Submitted by Meg Dickens

Advocates, seniors, and local government officials came together at the Johnson County Senior Center on Wednesday, October 13, to celebrate the success of “life-saving legislation” centered on those with Alzheimer’s disease. Regional Director of Alzheimer’s Tennessee, Tracey Kendall Wilson, led the festivities. The visit was one of several stops that Wilson made to thank government advocates for their efforts, focusing on State Representative Scotty Campbell this time. The Center also honored Wilson for her work.

Each spring, Alzheimer’s Tennessee sends a group of volunteers to Nashville to become the voice of Alzheimer’s patients to the state government. The Johnson County Senior Center was chosen for 2021, and members loaded up in the wee hours of the morning and made their way to “the Hill” for Legislative Day. Much to Alzheimer’s Tennessee and its supporters’ pleasure, the Silver Alert legislation advocates had been lobbying for officially went into effect this July after passing unanimously.

Submitted by Meg Dickens

According to National Executive Committee Member of the American Legion Robert Hensley, Johnson County has the most veterans per capita of anywhere else in the vicinity. The Johnson County Senior Center honored these men and women during its monthly Veterans’ Cafe. Approximately 64 participants showed up on Wednesday, September 29, to attend this event sponsored by Danny Herman Trucking.

Whether they fought or aided the United States through different means, these service members played a part in protecting the liberty Americans enjoy today. As veteran and new Center volunteer Ray Branch explained, it was “a room of individuals that show us what sacrifice is.”

Submitted by Meg Dickens

On Friday, September 10, the Johnson County Senior Center was closed for a training session through the Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network (TSPN) in honor of Suicide Prevention Month and Suicide Prevention Day. Ballad Health Trauma Prevention Specialist Heatherly Sifford led the training and offered state and national statistics. The technique revolves around QPR, which stands for Question, Persuade, Refer.

Suicide is considered a taboo subject. Multiple experts have explained that the stigma around the subject makes reaching out for help more difficult for those fighting it. Sifford agreed, stating that “stigma is a huge risk factor because we’ve made it a huge risk.”

Volunteers and staff from the Johnson County Senior Center loaded up and headed to the former site of Shady Valley Elementary to spend time with Shady residents on Wednesday, September 1. Despite the weather, the event drew a crowd, with final check-in numbers coming in at 79.

Participants enjoyed soup beans, cornbread, and other foods catered by the Shady Rock School ladies and paid for by a Danny Herman Trucking donation. The Senior Jam musicians accompanied the event with live Appalachian music on stage. Food Lion donated various baked goods, and each participating senior won something in an old-fashioned cakewalk. In addition to the cakewalk, seniors also won mums and Dollar Store gift cards in a few rounds of Shady Valley trivia.

By Tamas Mondovics
Tomahawk Newspaper Editor

The Johnson County Senior Center has received $3,500 from the Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation to help feed local neighbors in their time of need. The Senior Center will reportedly use the gift to purchase and distribute frozen meals each week to the most in need seniors in Johnson County. Center Director Kathy Motsinger said that meals are being delivered all over the county from Trade to Butler and even Shady Valley.

“We are so grateful to Food Lion Feeds for their financial support for this endeavor,” she said. “We started this program when COVID-19 broke out. We have served over 80 individuals weekly with this program but have reduced the frozen meal deliveries to 40 at this time because of funding. With this grant donation, we can continue the frozen meal deliveries until the end of August."