The FriendShip Newsletter - January 2021Office InformationContact Info: 803-602-6434 or contact@thefriendship.org Regular Hours: Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Note: Due to the small size of The FriendShip office and the need to maintain physical distancing, we would appreciate phone calls to the office, rather than in-person visits, for the time being. If you do need to stop by the office to pick up or drop off something, you are welcome to call ahead or from the parking lot so that the person staffing the office can meet you curbside! Two Lucky Winners! One Successful Fundraiser!Thanks to everyone who helped support our Gift Card Tree Raffle in December by buying tickets and helping spread the word! The FriendShip sold tons of tickets and made over $3,300! Congratulations to our two lucky winners who each won gift cards to all kinds of local restaurants and shops such as Bonefish Grill, Pasta Fresca, New York Butcher Shoppe, Mediterranean Tea Room, Mad Platter, The Crescent Olive, and more! Special thanks go to our fabulous Fundraising Committee for putting together this fun holiday fundraiser and to the Men of St. John's for donating gift cards to our cause. Fundraising efforts like these are critical to our ability to continue our mission! Visits Brought Holiday Cheer to Members & Volunteers AlikeSpearheaded by our Volunteer Committee, The FriendShip arranged for volunteers to make visits and deliver holiday treats to members for Thanksgiving and Christmas. We had great response from both members and volunteers who were interested in participating! This effort was a wonderful way to build and strengthen connections across our network--and to support one another during this holiday season when we were all so impacted by the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic. After making her holiday visit, one volunteer commented, "it made my holiday because it made her holiday!" That comment beautifully illustrates how giving and receiving are both sides of the same coin. That's what The FriendShip is all about! Thanks to everyone who participated in our holiday activities. By sharing good tidings, sending cards, making calls or visits, or contributing money, you ensured that we had opportunities to connect with and support one another. Calling All Bird-Lovers! (January 21*)The FriendShip network includes so many who are fond of our feathered friends! So, we are delighted to announce that Will Brown, a FriendShip Board member and volunteer, will be back by popular demand to share his interest and knowledge about birds! This time, he will focus on winter birds and migration. This program will take place via Zoom on Thursday, January 21* at 2:00 p.m., and guests are welcome. (Note this new date!) Please email contact@thefriendship.org or call 803-602-6434 to RSVP. The Zoom link and dial-in information will be sent out the morning of the program to all members and volunteers as well as to guests who have RSVPed. (Please note that we do not have the capacity to offer live captions during the program, but we can provide a recording with captions after the event.) * Be sure to update your calendar with this new date! The program was previously advertised for January 20 but has been moved to Thursday, January 21. Afternoon Social Hour (January 26)Spend part of your afternoon getting to know other FriendShip members and volunteers at our Social Hour. This month, we will share something about our favorite works of art and why we love them. You can share something about an artwork you've admired in a grand gallery (or in the pages of an artbook) or tell us about a craft project that brightens your home--anything that is meaningful to you! This program will take place via Zoom on Tuesday, January 26 at 2:00 p.m. More details to come! An Easy Way to Support The FriendShip in 2021!Here's a reminder that there's an easy way to support The FriendShip throughout this new year when you shop on Amazon! Click here to designate The FriendShip as your favorite charitable organization and Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to us when you shop! Once you've registered, you do have to be sure to shop at smile.amazon.com (and not just at amazon.com). Spread the word to friends and family who shop on Amazon! Office AnnouncementThe FriendShip office will be closed on Monday, January 18 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. We will be back for regular office hours (9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.) on Tuesday, January 19. |