When members of the Bearden High School Class of 1971 graduated from high school, the polarizing Vietnam War was still taking place, and the United States was also going through slow cultural changes racially and morally.įifty years later, the country also appears to be in another historically defining and tense era with divisive political debate and the coronavirus pandemic. You’ve Got a Friend is something that I wanted to do for my soul, not just a paycheck,” she said.īEARDEN Bearden High Class of 1971 members gather for 50th reunion to toast life “My job is high-stress and I am exhausted. “We charge standard mileage for anything more than 10 miles outside of the center of Knoxville,” she said. While You’ve Got a Friend is in its formative first year, Walker said they are still figuring out "what flies and what doesn’t." “In some ways I am (there) more for the caregiver.” “I only have to hear it once a week and I’ve never heard them before and he can tell me the stories, while I fix his lunch.”Įven though people may have family around, Walker said they often remember how their parent was strong and active and mentally coherent. “One of my friends had a dad who is an invalid and he wants to tell stories about when he worked on a farm,” she said.
The biggest need has been companionship, Walker has discovered. People are really lonely out there they live by themselves, they are cooped up, not driving anymore. We are trying to work up to just driving around the block.” “She is Ubering every day it’s a lot cheaper for me to just come over and sit with her in the car,” Walker said. “It can be anything, you can call and ask us to do things you want your friend to do, but you don’t want to ask them to do,” Walker said.Īfter overcoming her own debilitating anxiety years ago, Walker is now currently helping another woman overcome hers to get behind the wheel again. Some people may need help packing and moving, another may need to shift heavy furniture or carry boxes, others may need some basic tech help or want the Peacock app set up so they can stream it on their television. "He doesn’t just dump the food in a bowl and walk out." Walker’s son will do most of the pet sitting - spending a few hours a day with your dog, playing fetch and feeding them. “She just needs somewhere there to hang out, play cards, fix dinner - and they both happen to crochet, so they can do that together.” “One girl is getting engaged at the beach, but she takes care of her grandmother 24/7,” Walker said. “I know these people personally, we don’t just do a background check and we are insured and have decent cars,” she said.
“If it’s your mom or your cat, we want to have a connection with them.”įor every inquiry via, Walker assesses who would be ideal for each type of job. We can buy your groceries and pick up your prescriptions,” Walker said. “We do pet sitting and walking, anything you need. You’ve Got a Friend is more than a companion service. “We ask what they do for a job, shows they watch, what are their hobbies and what is interesting to them, so that we can have a bit to talk about and we can connect.” “We come prepared to talk to people about whatever they want to talk about,” she said. Walker, who works a demanding job in sales, decided to launch a side gig, You’ve Got a Friend. "They needed a different approach, (so) I asked if her mom wanted to feel like a friend was coming over to hang out rather than a babysitter?”