Join us on Tuesday, May 7, 2024, 4 pm – 6 pm,

at The Pavilion at Hunter Valley Farm

Please RSVP by clicking the BLUE button at the top right of the page.

22nd Annual Duncan Awards Honor Senior Advocates

The Duncan Award for Senior Advocacy, named in memory of John J. Duncan, Sr., pays tribute to people in our community who uphold the same kind of steadfast support and advocacy of seniors and programs that serve older adults as were exhibited by the late congressman. This year marks the 22nd anniversary of this signature event that also serves as a fundraiser for Senior Information & Referral (SIR). SIR aims to be the primary source for quality, dependable information and referral services for Knox County seniors and their caregivers.

All too often, seniors and their caregivers become confused and/or discouraged by the complexities of the social service system and give up before they ever find out about services that could assist them. Senior Information & Referral strives to empower seniors by providing information that leads to better service delivery, and by advocating with service providers on behalf of those seniors that need additional help. These same qualities are exhibited in our Duncan Award Recipients as they tirelessly advocate for the needs of seniors in our community. Help us honor and celebrate these two amazing individuals for all the work they have done, and continue to do in service to our seniors.

For more information, call Senior Information & Referral at 865-546-6262.

Meet our Honorees:

Dan Hix
Community Award recipient

Mr. Hix received his Master of Divinity degree at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky and completed Clinical Pastoral Counseling at Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. He was a Resident in Pastoral Care at the School of Pastoral Care at Wake Forest University Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

His calling has led him to serve in Spiritual Care capacities at churches, hospitals, and medical centers across several states, including North Carolina, Ohio, and Tennessee. He is currently a Pastoral Associate at New Providence Presbyterian Church in Maryville, Tennessee.

Norwood Veterinary Hospital & Dr. Joseph Tabery
Business Award recipient

Dr. Tabery was born on September 15, 1947 in Southern Germany. His family immigrated to the United States in 1955 and settled in the Toledo, Ohio area. He graduated high school in 1966 and moved to Columbus, Ohio to attend Ohio State University. After finishing his undergrad years and post-graduate years, he earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 1974. After getting his degree, he served in the armed forces in the United States Army. When he finished his tours in the Army in 1977, Dr. Tabery moved to Knoxville, TN. It was then that he built his Norwood Veterinary Hospital on Merchants Drive. He began his practice there in 1979 and has been there ever since. This year, Dr. Tabery celebrates 50 years of caring for the health and well-being of animals.

Dr. Monica Crane
Professional Award recipient

Dr. Crane is a fellowship-trained geriatric medicine physician who is nationally recognized as an expert in multidisciplinary dementia care. Her sole career focus has been the clinical care, treatment, and support for patients and families
affected by Alzheimer’s disease and the other neurodegenerative diseases which cause dementia.

Having completed her undergraduate degree at Yale University and her medical school training at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, Dr. Crane went on to complete her residency and fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

During her fellowship, Dr. Crane was honored as a new investigator by the NIMH for her study of the behavioral symptoms due to Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Crane is a founding member of the International Society for Frontotemporal Dementias. She has received numerous clinical and research awards in the areas of Alzheimer’s disease, geriatric depression, frontotemporal dementia and end-of-life care.

Dr. Crane is the founder and medical director of Genesis Neuroscience Clinic, a multidisciplinary memory disorders clinic. The clinic provides the latest evidence-based care for cognitive impairment and the neurodegenerative dementias. Since the clinic opened in 2017, Dr. Crane has been the PI for eleven major clinical trials in Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal dementias partnering with the Center for Biomedical Research at Provision Healthcare and the University of Tennessee Knoxville. This unique model of care incorporates support from local non-profits including Alzheimer’s Tennessee, Alzheimer’s Association, Knox County Senior Services, the Purple Cities Alliance and The University of Tennessee Knoxville. The Genesis Neuroscience Clinic team has seen over 7,800 patients to date.

As an important part of the Clinic, Dr. Crane has developed and implemented an internship program intended to inspire the next generation of clinicians to pursue a career in geriatric dementia care.

In 2020, Dr. Crane founded the Tennessee Memory Disorders Foundation (tmdf.org) which is now the non-profit parent organization for the clinic. The Foundation’s mission is to provide support for comprehensive community care for those with memory disorders and to mentor students and professionals to become future leaders in dementia care. As a non-profit, Dr. Crane has created a clinic which will be able to offer services to a great many more people who need care, including those with little or no health insurance.

Prior to 2017, Dr. Crane was Director of Clinical Research as well as the Associate Director of Cole Neuroscience Clinic. Dr. Crane is also an Assistant Professor of Medicine at UT-Knoxville, Graduate School of Medicine. She has served on the Board of Directors at Alzheimer’s Tennessee since 2007 and has been a leader in the Outreach Workgroup for the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging.

Dr. Crane has been recognized as a leader by the East Tennessee community as an inductee of Leadership Knoxville and the Executive Woman’s Association. Under her leadership, the Knoxville community started an annual frontotemporal dementia conference and a community-wide educational series with the goal of raising awareness.

The CAC Office on Aging honors those in our community that go above and beyond to serve older adults. The John J. Duncan Sr. Awards for Senior Advocacy will be held on Tuesday, May 7 from 4pm to 6 pm at The Pavilion at Hunter Valley Farms. We will honor Mr. Dan Hix for the Volunteer Award, Dr. Monica Crane for the Professional Award, and Norwood Animal Hospital for the Business Award. We invite you to come celebrate with us and enjoy refreshments. This event is free, but registration is recommended.

When registering, there is an option to donate. If you do not wish to make a donation, insert 0 in the "other" box and proceed to register. Voluntary donations will be accepted at the event.

John J. Duncan Sr. Awards for Senior Advocacy 2024 presented by:

2024 John J. Duncan Sr. Awards