The FriendShip Newsletter - February 2023
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.
Raving about Our Raffle Results!
Thanks to everyone who bought tickets and helped organize our Holiday Raffle! We are excited to announce that we brought in over $3,000 in ticket sales!
Special congratulations to the winners! Lisa Wilcox won an awesome Weber Gas Grill, and the Fowles family won a huge stash of gift cards to enjoy at local stores and restaurants!
Fundraisers like this one are critical to our ability to meet our mission of helping older adults in Columbia live independently! Thank you to all who participated!
Office Announcements
The FriendShip office will be closed on Monday, February 20 for Presidents' Day.
Special request to members: Please submit service requests for the week of February 20 as early in the previous week as possible.
StrongerMemory... 30 Minutes a Day! 3 Simple Exercises!
StrongerMemory is a program designed to improve brain health. With simple exercises, the program works to “stimulate the part of the brain that helps retrieve memories. It’s also effective, easy to use and fun!” The curriculum includes exercises like: quickly doing simple math problems, writing/journaling, and reading aloud. Through consistent use of these exercises, participants have noticed improvement in their ability to focus, find misplaced items, and remember conversations.
After learning about StrongerMemory through the Village to Village Network, The FriendShip offered a 12-week session to a group of our members and volunteers last year. We are considering offering another session this spring. As we are in the planning stages, we need your feedback! If you think you might be interested, please contact the office by calling 803-602-6434 or emailing contact@thefriendship.org. We’ve got a brief questionnaire and additional information to share.
February & March Activities
Mark your calendar for these upcoming activities!
- Tuesday, February 14 - Valentine's Day Party at 2:00 p.m.
- Friday, February 24 - Free Friday at Riverbanks Zoo & Gardens (carpools gather at 1:00 p.m. at St. John's; meet at 1:30 p.m. at the zoo entrance)
- Thursday, March 2 - Visit to the Columbia Museum of Art (carpools gather at 1:00 p.m. at St. John's; meet at 1:30 p.m. at the museum entrance)
- Wednesday, March 15 - St. Patrick's Day Social Hour with Music at 2:00 p.m.
- Thursday, March 23 - Just in Time for Spring Cleaning: Organizing & Decluttering Tips with Candy Waites at 2:00 p.m.
More details about the February programs are listed in this newsletter, and details for March are forthcoming.
Program Recap and A Look Ahead
The FriendShip's members and volunteers gathered early in February to make Valentine's Day cards for veterans. The cards will be donated to the local VA's Fisher House, which is a "home away from home" for families and caregivers of veterans and service members receiving medical treatment. Making the cards together was a meaningful and fun service project!
Thanks to the hard work of our Program Committee, we have a lot more great opportunities to get together coming up soon!
Valentine's Day Party (February 14)
The FriendShip LOVES all of our members and volunteers! So, we hope you'll come celebrate the day of love at our Valentine's Day Party on Tuesday, February 14 at 2:00 p.m.
We'll have everything needed for a fun February 14th celebration: refreshments, chocolate candy, heart-shaped doilies, and more! Dress in Valentine's colors if you'd like to! We'll also enjoy listening to (and singing along with!) some good old romantic tunes too! Let us know what your favorite love song is in advance, and we'll be sure to have a recording of it available.
The party will take place in the Dining Room at St. John's Episcopal Church. RSVPs are not required but would be appreciated by noon on Monday, February 13. You can email contact@thefriendship.org or call 803-602-6434 to RSVP. As always, we are happy to provide rides to members who need them. Guests are welcome too!
Free Friday at Riverbanks Zoo & Gardens (February 24)
There's no better place to appreciate the amazing variety of earth's flora and fauna than at Riverbanks Zoo & Gardens right here in Columbia! You are invited to check it out with The FriendShip for free on Friday, February 24 (weather permitting)!
For anyone who would like to carpool, please gather at 1:00 p.m. in the parking lot at St. John's, or meet the group at 1:30 p.m. at the zoo entrance. While touring, we can walk at a comfortable pace and relax on benches, as needed! So, come on out and bring your camera, because the otters are adorable, and the giraffes are beautiful!
Please RSVP for our visit to Riverbanks by noon on February 22.
Sharing Resources and Opportunities
Members and volunteers of The FriendShip often learn about resources and opportunities they'd like to share with others in the network. Here are a couple that may be of interest!
- Richland Library's "AgeReady" series will present an online class entitled "Banking for Life" on Saturday, February 18 from 3:00-4:00 p.m. Visit the library's website for more info and to register.
- AARP is offering tax help for seniors by appointment. Call 803-250-5751 to make an appointment. (You will have to leave a message and someone will call back to schedule.) The assistance is being offered in February, March, and the first two weeks of April on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons at the Lourie Center. (Visit the AARP website or call The FriendShip office for help locating other days/locations, if needed.)
