Photo by Duay O'Neil Carlene Robinson serves as director of the Cocke County Senior Center/Office on Aging.

Tanner Cultural Building was erected in 1924 and still services our community. For many years the only African-American school in Cocke County, it has had many years of service.

Following the integration of schools in the 1960s, Tanner's use as an African-American school ended. Yet it continued to house classes periodically for several years. Among these were special education classes for Cocke County's special needs children and at times Parrottsville's students attended school there.

As its use as a school ended, Tanner's importance as the home of various groups and agencies emerged. Today seven agencies housed in the structure provide much-needed services for Cocke County's citizens. These include the Cocke County Office on Aging/Senior Center, Douglas Cherokee Head Start, People First of Tennessee, Inc., Families First, Douglas Cherokee Neighborhood Center, Community House Cooperative, Inc., and Veterans Services.

Alcoholics Anonymous meets in the building three times a week. Periodically other community groups hold meetings there, as well, such as the Newport Theatre Guild, which recently held auditions in the building for their spring production.

Tanner Cultural Building is located in what many consider to be a "poor" area of the city. "What better way to reach the community residents who need these services the most, than to be located where they can easily access us-in their own front yard?" asked Carlene Robinson, Cocke County Senior Center/Office on Aging Director.

"On a monthly basis, we estimate that more than 2,000 people come to Tanner Cultural Building each month seeking services and participating in meetings and activities there.

The Office on Aging/Senior Center provides information for the aging and frail, while providing a place of recreation and activity Cocke County's senior population."

According to Robinson, The East Tennessee Human Resource Agency & Disability (ETHRA) remains responsible for developing an advocacy and service delivery system for persons 60 and above and for persons with disabilities.

The majority of services provided through the Area Agency on Aging and Disability (AAAD) are for persons over 60, who are in great economic and social need.

ETHRA is a regional office which administers federal and state funds through the Office on Aging in our area, providing the following programs: information and referral services to seniors, nutrition services (both congregate and home-delivered meals), health promotion and disease prevention programs through community-based health screenings, case management assistance through the options for community living services to assist individuals with functional limitations to remain independent at home through the provision of a variety of supportive in-home services, Medicare insurance counseling services through the state health insurance program (SHIP), that assist with Medicare/Medicaid/TennCare and supplemental insurance questions, long-term care ombudsman program that protects the federally mandated rights of residents in long-term care facilities, family caregiver support services which provide information to caregivers about available services, assistance to other ETHRA programs in enrolling potential clients for such services as LIHEAP, winterization, senior employment services, limited transportation services, and public guardianship for the elderly to provide appointed guardianship/conservators services to persons who need someone to make decisions on their behalf because they have lost the capacity to make informed decisions.

The Cocke County Senior Center is the hub for all senior activities, information, and programs that allow local seniors to experience a better quality of life. The center's monthly schedule includes such activities as card games, bingo and dominos, crafts, computer classes, exercise, line dancing, quilting, clogging classes, movies, pot luck luncheons, day trips, AARP Senior Safety driving classes, and monthly health screenings.

During 2008, the Cocke County Senior Center increased its services tremendously, showing a great rise in the number of seniors utilizing its offerings. "Our biggest challenge has been to get our seniors to visit and join our group," said Robinson. "We hope the community will continue to support the center because it is yours. Community support is needed for its continued growth."

Robinson called attention to the center's new "Senior Sixty Club." We are seeking a minimum of sixty local supporters to annually donate $60 to the center," she said.

"You don't have to be 60 to join. It is a multi-generational club of supporters."

For more information about the center and its services, contact Robinson at (423) 623-1400. Donations can be mailed to the Cocke County Office on Aging/Senior Center, 462 Eastern Plaza Center, Newport, TN 37821.