Submitted by Meg Dickens

On Friday, November 19, Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger traveled to Johnson County to honor local Vietnam veterans. This tradition started by her predecessor, Phil Roe, spotlights this group of underappreciated veterans around the country. To commemorate the fiftieth anniversary, officials’ first stop of the day was a ceremony at the Johnson County Senior Center.

Congresswoman Harshbarger took the time to speak with each veteran and encouraged them to share stories of their time in service to share insight into what they experienced. As each person was awarded their 50th-anniversary pin, the congresswoman posed for a photo with them. Local John Wayne Jeffries shared the story of his patch-covered vest and how each piece represented one of his comrades who survived and advanced to top ranks in the military.

Submitted Article

The Johnson County Senior Center is constantly trying to expand its resources and programs. As part of this, Director Kathy Motsinger and staff hosted a Diabetes Awareness Day in honor of November being Diabetes Awareness Month. It included a question-and-answer session with Family Nurse Practitioner Kim Kleine, an arthritis exercise class with UT/TSU Extension Office’s Sarah Ransom, catering from the Chef Travis Heath’s Culinary Arts Department at JCHS, blood sugar and blood pressure checks from center representatives, and diabetes-friendly recipes. The event was completely free to the public but required a reservation to ensure there were enough meals. An estimated 80 people showed up to enjoy the festivities.

Submitted by Meg Dickens

Johnson County is rich in local lore and history. The Johnson County Senior Center makes a point to pay tribute to the past. These memories inform the future and are a foundation for both the area and those that frequent it. As a part of this, the center has been putting a strong focus on storytelling. Since October, the organization has attended two events and has several more coming. Two couples have opened up their homes to share personal and area history.

On October 19, seniors headed over to members Bob and Minnie Miller’s home to hear their stories of Forge Creek and Cold Springs. As Minnie explained, they focused on local history with a splash of folklore, which included two ghost stories. Both Millers have lived in the area for almost their entire lives and are well aware of its history. For example, the local third district was reportedly referred to as the “Bloody Third” because of incidents in the Civil War where Confederate soldiers tried to force Union soldiers into changing sides, which occasionally became bloody upon refusal.

Submitted by Meg Dickens

The Johnson County Senior Center has seen an influx in attendance in the last few weeks. In several cases, staff and volunteers have noted increased participation for activities, trips, center events, and regular attendance. New members are also joining daily. As seniors begin to feel more secure in their health amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, life is starting to go back to business as usual at the Johnson County Senior Center.

The last few events have garnered more people than comparable events of the same caliber previously this year. The fall festival event held on Friday, October 29, is one example of this. The event attracted so many people that seating became a struggle. With the construction of a stage finishing on the day of this publication, Director Kathy Motsinger is debating how to restructure the area to maintain the current balance and not lose seating opportunities.