The FriendShip Newsletter - June 2024
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.
Volunteer Spotlight: Vera Tucker
Volunteer Vera Tucker’s smile energizes anyone around her, and we are so grateful for all the energy she has brought to The FriendShip as a dedicated volunteer and Board member. She signed up in 2017 to help members one-on-one and has done everything from providing rides to running errands and paying social calls. In 2018, she took her involvement to the next level by joining the Board and has served in the critical role of Treasurer for six years, participating on the Executive Committee and Finance Committee—all while continuing to help members with kindness and empathy. With an eye for detail and incredible diligence, she is someone who steps up to the plate to get things done. Examples of her latest projects include: spearheading our January raffle (she almost single-handedly made that happen!) and recruiting and orienting a new Treasurer.
Alongside her commitment to The FriendShip, Vera is an active member at St. John’s and enjoys being part of their knitting group. Retired from teaching elementary school and then working with an accounting firm, she enjoys biking, gardening, playing tennis, and getting together with friends. She fosters pets for Pawmetto Lifeline and cares for her mother who lives nearby.
About her work with The FriendShip, Vera says, “Who would not want to volunteer? It’s needed, and it is rewarding. I support The FriendShip, because I want the services to be available when I will need them, plus volunteer scheduling is so flexible.”
Once when Vera signed up to provide a service for a member that was hard to fill, the member commented “What would we do without Vera?” Truer words have never been spoken! Thank you, Vera! Your thoughtfulness, leadership, and commitment have been an integral part of making The FriendShip what it is today.
Program Recap: May was Full of Fun!
Last month, we enjoyed lunch at Moctezuma's Taqueria on May 2. Over chips and salsa, our members and volunteers enjoyed the chance to chat and get to know one another better.
In the middle of the month, we had a program on the Gills Creek Watershed. Our very own member, Tom Kohlsaat, who is on the Board of the Gills Creek Watershed Association, gave an excellent talk and inspired the crowd to become "Watershed Champions." This was a great program with a really good turnout and very engaged audience! Thank you, Tom, for teaching us all about the Gills Creek Watershed Association.
The FriendShip's final May program was our Afternoon Tea. We owe a special thank you to volunteer Cathy Caldwell for putting together the lovely array of refreshments that accompanied our tea, including dainty cucumber sandwiches, homemade cookies and tarts, and more! Everything was displayed so nicely, with pink tablecloths, tiered serving dishes, and arrangements of fresh-picked hydrangeas--a delightful backdrop for attendees to enjoy socializing with one another.
Our Falls Prevention Project Is Now Open to Volunteers & Other Friends
Our Falls Prevention Project is in full swing! If you are thinking ahead about how to make your home work for you as you age, signing up for this project is a great, proactive step to take.
Here's how it works... The occupational therapist with whom we are partnering for this project, Erin Jeffords, has trained a group of our volunteers to conduct home safety screens. They'll come to your house to do a screen (which will take about 15 minutes), then the results will be passed back to Erin for her to review. She'll follow up by developing a list of individualized recommendations for you about simple things you can do to improve the safety of your home. She will focus on no-cost/low-cost recommendations. For more info or to sign up, please contact The FriendShip office at contact@thefriendship.org or call 803-602-6434.
Special note: Members and volunteers are encouraged to sign up, and we currently also have some slots available for friends/family too!
Upcoming Events-at-a-Glance
- Friday, June 7 - Dutch Treat Lunch at Blossom Buffet at 11:30 a.m.
- Thursday, June 13 - Annual Meeting from 5:30-7:00 p.m.
- Thursday, June 20 - Writers Group Interest Session at 2:00 p.m.
- Wednesday, June 26 - "Share A Poem" Social Hour at 2:00 p.m.
- Thursday, July 11 - Dutch Treat Lunch at Railroad BBQ at 11:30 a.m.
- Wednesday, July 24 - Tour of Olympia Mill Village Museum at 2:00 p.m.
- Wednesday, July 31 - July Social Hour at 2:00 p.m.
More information about the June activities is listed in this newsletter, and additional details about July programs will be coming out soon. An events calendar can be found on our website as well.
Thank You for Your Support During Midlands Gives!
