The FriendShip Newsletter - December 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. The Raffle Report!Thank you to everyone who participated in The FriendShip’s fundraiser last month, during which we raffled off a Big Green Egg grill and a pair of Carolina Panthers tickets. Hearty congratulations go out to both of our winners! (You better believe it! There’s more than one FriendShip supporter out there who is green with envy for that Big Green Egg!) The raffle was a great success, and with over two hundred tickets sold, we raised over $3,000! We are so grateful to everyone who worked hard to sell tickets and to all those who bought tickets—as well as to the Fundraising Committee that pulled off our very first raffle without a hitch! The FriendShip extends a very special thank you to Jack Oliver’s Pool, Spa & Patio for helping us get the grill for this fundraiser and to Pat Blackwell (our wonderful volunteer and Finance Committee member) who donated the Panthers tickets. Message for Volunteers: Save the Date!The Volunteer Committee is planning a Volunteer Get-Together on Sunday, January 27 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. Please save the date! This will be a great chance to meet other volunteers, hear organizational updates, and share information/provide feedback. We want you there! We need you there! More details about our agenda and other particulars are forthcoming. In the meantime, if you have questions or suggestions, feel free to email the Volunteer Committee chair, Janet Jordan, or contact the office at 802-602-6434 to get a message to her. A Few Notes from the Services CoordinatorFirst off, a little business… I wanted to let you all know that you have a new way to get in touch with me. You can continue to reach me with service requests and general office inquiries/business at contact@thefriendship.org. But, in case you ever need to reach me regarding a sensitive or confidential matter, you can email me at eleanor4TFS@gmail.com. And, of course, you can always call the office to speak to me or get a message to me. (The main office email address is accessed at times by volunteers assisting in the office, particularly when I’m away. This new email address is specific to me.) Please feel free to contact me if you have questions about his new email address. Secondly and perhaps more importantly… As this is the last newsletter for 2018, I’d like to offer my sincere thanks to all of you for making The FriendShip such an incredible organization to be a part of! I’m so lucky because I get to connect with many of you so often. I hear from members who call to check in on one another. I see how volunteers take such care in providing services. I watch committee members work to improve our capacity. In these ways and so many others, I have been constantly inspired by your commitment and compassion! Together, we all make a meaningful difference in one another’s lives—and that’s true in more ways than you probably even realize. The FriendShip means a lot to our members, to our other supporters, and to me! Thank you! Best wishes during this holiday season! - Eleanor You Won't Want to Miss These Upcoming Programs!The FriendShip has enjoyed some great programs over the last month--from a special talk on skin care with our Board member Dr. Donna Ray to a fun Dutch treat lunch at Bone-In Barbecue. Some of our members even got together to stuff stockings for children who are a part of Family Promise, a local organization helping families experiencing homelessness. Enjoy the photos below from those recent programs and mark your calendars for what's on the horizon! Join The FriendShip for a Holiday Singalong & Bow-Making Party on Friday, December 14 at 2:00-3:00 p.m. Our member, Ruth Smith, will teach us how to make beautiful holiday bows, and her talented niece will play all our favorite holiday tunes. (You really don’t have to be crafty or musical to enjoy this get-together. Just come to socialize with other members and volunteers!) The party will be from 2:00-3:00 p.m. in the Dining Room at St. John’s. RSVPs would be appreciated by Wednesday, December 12. Please let us know if you need a ride or can provide one for a member. (Special note: Please bring any ribbon you’d like to make a treasure for this holiday season. The recommended ribbon is 1.5-inch ribbon with wire. We will also have some ribbon on hand for those who need it.) Keep your eye out for upcoming announcements about the Winter/Spring Dutch treat lunches. We will continue to meet during the first week of each month, rotating to different days of the week and restaurants about town. Feel free to let the office know if you have a restaurant you’re interested in trying or revisiting in 2019, and we can share that information with the Program Committee! Save the date for a very special program on January 17 in the afternoon (exact time TBA)! Our wonderful member and art history scholar Dr. John Bryan will share an illustrated presentation on the Biltmore estate. You won’t want to miss this! Dr. Bryan is so much fun to hear speak and has literally written the book on the Biltmore. Mark your calendars and look out for more details to come. Please note: Since Christmas falls on the last Tuesday of the month this year, there will not be an Afternoon Social Hour in December. See you on January! Make Santa's Job a Little Bit Easier!Are you stumped trying to figure out that perfect present for a friend or loved one?! Look no further! Just make a year-end gift to The FriendShip in your friend’s or loved one’s name. We will be happy to send the honoree an acknowledgement of your gift—and Santa will have a little lighter load to haul this year! (You can make a donation online at www.thefriendship.org or call 803-602-6434.) |