“AS YOU grow older, you will discover you have two hands — one for helping yourself, the other for helping others,” activist, actress, and humanitarian Audrey Hepburn once said.
That discovery, coupled with a lifetime of hard work and a lot of love to give, brought Franklin County’s Theresa Tucker out of retirement and into the lives of dozens of Tennessee families.
After 43 years and eight months working in credit recovery, Tucker retired from Ascend Federal Credit Union in April of 2021. She enjoyed nine months of peace and quiet at her home, but Tucker doesn’t like to sit still.
“I enjoyed being at home, but I love being involved and around people,” she said.
After hearing about a job opening from a friend, Tucker became an administrative assistant for the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce.
“After working almost 44 years, I prefer to be busy,” she said. “And I knew I could be with people and help in some way.”
Now, during what was supposed to be her retirement, Tucker helps support local businesses and put on events like the Franklin County Chamber Spring Soiree, 5K runs, and golf tournaments — anything to give back to local businesses and her community.
“It’s interesting meeting people from different areas of the country who think Franklin County is the greatest place they’ve been,” Tucker said.
Even in her work with the credit union, Tucker took pride in helping get people’s finances back on track and lending a helping hand during a stressful time in someone’s life.
“I get so much personal satisfaction knowing that I may just brighten someone’s day or help them along the way,” she said.
So much so that when she’s not picking up her grandson from school or working at the chamber, Tucker is volunteering with the Kiwanis Club of Franklin County, helping the community through works of kindness and giving.
“It is the children of Franklin County mainly that you’re helping and the families that need it the most,” Tucker said. “I’ve always been one to root for the underdog, and this is a good way for me to help out.”
According to the organization, Kiwanis “empowers members to pursue creative ways to serve the needs of children, such as fighting hunger, improving literacy, and offering guidance.” Kiwanis clubs around the world host almost 150,000 service projects each year. Founded in 1999, the Kiwanis Club of Franklin County is “dedicated to serving the local community through various service and fundraising projects.”
Tucker grew up in Cowan, just east of Winchester, and had what she described as a “wonderful childhood.”
“I can’t say enough good things about growing up in Cowan,” she said. “We had the best childhood.”
She grew up within a mile of almost a dozen of her best friends. They spent their time biking to one another’s houses. She loved it enough to build her family and career in the area and to dedicate much of her adult life to giving back to the community. So Tucker joined the Kiwanis Club of Franklin County over 13 years ago but couldn’t commit as fully as she would’ve liked.
“While I was at Ascend, I wasn’t able to give as much time and energy as I would’ve wanted to Kiwanis,” she said. “Now that I’m retired, I can be more involved with the kids.
The local group, which meets in Winchester, offers unique and important learning experiences for students in Franklin County. Kiwanis hosts a yearly Reality Store, which gives children and teenagers real-life insight into life after school. They receive a job and budget and then visit with community leaders, local business owners, and mentors who teach them the cost of personal finances, family planning, higher education, and more. Kiwanis also awards multiple college scholarships each year to high school students.
During the holidays, they set up meals-on-wheels and toy drives. Throughout the year, Tucker helps organize fundraisers like the High on the Hog Festival. All their donations go back to the Franklin County community to support more children.
“Maybe something we’re doing helps them and leads them to where they want to be,” she said. “I never do anything for recognition. I just love helping in any way that I can.” GN
