What Are the Senior Brain Games?
An active brain is more likely to be a healthy brain. The science is still catching up, but common sense tells us that as we age it's important to keep challenging ourselves, to keep learning new things. It's also important to spend time with other people. Brain Games meets both goals by giving seniors yet another reason to attend one of Tennessee's many great senior centers.
People of all ages enjoy trivia games. At a senior center, you can play for fun with other people in your area. You may also find others willing to play on a team and compete for the title of Tennessee Senior Brain Games State Champions!
Three in a Row: the Jonesborough Olde Towners Win Again!
The Jonesborough Olde Towners were once again victorious at the Tennessee Senior Brain Games statewide championship. With three consecutive victories behind them, the Jonesborough Senior Center will now be the permanent home of the championship trophy representing the first six years of competition. The team also won $2500 for the center.
As was true in 2017, the town of Jonesborough, as well as the senior center's staff, graciously welcomed the challenging teams from across the state: The Chester County Challengers from West Tennessee; the Smith County Whipper Snappers from Middle Tennessee; and the SoKno Skolerz from Knox County. TCAD thanks the Jonesborough Senior Center, the town of Jonesborough, and the senior centers and participants across the state who continue to help grow this worthwhile competition.
As announced by the agency when it introduced the element of championship title defense, the final will return to Nashville, Tennessee in 2019 because a team has now earned three consecutive victories. The Olde Towners will still defend their title in 2019, but they will do so in Nashville against three other teams from across the state. Will one of those teams be yours?
Meet the New Champs, Same as the Olde Champs!
Congratulations to the Jonesborough Olde Towners! The team has successfully defended its title of statewide Tennessee Senior Brain Games champions. The town of Jonesborough was welcoming to all, and the Jonesborough Senior Center, under Director Mary Sanger, put together a memorable experience for everyone in attendance. The town is truly one of the most charming in the state and the center one of which they can be proud. Because the Olde Towners won, we will be returning to Jonesborough in October 2018, and Director Sanger has already made clear her intention to set an even higher standard as a host. Tennessee senior centers: You will want to fight hard to make it to Jonesborough next year!
TCAD would like to thank: Jonesborough Senior Center Director Mary Sanger and the center's staff; the staff at Jonesborough's McKinney Center (Thanks Theresa, Jules and Skye!); Jonesborough Town Administrator Bob Browning; Jonesborough Operations Manager Craig Ford; Jonesborough Alderman Terry Countermine; Jonesborough Mayor Kelly Wolfe; the Jonesborough Police Department; Main Street Catering; and Jonesborough's International Storytelling Center. Special thanks to Anne G'Fellers-Mason for her storytelling performance.
Year Five: Our Challengers! *Finalized September 22, 2017
The Jonesborough Olde Towners, 2016 Tennessee Senior Brain Games state champions, will defend against:
- Hamblen County's Senior Gamers (East)
- Lawrence County's Aged to Perfection (Middle)
- Tipton County's Know Brainers (West)
Our Statewide Semi-Finalists (as of September 7, 2017)
- ACMS: Covington Senior Center's Know Brainers
- East: Morristown Senior Center's Senior Gamers
- First: Church Hill Senior Citizens Center's Golden Nuggets
- GNRC: J.L. Turner Center's Brain Brawlers
- NW: Crockett County Senior Center's Crockett County Brainiacs
- SC: Lawrence County Senior Citizens' Aged to Perfection
- SE: Copper Basin Senior Activity Center's The Copperheads
- SW: Chester County Senior Center's Chester County Challengers
- UC: Baxter Senior Center's Baxter Busy Bees
East Tennessee's Jonesborough Olde Towners Win the 2016 Tennessee Senior Brain Games Championship!
On Friday, October 6, 2016, the Jonesborough Olde Towners surprised themselves and the Tennessee Senior Brain Games audience by becoming Tennessee's Senior Brain Games statewide champions. This year the main event took place at the First United Methodist Church in Morristown, Tennessee. This was the second time the finals were held in Morristown. The turnout was the best yet, and energy was high.
The Olde Towners hail from the Jonesborough Area Senior Center. The senior center will be awarded $1000 for the win, will house the championship trophy throughout 2017, and will host next year's championship game. That's right, we're going to Jonesborough next year—back to East Tennessee! *Jonesborough is part of the First Tennessee area, the Area Agency on Aging and Disability (AAAD) under Director Kathy Whitaker.
Congratulations to the Jonesborough Olde Towners, and thank you again to the city of Morristown and the Morristown Senior Citizens Center for your hospitality. We couldn't have asked for better hosts and better partners for this event. And to everyone across the state: KEEP PLAYING!
The Morristown Senior Gamers Retain Their State Title in 2015
Tennessee's Senior Brain Games champions and challengers came together in Morristown, Tennessee on Friday, October 9, 2015 to compete for the big win. The final scores were as follows:
- The Martin Einsteins ended with 88;
- Knoxville's John T. O'Connor Center had 91;
- the Ashland City Acers picked up 102; (Read about the Acers team in an October 23, 2015 article from the Tennessean.)
- and the Morristown Senior Gamers retained their title with a final score of 114.
The trophy will be updated and returned to the Morristown Senior Citizens Center and will reside there until roughly this time next year, when another three teams—along with the Morristown Senior Gamers—will face off in Morristown for the 2016 title.
Attendance at this year's championship game was the best so far! We congratulate and celebrate all of our Brain Gamers statewide, both the four teams who attended the final game and those who played throughout the state in the months leading up to the championship.
We thank the city of Morristown (as well as Morristown Mayor Gary Chesney and Hamblen County Mayor Bill Brittain) for its hospitality, encouragement and participation. The day began with a Mayors Mile walk to promote brain health.
We also thank the directors of the participating senior centers: Morristown Senior Citizens Center's Debbie Thayer; John T. O'Connor Senior Center's Sue Massingill; Ashland City Senior Citizens Center's Melissa Womack; and Martin Senior Adult Center's Debra Edwards. They all helped make this year the most successful yet!
Thank also to our judges, State Representative Tilman Goins, State Assistant Commissioner David Purkey, and TCAD Commission Member and AARP National Volunteer Director Margo Seay.