Fall 2014 - Compeer of Suburban Philadelphia

Friendship in the News
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FRIENDSHIP IN THE NEWS
The Newsletter of Compeer of Suburban Philadelphia
A program of Voice and Vision, Inc.
Fall 2014
Compeer matches caring, trained volunteers with adults in one-to-one, same-gender, and co-equal friendships.
News from Compeer of Suburban Philadelphia
This year Compeer held its 23rd Annual
Friendship Recognition Luncheon at Casey’s Restaurant in Drexel Hill, PA. This year’s theme was “Friendship Therapy: The greatest healing therapy
is friendship and love”. Compeer friends shared their own personal stories of the true impact, connections,
and the recovery journey they experienced. Compeer recognized all of their matched friends, some celebrating decades of friendship and others who have just begun their journeys. This year the “Spirit of Friendship
Award” went to Joan D. and Maureen C.
who have been matched for 13 years.
Joan said, “Friends are friends through
thick and thin. Maureen and I been
friends for over 13 years. We survived
four new knees between us during this
time and periodic hospitalizations. I always says it not easy getting old. Just a
few months ago Maureen lost a loved
one after an accident and we managed to
become closer and get through it together. Although we are unable to do a lot of
the things we used to before, we remain
good friends.”
Compeer also recognized April S. and
Linda R., who have been matched for
two years, with “The Good Friend
Award”. April said she and her friend
Linda met each other in the fall of 2012 . “At the time, I was living in Delaware and Linda in Lansdowne, PA.
From the very first moment we spoke on the phone, Linda and I got along perfectly and our friendship has
blossomed steadily ever since. Our time together was always easy going– we would run errands together, go
food shopping, have a meal, or just share stories at home. During the Fall of 2013, I moved to California in
order to continue my education. Linda returned to school at the same time, so we were able to support each
other through this transition and share stories of our experiences. Over these past two years, I have been incredibly inspired by Linda’s sense of resiliency, strength and perseverance. In just the short time I have
known her, I have witnessed Linda transform herself both inside and out. I am very grateful that she has come
into my life, and I know we will be friends for years to come.”
The luncheon was about our friends, and we recognized and celebrated friendships. Thank you to all who attended and shared your time to make our 23rd Annual Friendship Recognition Luncheon memorable.
Enjoying the 23rd Compeer Annual Luncheon
Friendship in the News
John (left) and Rob (right) from Compeer of Chester County
have been matched for 23 years.
Ed (left), Alima and Paul (right).
Irene (left) and Pam (right) have been matched for 3 years.
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Jeanne (left) and Sandra (right) have been matched for 3
years.
Joan (left) and Maureen (right) received the “Spirit of Friendship Award” this year. They have been matched for 13 years.
David (left) Carelink and Olga (right) Program Director Compeer of Suburban Philadelphia happy to be
part of the Luncheon.
Friendship in the News
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Can you be a friend?
Compeer of Suburban Philadelphia is in the business of making friends. Our program recruits and trains caring volunteers in Delaware county and matches them in one-to-one, same gender friendships with people in mental health recovery. Right now, there are
15 people who are waiting, hoping that Compeer will find a friend for them soon.
You can read about our waiting list of men and women who are actively seeking a volunteer friend. It is our sincere desire that you
will read the information you now hold in your hands and be inspired to call our offices and volunteer the healing power of your
friendship. People should not have to wait for years for a Compeer friend. You can eliminate that long waiting period in the life of
one person. We invite you to learn about our Compeer friends on the waiting list and, more importantly, we hope to introduce you to
them very soon.
Let’s start where we normally start when making a Compeer match: geography. Below is a list of where all of the peers on our waiting list live. Do you live close to someone who needs a friend?
Philadelphia~ Chester~ Primos~ Drexel Hill~ Darby~ Upper Darby~ North Wales~ Clifton Heights~
Yeadon~ Woodlyn
Compeer uses common interests to create good, solid, long lasting matches. We try to find something each person in a friendship
match has in common, and that way, they have an automatic “friendship builder”! If you are interested in hearing more about any of
the people on our waiting list, please give us a call today.

In Philadelphia, 60 year old female, very sociable, open and friendly person. She enjoys 60’s and 70’ music,
computers and cosmetology.

In Chester, 43 year old female, kind, thoughtful and independent. She enjoys working.

In Primos, 42 year old female, intelligent, witty and kind. She enjoys movies, TV and talking on the phone.

In Drexel Hill, 57 year old female, gentle caring. She enjoys drawling, movies, and walking.

In Darby, 55 year old female, intelligent, funny, and nice person. She enjoys needle work, movies, embroidery, animals and music.

In Upper Darby, 69 year old female , enjoys outings, cooking, computers, socialization and Bible studies.

In Upper Chester, 26 year old male, looking for social interactions, kind and honest person. He enjoys music,
TV, and martial arts.

In North Wales, 57 year old female, outgoing, easy mannered and kind. She enjoys swimming, acting, singing
and reading.

In Clifton Heights, 74 year old male has a sense of humor and sociable. He enjoys stocks, fishing, cards, smoking, shopping and reminiscing.

In Philadelphia, 46 year old female, friendly, easy going but needs help with socialization. She enjoys arts,
crafts, and movies.

In Yeadon, 28 year old male wants to stay healthy. He enjoys sports, basketball and football.

In Philadelphia, 19 year old male, caring, kind, and loving. He enjoys graphic design.

In Yeadon, 64 year old female, can be shy at times. She enjoys nature, crochet, church, social outings and
Penn's Landing.

