The FriendShip Newsletter - October 2017Office 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!) Happy 2nd Anniversary to The FriendShip!On September 25, members and volunteers gathered to commemorate two exciting anniversaries: the 15th Anniversary of the Village Movement and the 2nd Anniversary of The FriendShip! Participating with other Villages from across the country and as far away as New Zealand, our group was able to stream a live discussion with Dr. Atul Gawande about the Village Movement and his bestselling book Being Mortal. Dr. Gawande spoke about three problems associated with aging in today’s society—boredom, loneliness, and helplessness—and emphasized that, with a culture change in healthcare and society at large, these problems do not have to plague us as we age. As part of such a change, the Village Movement emphasizes the power of autonomy and choice in helping people live meaningful lives at every age. It was a fascinating discussion and a wonderful opportunity to be reminded that The FriendShip is part of a large network of hundreds of Villages. Updated Info Available about The FriendShipThe FriendShip has just launched an updated website. Check it out! Changes were made to add a more personal feel, and information was reorganized to make it easier to find. The website is located at www.thefriendship.org. The FriendShip’s fiscal year 2016-2017 Annual Report is now available. For an electronic copy, click here. Please contact the office if you would like a hard copy mailed to you. A Few Notes from the Services CoordinatorIt’s been a busy start to Fall at The FriendShip! As we are celebrating our second anniversary (The FriendShip officially opened on October 1, 2015), we have just had our busiest month of services yet. Volunteers have provided all sorts of assistance: driving members to appointments, fixing a broken closet door, cleaning up yard debris, assessing how to best set up a television and more! I am excited to share that The FriendShip has four new volunteers on board, with several more who are in the process of completing training. Welcome to the new volunteers, and many thanks to those of you who have helped spread the word about our meaningful, flexible, and fun volunteer opportunities. Word of mouth is our best advertisement and recruitment tool! Speaking of getting the word out about The FriendShip, we had a table at The Lourie Center's Fall Festival on October 6. With a huge turnout and 50 other vendors there, it was a great chance to share information about the unique offerings of The FriendShip. Special thanks to our volunteers who helped staff the table and to The Lourie Center for hosting a great event! One final note... This edition of the newsletter was delayed by a couple of weeks in order to reset our newsletter clock so that, moving forward, the newsletter comes at the beginning of the month. Happy Fall Y'all! - Eleanor Upcoming Dutch Treat LunchDutch treat lunches are going strong this fall! Members and volunteers had a great time at Ruby Tuesday in early October. The next lunch outing will be on Monday, November 6 so mark your calendars! (And, as an early reminder, the December lunch will be on Tuesday, December 5.) More details to come! As always, please be in touch if you have an idea for a lunch location! 10/30 Trip to Chaplain Corps Museum at Fort JacksonDid you know that there's a special museum located on Fort Jackson that is dedicated to telling the story of the U.S. Army Chaplain Corps? The FriendShip was lucky to hear about this fascinating museum from one of our members, who served as a volunteer there for many years, and now we have the opportunity to visit the museum to learn more! Please mark your calendar for Monday, October 30, and read below for important information about how to RSVP. All members and volunteers are invited to join for this special trip! We will meet on Monday, October 30 in the parking lot at St. John's at 1:15 p.m. to carpool to the museum for a 2:00 p.m. tour. Please make note of the following:
* Special request to volunteer drivers: Please let the office know if you are willing to provide transportation for this trip, as we need to identify carpool drivers in advance. Drivers will need to present registration and insurance information when entering Fort Jackson. Focus on Falls PreventionThe first day of Fall was National Falls Prevention Awareness Day so now is a good time to focus on reducing your fall risk. The National Council on Aging emphasizes that falls are not a natural part of aging and offers six steps you can take to reduce your risk of falling:
AARP South Carolina has donated booklets containing instructions for simple, seated falls prevention exercises that you can do at home. Please call the office if you would like one for yourself or a friend! For more information on reducing your risk of falling or that of a loved one, check out the tools and resources on the National Falls Prevention Resource Center website. Special Pavilion for Seniors at the State FairThe South Carolina State Fair is October 11-22, and AARP South Carolina is sponsoring a special pavilion there on Wednesday, October 18 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. There will be great music (thanks to Rick Wrigley) and fun giveaways, as well information on staying healthy, protecting yourself from scams, volunteering, and more. So, if you are going to the fair, stop by to check it out! And, if you are interested in going with people from The FriendShip, let the office know and we can see about coordinating a group. People age 55 and older can purchase discounted tickets to the fair for $7 at the fairgounds on any day of the fair--and, on October 18, seniors get a free ferris wheel ride! (Neat fact: Several of The FriendShip's members have won ribbons at the fair! What a talented group we are!) |