Tennessee Federation for the Aging Annual Conference
November 1-3, 2016
Lena Mae Pickens Annual Award for Excellence in Volunteerism
Introduction by Charles Hewgley
Lena Mae Pickens
Volunteer
February 7, 1909 – September 17, 2001
Tennessee Federation for the Aging Annual Conference
November 1-3, 2016
Lena Mae Pickens Annual Award for Excellence in Volunteerism
Introduction by Charles Hewgley
Mrs. Clint A. Pickens. Lena Mae Pickens. Executive Director. Founder. Madam Chair. Advocate. President. Activist. Ma Pickens. Lobbyist. Volunteer.
She answered to many titles and names and she served many roles in a long, amazing life of service and support to her state and her community. At just over 5 feet of determination, grit, cunning, grace, strategy, leadership, charm and wit, Mrs. Pickens accomplished amazing things during her 92 years. She was a forceful woman who did not accept “no” when she was in pursuit of accomplishing her goals.
I don’t know when or why she decided to dedicate her energy, her resources and her leadership skills to the benefit of older citizens, but she did so for more than 50 years with a passion that is well-recognized whenever you mention her name. If there is a role model for excellence in volunteerism, Lena Mae Pickens is that model.
In 1960, Gov. Buford Ellington established the Governor’s Planning Committee on Aging describing its charge “to assess our private and public programs for the aged population and determine needs in this area.” Thus, began a march onward by many, especially Mrs. Pickens, to create, nurture, support and expand programs for seniors.
I became acquainted with Mrs. Pickens in the mid-1970s when I was a young staff person for the Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability. However, her activism and accomplishments were focused on serving older adults for at least 20 years prior to that. Mrs. Pickens was instrumental in the chartering of Marshall County Senior Citizens in 1963. She was actively involved in making sure the Senior Center got a building to host activities for local seniors. She continued to serve as the Executive Director of Marshall County Senior Citizens for another 30 years until 1993.
The year 1963 was a pivotal year for senior adults nationally and in Tennessee. That year President John F. Kennedy signed the first proclamation declaring May as Senior Citizens Month. Also, that year Gov. Frank Clement signed the new law creating the Tennessee Commission on Aging to further work for seniors begun by Gov. Ellington in 1959 through a partnership with the Tennessee Medical Association. The federal Older Americans Act would not be enacted until 1965. Because of its already strong activism for senior adult programs, Tennessee became the first state enrolled as a charter member of the emerging National Association of State Units on Aging.
Not satisfied with just promoting a senior center for her own community, Mrs. Pickens encouraged other community leaders involved in senior adult activities across Tennessee to join forces in seeking local, state and federal financial support for development and expansion of senior centers and programs in more communities in Tennessee. To this end, she was a founding member of a strong statewide organization dedicated to advocate for development of senior centers.
The Tennessee Federation for the Aging was established in 1968 and soon emerged as one of the strongest voices for senior centers in Tennessee, if not in the southeast. Over the next decade names like Lena Mae Pickens, Dick Block, Sebastian Tine, Dr. William Frist, Allen Selmin, Gordon Turner, Harold Bradley, Dr. William Cole, Vivian Kennon, Virginia Powers, Les Reinke, Mary Sue Bethea, Dr. Harry Waggoner, Tom Kennedy defined the conversations surrounding development of senior centers. During this decade, Tennessee saw continuing growth in senior centers with funding increasing annually. Mrs. Pickens was named Chairman of the Commission on Aging in 1977.
By the late 70s, the Tennessee Federation for the Aging, its member centers and individuals were largely responsible for more than $1M being appropriated for the creation and expansion of senior service centers in the state. During that time, Tennessee, again largely because of the efforts of TFA, was highlighted as one of less than five states in the country to have a senior center operating in each county. Worthy of note, most of those other states had far fewer counties than Tennessee.
In 1983 Gov. Lamar Alexander signed an Executive Order which would have established an Office on Aging within the Department of Human Services, transferring all duties of the Commission on Aging to that Department. Mrs. Pickens spearheaded statewide action against that change. As a result of her strong leadership and advocacy, Gov. Alexander rescinded his Executive Order transferring the Commission to the Department of Human Services.
The common thread among the many accomplishments described above was the continuing involvement, leadership, persistence and determination of Lena Mae Pickens, a volunteer, an advocate, a woman on a mission to make the lives of seniors more enjoyable. In her memory, the Tennessee Federation for the Aging is proud to establish and award the first annual Lena Mae Pickens Award for Excellence in Volunteerism.
