Fentress Senior Center Named AAAD Provider Of The Year, Goals Remain

The Fentress County Senior Citizens Center has been named the UCHRA’s Area Agency of Aging and Disabilities Provider of the Year.

Senior Center Director Kelly Young said this award was one of her biggest goals when she took over. She said she attributes the award to her outstanding staff and immense community support.

“Some people think that the senior center is just a place to come sit around and really not do anything, but once they get in here and they see how active we are and we see them enjoying themselves, it just makes it rewarding all the way around,” Young said.

Young said she hopes to carry the momentum of this recognition into 2024 with major programming updates. She said she intends to add art and technology classes and take the seniors on more off-campus trips.

“It’s not just about the award,” Young said. “It’s about knowing that we are going above and beyond to provide those services for our people and seeing them live a happier healthier life because of it.”

In the 2023 fiscal year, the Fentress County Senior Center hosted the singles and doubles shuffleboard events for the Tennessee Senior Olympics. In total, the center had 274 seniors participate in over 14,000 activities. The staff delivered 15,260 hot meals to 84 Fentress County residents and served another 14,000 meals to center attendees. Young said she hopes to see those numbers grow even more next year.

“We’re going to look for new things as often as possible, keep those feelers out for anything that might be coming up that they might enjoy, and just try to keep our participants active and healthy and doing anything and everything that we can find that might interest them,” Young said.

Young said funding is another important piece of the Senior Center’s growth. She said she is constantly on the lookout for potential grant opportunities and other funding possibilities.

“Funding is a big thing, but our community support has never waivered,” Young said. “We’ve always had such great community support. A community that backs us and is willing to step in and help or put their hands to the plow to do anything that’s necessary to keep our programs going.”