The following are letters written by Compeer Volunteers & Friends about their friendships:

• MaryAnn & Juanita
  
  Through volunteering at Skyland Trail I learned of the Compeer program about a year ago. Compeer "matched" me in March 2003 with Juanita, a lady about my age who is warm and friendly, and loves to talk & share. Juanita and I are very compatible. We usually try to get together two times a week. It is always something we both look forward to.
  
  We enjoy movies, theater, Atlanta Symphony, the High Museum....and her favorite restaurant: Krystal! We're looking forward to walking tours and other outside activities in the warmer weather ahead. Also I take her to doctors' appointments and on shopping errands so she won't have to spend hours on a bus. We each love choosing birthday gifts and little surprises for the other throughout the year.
  
  One side benefit of our across town friendship: I am learning new routes and places I never otherwise would have known about! I am expanding my horizons.
  
  Though I am an empty-nester and now have quite a bit of free time on my hands, Compeer and Juanita have made me realize how meaningful it is to be a Compeer volunteer. I can still make a positive difference in someone's life, and it's a great feeling. However, at the end of every outing, Juanita gives me a big hug and tells me she loves me. The feeling is definitely mutual.
  
  Mary Ann Hite Compeer Volunteer
  

• Danny & Larry
  
  Our birth dates are only a few days apart, but my friend Larry and I have a lot more in common. We both enjoy hiking, so we often trudge to the top of Kennesaw Mountain. We enjoy the exercise, the view of Atlanta’s skyline to the south, and the mountains to the north. We both get excited about buying new music, so we often search the bins at the used cd stores, or check out cds from the library. Sometimes we draw or paint. We enjoy bowling or movies too, but they make it hard to have a conversation. As an introvert, I admire Larry’s fearless interaction with people he meets. He drifts easily into conversations and is proud to tell a complete stranger all about himself. He takes a lot of pride in doing his job well and bringing home a paycheck. He recently lost his job as a bagboy and has a new job sorting and boxing. He is hopeful about getting a job with more social interaction. For a long time I thought that Larry’s condition had left him without a sense of humor. But one day we were hiking and I made a silly exaggeration, and I heard him chuckle. I suddenly realized how much my mood sets the tone for the time we spend together. If I’m acting too serious, if I’m obsessing about work, or if my mind is somewhere else, then I’m not going to be a very good friend. Being with Larry is helping me learn to live in the present moment, and to be a better friend to all my friends. His fearlessness, gentle nature, optimism, and faith have been a real inspiration to me. I’m thankful to have Larry as a friend.
  Danny...
  
  
  
• Jane & Rosemary
  When I first said yes to writing this article about my friend Jane, I thought I could just sit down and write on paper the words that best describe Jane in my heart. Well, this wasn’t the case. I’m not at all sure I can do my feelings for Jane justice by putting them into words, but I’ll sure try. Jane and I have shared many interesting hours together. Whether it’s just having lunch together and talking about the countries she will or has already traveled to. These far away places come alive to me through her. She even sends me postcards from these places too. I just love that. But she is also always willing to share the hard times with me too. Like when I went to court for custody of my grandchildren, there were people there for the children, but Jane was there for me. I could not have made it through, in any kind of shape, worth anything at all, without her support. When the baby got sick, she was there for us day and night. She never needs to be asked, she just does, without fan fare, whatever she can to help. Jane says she has been blessed, well she shares that blessing with me and my family. She is my ray of light in what can be a dark and painful existence. Her gifts are compassion, honesty, understanding, and the ability to accept people for who they are and where they’re at. But most of all she is straight forward. She says what she feels and how she sees things and then leaves it alone. She is very persistent, but not at all pushy. I have so much respect for her. I see her as a complete woman and person. Many things have been easier for me to cope with because of her friendship. THANK YOU MY DEAR FRIEND!! And I thank God also for a place like Compeer. Without your work, people like me would not have Janes in our lives. God bless you all!!
  Rosemary...