The first Tuesday of May each year is Midlands Gives Day, a local day of philanthropy supporting non-profits in the Midlands area. The FriendShip participated once again this year, and we are so grateful to have had such a successful campaign! One critical element of the campaign was that we had $10,000 in matching funds available, including a special matching grant from the Cheerful Giver via the Central Carolina Community Foundation. Thank you to all the donors who contributed matching funds to encourage others to give. We are so thrilled that we met our match and then some!
We had over 90 donors contribute to the overall campaign. Each one of these supporters played a crucial role in helping us meet our $20,000 goal. Thank you to everyone who donated this year and everyone who spread the word about this amazing community-wide day of giving!
Dutch Treat Lunch at Blossom Buffet (June 7)
Our next Dutch Treat Lunch will be at Blossom Buffet on Friday, June 7 at 11:30 a.m.. This West Columbia restaurant features a huge variety of foods, from Asian cuisines to European creations--all for a reasonable price. Blossom is described as having "a spacious and inviting ambiance." So, join us for fresh buffet-style food and an opportunity to enjoy a meal with other FriendShip volunteers and members! To RSVP, please email contact@thefriendship.org or call 803-602-6434.
Annual Meeting (June 13)
The FriendShip's Board of Directors will hold its Annual Meeting on Thursday, June 13 at 5:30 p.m. Members, volunteers, and other supporters are welcome and encouraged to attend. We are excited to get together to celebrate this year's accomplishments, plan for the upcoming year, and enjoy refreshments as well as plenty of time for socializing!
Don't miss this opportunity to get to know others who make up our wonderful community! The gathering will be held at St. John's. Please RSVP by June 10 to Carol Barnett by email at
cbarnett708@gmail.com or by phone at 803-603-5200. As always, we are happy to arrange rides for members.
NEW! Writers Group Interest Session (June 20)
Calling all writers! The FriendShip is considering starting a writing group. Please come to the Writers Group Interest Session on Thursday, June 20 at 2:00 p.m. to learn more. Dr. Betty Mandell, a retired clinical psychologist, is a new member of The FriendShip and an author who will be helping lead this group.
The info session will be held at St. John's, and Betty will use this meeting to get an idea of who is interested and discuss the focus/structure of the group, which will most likely meet once a month.
To RSVP, please email contact@thefriendship.org or call 803-602-6434. If you are interested but can't make it on June 20, please let the office know so we can share that with the group leader.
June Social Hour: Poetry (June 26)
"Poetry is nearer to vital truth than history." -Plato
Sadly, our poetry-themed social hour for National Poetry Month in April had to be cancelled. Luckily, it is rescheduled for June! You are invited to bring a poem--either an original or a favorite--to share. This will be a fun opportunity to spend time with other volunteers and members in a relaxed, friendly setting. Light refreshments will be provided. The social hour will take place in the St. John's Dining Room on Wednesday, June 26 at 2:00 p.m.
As always, we can coordinate rides for members, if needed. To RSVP, please email contact@thefriendship.org or call 803-602-6434.
Thank You to Our Donors
In addition to recognizing our many, many supporters who gave online during the special Midlands Gives campaign in May, we would like to thank the following people who made contributions in the last month:
- Caroline Aughtry
- Jamie & Bonnie Laborde
Rob & Joelle Mullen
The support of our donors ensures that we can continue to provide much-needed programs and services to help older adults in our community. If you would like to make a donation, you can always mail a check to our office or donate on our website. Thank you for your support!
Resources of Interest
Members and volunteers of The FriendShip often learn about resources and opportunities they'd like to share with others in the network. Below are a couple of pieces of such information.
- Richland County Library hosts an online AgeReady series, and the next program in the series will focus on Navigating Grief and Bereavement. The hour-long talk will explore healthy coping mechanisms and management of emotions when you lose someone you love--as well as include an overview of the grieving process and local community resources. The program will be presented by Laura Nicklin, MSW on Saturday, June 15 from 3:00-4:00 p.m. via Zoom. Visit the Richland County Library website to register.
- A PhD student in the USC College of Social Work is seeking participants for her dissertation
study exploring the role of technology in reducing loneliness among African American older adults. For more info or for a flyer about the study, please contact Sarah Ayovi-Pace, LMSW and PhD candidate, at 803-220-5294
or pace3@email.sc.edu.
If you have a resource that you'd like to share with others in our network, please send it to our office!