November 1-3, 2016
Lena Mae Pickens Annual Award for Excellence in Volunteerism
Introduction by Charles Hewgley
Mrs. Clint A. Pickens. Lena Mae Pickens. Executive Director. Founder. Madam Chair. Advocate. President. Activist. Ma Pickens. Lobbyist. Volunteer.
She answered to many titles and names and she served many roles in a long, amazing life of service and support to her state and her community. At just over 5 feet of determination, grit, cunning, grace, strategy, leadership, charm and wit, Mrs. Pickens accomplished amazing things during her 92 years. She was a forceful woman who did not accept “no” when she was in pursuit of accomplishing her goals.
I don’t know when or why she decided to dedicate her energy, her resources and her leadership skills to the benefit of older citizens, but she did so for more than 50 years with a passion that is well-recognized whenever you mention her name. If there is a role model for excellence in volunteerism, Lena Mae Pickens is that model.
In 1960, Gov. Buford Ellington established the Governor’s Planning Committee on Aging describing its charge “to assess our private and public programs for the aged population and determine needs in this area.” Thus, began a march onward by many, especially Mrs. Pickens, to create, nurture, support and expand programs for seniors.
I became acquainted with Mrs. Pickens in the mid-1970s when I was a young staff person for the Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability. However, her activism and accomplishments were focused on serving older adults for at least 20 years prior to that. Mrs. Pickens was instrumental in the chartering of Marshall County Senior Citizens in 1963. She was actively involved in making sure the Senior Center got a building to host activities for local seniors. She continued to serve as the Executive Director of Marshall County Senior Citizens for another 30 years until 1993.
The year 1963 was a pivotal year for senior adults nationally and in Tennessee. That year President John F. Kennedy signed the first proclamation declaring May as Senior Citizens Month. Also, that year Gov. Frank Clement signed the new law creating the Tennessee Commission on Aging to further work for seniors begun by Gov. Ellington in 1959 through a partnership with the Tennessee Medical Association. The federal Older Americans Act would not be enacted until 1965. Because of its already strong activism for senior adult programs, Tennessee became the first state enrolled as a charter member of the emerging National Association of State Units on Aging.
Not satisfied with just promoting a senior center for her own community, Mrs. Pickens encouraged other community leaders involved in senior adult activities across Tennessee to join forces in seeking local, state and federal financial support for development and expansion of senior centers and programs in more communities in Tennessee. To this end, she was a founding member of a strong statewide organization dedicated to advocate for development of senior centers.
The Tennessee Federation for the Aging was established in 1968 and soon emerged as one of the strongest voices for senior centers in Tennessee, if not in the southeast. Over the next decade names like Lena Mae Pickens, Dick Block, Sebastian Tine, Dr. William Frist, Allen Selmin, Gordon Turner, Harold Bradley, Dr. William Cole, Vivian Kennon, Virginia Powers, Les Reinke, Mary Sue Bethea, Dr. Harry Waggoner, Tom Kennedy defined the conversations surrounding development of senior centers. During this decade, Tennessee saw continuing growth in senior centers with funding increasing annually. Mrs. Pickens was named Chairman of the Commission on Aging in 1977.
By the late 70s, the Tennessee Federation for the Aging, its member centers and individuals were largely responsible for more than $1M being appropriated for the creation and expansion of senior service centers in the state. During that time, Tennessee, again largely because of the efforts of TFA, was highlighted as one of less than five states in the country to have a senior center operating in each county. Worthy of note, most of those other states had far fewer counties than Tennessee.
In 1983 Gov. Lamar Alexander signed an Executive Order which would have established an Office on Aging within the Department of Human Services, transferring all duties of the Commission on Aging to that Department. Mrs. Pickens spearheaded statewide action against that change. As a result of her strong leadership and advocacy, Gov. Alexander rescinded his Executive Order transferring the Commission to the Department of Human Services.
The common thread among the many accomplishments described above was the continuing involvement, leadership, persistence and determination of Lena Mae Pickens, a volunteer, an advocate, a woman on a mission to make the lives of seniors more enjoyable. In her memory, the Tennessee Federation for the Aging is proud to establish and award the first annual Lena Mae Pickens Award for Excellence in Volunteerism.
