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The State of Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability presented an $8,000 grant to the Morristown Senior Center during a ceremony Friday morning.

TCAD Executive Director James Dunn said that his agency does a number of services for the aging population.

“It is a real pleasure to be here,” Dunn said. “The reason why we are here is, frankly, because of some of the people along this wall (referring to Hamblen County’s representatives and senior in the General Assembly).”

Sen. Steve Southerland, R-Morristown, along with State Reps. Rick Eldridge, R-Morristown, and Jeremy Faison, R-Cosby,

“Places like this are so important to what we do, as you all know,” Dunn said. “Social isolation is very bad for folks. We try to get folks out to places like this to do meals and things. We do home community-based services across the state. We do a lot of different things. As we’ve educated members and try to encourage folks to get more engaged on issues and public policy, we’ve had some real leadership from folks in this area.

“Thanks to these members of the General Assembly, they decided to put money in the budget this past year and they tasked us with creating a competitive grant process,” Dunn said.

The Morristown Senior Center applied for and received the $8,000 grant.

Southerland praised Dunn for his efforts.

“We’d just like to thank you for what you’ve done for the state of Tennessee,” Southerland said. “If it wasn’t for you coming for us and helping to make Tennessee such a great state, we wouldn’t be able to do is. We’re able to give back what you’ve given to us in the past.”

“The really cool part of this $8,000 is that it’s going to be the grand prize for the bingo game later on today,” Faison joked. “I was going to come back to play.”

Then Faison got serious.

“I’ve had the good fortune to serve with Steve for the last 12 years,” Faison said. “I’ve been saying since the time I’ve gotten there, ‘If there is anything we can do for our senior citizens, let’s do it.’ ‘If there’s something we can do for the disabled, let’s do it.’ The truth is no matter how young you are, one day you’re going to be old. One day there’s people that you love are gone and you need somebody to be around you who loves you and you love back. If there’s something we can do to better your lives, especially since many of you all gave all of your lives, then it’s good, just and right to use taxpayer money in such a way.”

Eldridge said that the senior population is a vital part of the community.

“We’re blessed to live here in Morristown,” Eldridge said. “The opportunities that are here and a lot of them has been because of you all before us. We want to thank you for that. It’s so important that this Senior Center be here. It’s a great honor to be here to present this check with James. I had the honor of working with him on several bills dealing with aging. It’s an honor to serve with him, as well when we worked in the legislature.”

Senior Center Executive Director Valerie Farmer said that the grant is certainly needed.

“I’d just like to thank you all so much, to our representatives and senators for leading this initiative and for TCAD for directing it through and giving this money to the center,” Farmer said. “We’ll put this money to good use. We have a few ideas that we’ll be running through our board meeting in March. This money will be used to serve the best population ever, our seniors.”