For some friends, everyday is Friendship Day

Did you know that in 1935, Congress declared the first Sunday in August National Friendship Day? And that the whole world got so excited about it that it became International Friendship Day? And that there are Web sites full of ideas on how to celebrate it?

Well, some people don’t need reminders or advice about how and when to foster friendships. Like Mary Frazier Long of Lawrenceville. A 1949 graduate of Lawrenceville High School, Long and her friends enjoy a class reunion every month at different restaurants around Lawrenceville. 

“There were 24 students in my graduating class,” Long said. “About seven regulars show up every month. Sula Clack, Marie Duncan, Grace Cain, Reba Bridges, Opal Gunter, Ruth Greene and Bryant Huff I’ve known since high school. Joyce Reed and Geraldine Keller and I started first grade together.”

The friends talk over old times and new. Long even recorded some of their old escapades in her recently published book, About Lawrenceville.

Geri Taran, also of Lawrenceville, hasn’t kept up with old friends on such a regular basis, but this summer helped organize a 60th reunion of her confirmation class from Temple Beth Sholom in Miami, Florida.

“The whole thing was remarkable and wonderful. I sent everyone a questionnaire based on the "Everyone Has a Story" workshop I developed and published a reunion book. Everyone received a copy. Interestingly enough, it has exactly 60 pages.” 

Gina Morrow, a postal worker in Duluth, keeps in touch with friends old and new by way of, yes, the postal system.

` “I send out cards or letters to friends about one a day. It’s only 44 cents, but it can really brighten someone’s day. Also, when I buy something from a store, if I had a really good experience with their employee, I write down their name and send them a thank you card. I’ve also done that for products and services that I like and the company in some cases has responded with a thank you letter and a coupon for their product,” Morrow said of her corporate-friendly gestures.

But her best friendship story came about while just doing her job.

“When I worked as the Customer Relations Coordinator for the Atlanta Post Office, a man named Mr. Harris called complaining about having his mail mis-delivered. He was very frustrated and rightly so. I asked that he let me know every time he had a problem, which he did several times over the next few months. Finally, one day he called to thank me. He was no longer having problems with his mail. He would call every couple weeks to thank me and to give his respect to my parents for raising such a fine young woman. Over time, if I didn't hear from him, I would call him to make sure things were still going good.”

Morrow and Harris have never met in person, but continue to call each other and send each other cards for special occasions.

International Friendship Day is maybe a nice reminder of the value of friendship, but Long, Taran and Morrow can tell you that keeping old friends or making new ones does not require an act of Congress.

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