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Trista Wilkins | Special to So Salem

Beth Moeller (left) and Courtney King will be in each other's wedding parties.

When Courtney King moved to Salem in 2002 she had no idea that one of the first people she would meet would become her great friend, shopping buddy, sister and matron of honor.

King met Beth Moeller when she attended Salem Church of the Nazarene shortly after moving to Salem from Charlotte, N.C., and the two became instant friends. Their friendship continued while Moeller attended Roanoke College, where she joined the Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority because she wanted to broaden her horizons, and King went to Virginia Western Community College.

"I think we have a special friendship because we do not have to see each other all the time to know that we are there for each other," Moeller said. "We have always led pretty busy lives, so time to just hang out is more limited than we would like for it to be. We are fortunate to have that connection where, when we see each other, we just click."

After she graduated from VWCC King decided to go to RC, and Moeller was the first person she went to with questions. King never saw herself as the "sorority type" but since Moeller was in one she decided to give it her consideration.

"Being a commuter student, I needed a way to get involved in order to meet people and ASA was the best place to do that," King said. "She [Moeller] told me about a recruitment party and she guided me on what to wear. I had reservations about it but I decided to go. I had nothing to lose!"

While King was pledging ASA she and Moeller developed another connection when Moeller was named King's Big Sister.

"As soon as Courtney knew I was her big, her first words to me where, 'Will you be my maid of honor?'" Moeller said. "Of course I said yes ... little did I know that a year later, I would be asking her the exact same thing!"

Eight months after King asked Moeller to be her maid of honor, Moeller asked King to be one of her bridesmaids when she got engaged to RC senior Kyle Lawrence. Since Moeller's wedding date is before King's, she will be matron of honor at King's September '09 wedding to Jacob Roberts, and both brides are thrilled.

"She's my big sister and she's one of my best friends," King said of Moeller. "She's helped me get involved at Roanoke and she's helped me improve my fashion sense! I can honestly say she is one of my best friends and I have a feeling we will be friends for a lifetime."

| By Trista Wilkins

Special to So Salem