By Gary Nelson / gnelson@crossville-chronicle.com
Crossville and Cumberland County have long been recognized as a premier retirement destination. Now the American Association for Retirement Communities has designated the area the second Tennessee community to earn its Seal of Approval as a retirement destination.
Ramay Winchester, director of the Retire Tennessee Program, said, "Cumberland County is the best of the best and is what I consider the guru in our state as far as recruiting retirees. The Crossville community exemplifies the best practice with this program."
Rick Meredith, assistant commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, said, "We have taken nine Three Star pilot communities to the next level and are excited about the direction Retire Tennessee is taking. We congratulate Crossville and Cumberland County on receiving this prestigious award."
Community business leaders of the Crossville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce responded during a designation ceremony last Thursday.
"We are very honored that AARC selected our region for this prestigious recognition," said Janice Hamby, chairman of the board of the Crossville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce. "Many people have already learned and are continuing to discover what a wonderful place our community is, especially for retirees. This endorsement further bolsters our position as a leading retirement community."
The seal of approval isn't something that is merely awarded to any community.
In order to qualify for the Seal of Approval applicants must have official support from its community, meet several quality of life requirements (including adequate medical services, cultural opportunities, adult education programs and a low crime rate), and have a marketing plan in place that also includes collateral materials like brochures.
The AARC Seal of Approval (SOA) program was established to recognize communities and master-planned developments that possess the resources and amenities to attract today’s relocating retiree. This is an application process in which AARC board members evaluate the applicant profile and determine if it meets the SOA criteria.
"For a long time, we've promoted Crossville and Cumberland County as a visitor destination, which has led to an influx of retirees," said Hamby. "As a result, we've begun to promote the region to retirees. In fact, we've recently modified and updated our retiree attraction brochure and we're working with the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development through its 'Retire Tennessee' program."
For more information about the Crossville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce, call 1-877-GOLF-TN1 or visit online at www.crossville-chamber.com.
