The FriendShip Newsletter - October 2025
Office Information
Contact Info: 803-602-6434 or contact@thefriendship.org
Regular Hours: Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Happy Birthday to The FriendShip!
*This photo was taken at The FriendShip's first event in 2015. Pictured are several of our first volunteers and members, Ann Ruderman, Barbara Mullen, Jeanette Bodie, Daniela Friedman, and Sidney Wait.
Celebrating 10 Years
Ten years ago this month, The FriendShip held its first official event–a launch party at Martin Luther King Park. Sparked by an article in the AARP magazine about the Village-to-Village concept, Barbara Mullen and a group of like-minded volunteers met frequently for several years prior to launching The FriendShip into existence.
The launch party was well attended with visits from community leaders and politicians, but the launch party’s success paled in comparison to what was to come! As one of our founding volunteers, Dana Turner, recently remarked “We knew the idea was a good one when we launched, but I continue to be amazed by what The FriendShip has become. Barbara and I have often commented at our recent events and socials that we don’t know all the people in the room and how wonderful that is—what a great thing for so many volunteers to be helping so many members and vice versa!”
Huge Growth in Services Since We Opened
One metric that speaks to our growth is the number of services that volunteers have provided over the years. During our first full year, we provided about 170 services, and this past year, we provided over 900. Alongside these services, we have hosted hundreds of opportunities for social interaction and organized many educational and entertaining programs and outings.
Special Thanks to Our Founders & to St. John's Episcopal Church
While many of the original members and volunteers remain actively involved today, The FriendShip has welcomed lots of new members and volunteers who have formed lasting and meaningful friendships. We are grateful to both the original volunteers, who turned their dream into an incredible resource for our community, and to the many members and volunteers who have contributed their time and talents over the last ten years to build on the strong foundation set in the early days. Finally, we are hugely grateful to St. John’s Episcopal Church for being a steadfast and gracious partner in our work.
Together with our supporters, The Friendship continues to grow. We look forward to the next ten years of offering support, building relationships, and making a difference!
(Thank you to Dana Turner for writing her reflections for this article.)
Out & About with The FriendShip: September Program Recap
In early September, members and volunteers enjoyed a delicious meal at Bonefish Grill. Thank you to everyone who joined! If you have a restaurant to suggest for a future gathering, we'd love to have your recommendations.
Later in the month, we enjoyed a fascinating tour of the Main Branch of Richland Library. We were so impressed by all the resources available from the seed library and Library of Things (yes, you can borrow useful items like tool kits and kitchen gadgets!) to awesome artwork on display. The staff members who guided our tour were fantastic!
To round out the month, we hosted a Social Hour at All Good Books. The FriendShip is clearly full of book lovers, because we traded dozens of book recommendations. Thanks to the bookstore for their hospitality; it was such a fun afternoon!
General Reminder: We Do Errands!
Don’t forget that we have wonderful volunteers available to help with errands like post office drop-offs, light shopping, taking items to be donated, etc. If you could use an extra hand, just reach out, and we’ll find a volunteer! Weekends can be a great time for some of our volunteers who work or attend school full-time to assist with these tasks.
Upcoming Events-at-a-Glance
- Monday, October 6 at 11:30 a.m. - Picnic at Heathwood Park
- Wednesday, October 15 at 2:00 p.m. - Afternoon of Games with USC Medical Students
- Tuesday, October 21 at 2:00 p.m. - The FriendShip's Birthday Party
- Sunday, November 2 at 2:00 p.m. - Volunteer Meet and Greet + Training
- Friday, November 7 at 11:30 a.m. - Lunch at Luna Kitchen
- More November dates TBA
Mark your calendar for these activities, and more November program dates will be announced soon. You can find an events calendar on our website as well.
Fall Picnic at Heathwood Park (October 6)
Enjoy spending time with other members and volunteers at our Fall Picnic in Heathwood Park. We'll have a tray of assorted sandwiches from The Other Store, as well as fruit salad, chips, dessert, and drinks. The cost is $10/person. Please bring cash to pay on the day of the picnic. (You are welcome to bring a bagged lunch, if you prefer.) The park does have a covered area with picnic tables, but if the weather is stormy, we'll move the picnic indoors to St. John's.
Heathwood Park is located at 800 Abelia Road, 29205. If you haven't already done so, please call 803-602-6434 or email contact@thefriendship.org to RSVP by noon on Friday, October 3 so we can arrange rides and make sure to have enough sandwiches. As always, we are happy to coordinate rides for Full Members, as needed.
Afternoon of Games with USC Med Students (October 15)
Join us for an Afternoon of Games hosted by medical students from USC School of Medicine on Wednesday October 15 at 2:00 p.m. We'll kick things off with a short talk on the cognitive benefits of regularly playing games, followed by an opportunity to enjoy classic board games, card games, and great company. Have a favorite game in mind? Let the office know, and we'll do our best to have it ready for you! Come out for an engaging afternoon filled with fun and connection with local medical students!
Members, volunteers, and guests are welcome! We will meet in the Dining Room at St. John's. Please call 803-602-6434 or email contact@thefriendship.org to RSVP by Monday, October 13 at noon.
*Note: We would like to use this opportunity to see if there is interest in a regular gathering to play games. If you are interested in that idea but can't make it on October 15, please let the office know.
Birthday Party for The FriendShip (October 21)
You are invited to celebrate The FriendShip's 10th Anniversary at our Birthday Party Social Hour on Tuesday, October 21 at 2:00 p.m. We will have a birthday cake, of course, and we'll toast this milestone together. Come ready to celebrate 10 years of this awesome organization that we love so dearly! Members, volunteers, and guests are welcome, as always! Please RSVP by calling 803-602-6434 or emailing contact@thefriendship.org
Volunteers: Save the Date for a "Meet & Greet" and Training Session
Mark your calendars! You are invited to a Volunteer Meet & Greet on Sunday, November 2 at 2:00 p.m. in the Dining Room at St. John's. We've welcomed aboard many new volunteers in the past year, and this gathering will be a great chance to get to know one another, as well as catch up with old friends. Refreshments will be served.
After the social gathering, we are asking that all transportation volunteers stay for a brief presentation about the new, automated system that The FriendShip will be using to facilitate service sign-ups. Eleanor Stein, our Services Coordinator, will provide a slideshow to walk us through how to use the new system--which is easy to use and should streamline our process! This is a very exciting change so please plan to join us as we unveil this new process.
More details about the Volunteer Meet & Greet are forthcoming. In the meantime, please mark your calendars and RSVP to the office.
Thank You, Volunteers! And, the Raffle Winner is...
A big thank you to all our volunteers who took the time to complete our recent volunteer survey. We had a fantastic response rate, which speaks volumes about how much The FriendShip means to our volunteers! The feedback we received is greatly appreciated. Everyone who completed the survey was entered into a raffle drawing for a gas gift card. Congratulations to Lee Rambo, who is a volunteer and serves on our Member Committee, for winning the drawing!
Donations Ensure We Thrive
Generous financial support from our donors has enabled The FriendShip to thrive over the last ten years. We are so grateful for the incredible support we've received from our community to help fulfull our mission of helping older adults. If you would like to make a donation on the occasion of our 10th Anniversary, or at any time of year, you can mail a check to our office or donate on our website. Thank you for your support!