In Woodlyn, 42 year old male, caring, intelligent, can hold a good conversation. He enjoys shopping, basketball, likes hats and jewelry.

In Drexel Hill, 28 year old male, talkative, motivated and engaged. He enjoys gardening, animals, and going to
the gym.
Friendship in the News
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Compeer News
Compeer of Suburban Philadelphia, a program of Voice and Vision,
Inc. and an affiliate of Compeer USA, was established in 1991 to improve the health and quality of life for people with mental illnesses.
Through friendships forged with volunteers, Compeer matches people
actively participating in treatment for their illnesses with community
volunteers, many of whom are in mental health recovery themselves,
or have a family member in recovery. Compeer of Suburban Philadelphia began serving Delaware County in 1994; Montgomery County
withdrew from the program in 2011. The program was affiliated for the past 18 years with Resources of Human Development (RHD). In August 2014, RHD helped lead a smooth transition over to Voice and Vision,
Inc. We thank RHD for the many years of support they provided Compeer of Suburban Philadelphia. Voice
and Vision, Inc. is a non-profit organization based in Bucks County who offers peer support, education and
resources to individuals and their families living with the challenges of mental illness, addictions and/or disabilities. Through their peer support programs, they help people find the hope and the help they need to live
healthy, productive, resilient lives. They also provide monitoring and advocacy services through their Consumer/Family Satisfaction Teams in both Bucks and Chester Counties. Joining Voice and Vision – an organization with a mission closely aligned with Compeer’s mission – gives Compeer’s participants, volunteers, and
staff recovery-focused support and a wide range of resources.
CompeerCORPS

Currently, Compeer is expanding its friendship matching, to include a veteran-to-veteran friendship program, CompeerCORPS. Veterans are matched with a veteran mentor with same interests for support with
their mental health recovery. The purpose of CompeerCORPS is to create a supportive network for veterans who could benefit from a peer mentor and other community relationships. Veteran volunteer mentors
are matched with another veteran based on interests, age-range, military service and gender. The program
has the following goals

Foster a positive return to civilian life after military service

Broaden interests and hobbies

Create a spirit of service to the community

Bridge generational gaps among Veteran eras

Encourage overall wellness
If you would like to be a part of our CompeerCORPS vet-to-vet program. Please contact
The Compeer Office at (610) 541– 0790.
Compeer of Suburban Philadelphia operates with funds provided through Delaware
County Office of Behavioral Health (OBH). Additional funds may come from grants
and tax-deductible donations.
A friend is one
who knows you
and loves you
just the same.
Elbert Hubbard
Friendship in the News
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Words from Friends
We all come into this world basically the same way, with eyes of amazement and curiosity. Shortly
afterward we embark on the journey that we call life. This journey can take many paths. Some paths are full
of rocks and boulders, some with detours and for a lucky few the path may be uneventful.
Unfortunately for some of us, we curse our lives or become frustrated. Why our life journey has these
obstacles is God’s methods of getting us back on the path he has designed for us. Even the most pious of us
still need a nudge to get back on the path.
Some may argue that there is no God or where is he? Take a minute and look at the people around
you, at the people in your lives. God is in all the people in your journey. Some may argue that Science can
explain everything. With the astronomical possible combination that has come together to create life in this
universe, science has admitted that there are many things that they can’t explain. Remember that God exists in
you too. We are all God’s children and his love for us is greater than any human love can express. God is always with us, so whenever your are afraid or lonely, talk to Him.
God has created us as social creatures, because he knows that we need one another. We help each other with our life journeys with direction, encouragement and love. When we turn ourselves inwardly, we shut
out the gift of God in others. Life can have problems that we don't think we can handle or solve; but remember like a loving parent who won’t abandon their child, God won’t abandon us. He is with us always and his
love for us is immeasurable. He wants us to talk to him, rest in him and love him. I, myself, remind myself
constantly that God didn't get me this far to fail me now when my life obstacles appear. In God’s eyes we are
all incredibly beautiful and we don’t have to do anything but to be ourselves. I love God and I know He loves
me too. Anytime you need to feel His love, look in a mirror, look at those around you, look at the important
people God has placed in your life’s journey. In time you will learn to treasure yourself and those around you
as God treasures all his children. God loves us all.
~ Jeanne Alexander ~
“ The secret of the health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, nor to worry about the future,
but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly”
~Guatama Buddha~
Submitted by Irene Hostler & Pam Glover
Let me be a little kinder, let me be a little blinder to the faults of those about me; let
me praise a little more;
let me be, when I am weary, just a little bit more cheery; let me serve a little better
those that I am striving for.
Let me be a little braver when temptation bids me waver, let me strive a little harder
to be all that I should be;
let me be a little meeker with the brother that is weaker; let me think more of my
neighbor and a little less of me.
~ Edgar Guest ~
Friendship in the News
225 South Chester Rd
Suite 2B
Swarthmore, PA 19081
Phone: 610.541.0790
Fax: 610.541.0792
www.Compeerfriends.org
SAVE THE DATES!!!
Mark your calendars TODAY for the following special events
C o mp ee r Fa ll Soc ial
M edi a Cou rt Dine r — 140 E B altimo r e Av e , Med ia , PA 19063
S atu rda y, Oc tob er 25 th, 2014
f ro m 12 - 3p m
NAM I of Dela war e Coun t y holiday p a rt y
We dne sda y, De c emb e r 3 , 2014
f ro m 6 :00 -9:00
C SP holi da y pa rty
Mon da y, De c e mbe r 15 , 2014
f ro m 5 :00 -7:00
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