For the next several weeks the Cannon Courier and WBRY are profiling local agencies which receive support from the United Way. You can donate to the United Way at the three local banks, through your workplace program, or at www.uwcannon.org.
The Cannon County Senior Center provides activities, opportunities and services for the county’s senior population. The center’s mission is to promote and improve personal independence, self sufficiency, and overall quality of life.
Typical activities at the Senior Center are Wii-Bowling, yoga, movie days, computer lessons, line dancing, etc. A calendar of each month’s activities is maintained at the center’s web site, cannontimes.com and there is also a monthly newsletter that highlights events, issues, and concerns facing Cannon’s older citizens. Periodically, there are even nurses and lawyers on call to help deal with any issues that arise in patron’s personal lives.
Leadership of the Senior Center is accomplished by a 10-20 person board of directors, who serve three year terms that are staggered to bring in new people each year. Meetings are held the second Thursday of each month following each ending quarter.
Services offered by the center include information and assistance, outreach to isolated seniors, telephone reassurance, visits to the homebound seniors, recreational activities, health screening, physical fitness and nutrition screenings, and general health promotion.
The Senior Center also operates a thrift store called Second Chance Thrift just outside of the main building. Hours of operation are a little hit-and-miss, but the staff is very helpful and generous and the deals are unbelievable. There is always a fresh stock of clothes, gadgets, and decorations lining the shelves thanks to the store’s auxiliary warehouse building.
Overall, the goal of the organization is to maintain an atmosphere where elderly citizens can maintain independence, where the dignity of human life is honored, and respect, trust and support are encouraged.
All of these services have costs and they are generously sponsored by The Administration on Aging, The Tennessee Commission on Aging, The Upper Cumberland Area Agency on Aging, The Jim Cummings Fund, The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, The United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties, Upper Cumberland Development District, and Private Donations.
Volunteers are also an incredibly valuable asset to the Senior Center.
Volunteer work is co-ordinated by an organization called HELP (Helping the Elderly Live Productively) who recruit and organize volunteers in all walks of life throughout the county to help support our seniors.
HELP services are set up on a case-by-case basis so as to best meet the needs of seniors and the abilities of volunteers. Some common services include grocery shopping, bill paying, miscellaneous errands, letter writing to clients, telephone reassurance, and visitation, reading, and chore services.
If you’re interested in serving our community’s elderly as a volunteer or in any other capacity, stop by the center. The center’s website is www.cannontimes.com .