Happy Holidays from The FriendShip! 

Dear Friends,

During this holiday season (and always!) The FriendShip is sending warm wishes to all of our members, volunteers, and other supporters! As 2019 winds down, take out your brand new calendar and start filling in January dates with the upcoming FriendShip activities. The details are below, along with important updates about the office schedule over the holidays and more.

Office Closures for Christmas and New Year's

The FriendShip office schedule over the holidays will be as follows:

• Tuesday, December 24 - 9:00 to noon
• Wednesday, December 25 through Friday, December 27 - Closed*
• Monday, December 30 - Normal business hours (9:00-1:00)
• Tuesday, December 31 - 9:00 to noon 
• Wednesday, January 1 - Closed

Special request for our members: Please let the office know as soon as possible if you have service requests for the week of December 23 and the week of December 30.

* While the office will be closed as indicated above, the Services Coordinator will be checking messages remotely on December 26 and 27.  

Reaching Out & Finding Support During the Holidays

The FriendShip is all about creating a caring community--at all times of the year. If you don't have plans for the holidays and would enjoy a holiday phone check-in or visit, please contact the office by calling 803-602-6434 or emailing contact@thefriendship.org. We have volunteers and members who would love to visit and provide some companionship. (If you are someone who would like to help check in on others during the holidays, please contact the office too!)

Also, if you (or someone you know) finds this time of year difficult, know that you are not alone. The holidays can bring joy and fun, but this time of year can also bring grief, stress, and loneliness. One of our members learned about a 24-hour, toll-free hotline operated by the Insitute on Aging that can provide support, a caring ear, and friendly conversation. It is actually called the The Friendship Line (no relation to us though), and it serves as both a crisis intervention hotline and a warmline for non-emergency emotional support calls. The number is 800-971-0016. Please spread the word about this resource.

Upcoming Events-at-a-Glance

Kick the new decade (!) off right by joining The FriendShip for these January activities: 

• Walking Wednesdays in January and beyond – Weekly Walking Group at 2:30 p.m. at the gym at Eastminster Presbyterian Church (Note: The first meeting in January will be January 8.)
• Monday, January 6 – Dutch Treat Lunch at Lizard's Thicket on Forest Drive at 11:30 a.m.
• Thursday, January 16 - "What You Need to Know--BEFORE You Need to Know It" from 2:00-3:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, January 28 – Social Hour from 2:00-3:00 p.m. 

Keep Your New Year's Resolution with Our Walking Group

The FriendShip's Walking Group could be just the ticket to help you follow through on that New Year's resolution about getting more exercise! The group meets at the gym at Eastminster Presbyterian Church's Christian Life Center at 2:30 p.m. Please note that you'll need to join the gym to participate, and the gym's membership terms have recently changed; contact The FriendShip office at 803-602-6434 or email contact@thefriendship.org for details. The first meeting of the group in the new year will be January 8.

Get Your New Year's Greens at Lizard's Thicket (Jan. 6)

The first Dutch treat lunch of 2020 will be on Monday, January 6 at Lizard’s Thicket on Forest Drive. Join FriendShip friends to take part in that old southern tradition of eating collard greens and black-eyed peas at the new year--or just order your favorite Lizard's Thicket dish! Lunch will be at 11:30 a.m. We’ve reserved the back room at the restaurant. Guests are welcome! Please RSVP by noon on Friday, January 2. As always, The FriendShip is happy to arrange rides for members to/from the lunch.

Learn What You Need to Know BEFORE You Need to Know It (Jan. 16)

The FriendShip will be hosting a special program about home health, home care, palliative care, and hospice--the discussion will include information about the terminology, what Medicare pays, and other resources. This program will feature guest speaker Julie McCants and will take place on Thursday, January 16 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. at St. John's in the Dining Room. RSVPs would be appreciated by Tuesday, January 14. Guests are welcome!

Enjoy Friendly Conversation & Puzzles at Our Social Hour (Jan. 28)

Our monthly Social Hours are a fun way to visit with FriendShip members and volunteers in a relaxed environment. Join us on Tuesday, January 28 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. in the Dining Room at St. John's for puzzles, friendly conversation, and light refreshments. 

Happy holidays!

- The FriendShip