to meet promptly at 11:00 a.m. at St. John's to carpool together. Reservations have been made for lunch at 11:30 a.m. Cost per person is $12. Call the office at 803-602-6434 or email contact@thefriendship.org to let us know if you are coming and if you need or can give a ride. Office ClosureThe FriendShip office will be closed on Monday, February 19 in observance of Presidents' Day. Have a great long weekend! |