Woodworkers With a Heart at Tellico Village

There are a lot of clichés about wood: “A chip on his/her shoulder….a wooden speaker…a wooden leg…even a wooden heart (thanks to an Elvis Presley song).” But a club at one of the most popular retirement communities in Tennessee gives new meaning to woodworkers. And their growing appeal as gathering places for the both the young and the older.

Woodworking? Fast-growing…is the best description. As a hobby, it’s among the top ten and ranks alongside drawing, scrapbooking and crocheting, according to a study by the Craft & Hobby Association. But while some of retiree hobbies and part-time pursuits may be somewhat sedentary, no one would say that about the woodworking social club at Tellico Village, where homes for sale in Loudon County TN have already attracted 7,000 residents (with more every day).

The club is among 200 organizations at Tellico Village, which has found a popular niche among people retiring in Tennessee. Club activities go well beyond meeting to discuss details of plywood versus pine or the right size of Jig saw to cut small wooden pieces. The club is known for its widespread community involvement. 

There are three areas of involvement:

1. The club receives many requests for woodworking projects from individuals and organizations in the area. These range from furniture repair to birdhouses. Many of these often charitable requests are undertaken by the club because of their unique knowledge, skill and ability to do work that would be impossible for sponsors.

2. The club also responds to requests from individuals who want a particular wood item such as book shelves or something else.

3. A third request is for the club to donate handcrafted items to organizations that sell them to raise funds.

The group meets regularly on the top floor of the Tellico Village Yacht Club on the first Thursday of the month to consider the many projects they take on. One of their principal chief beneficiaries has been the Loudon County Sheriff’s “Toys for Tots Program.”

Members of the club participating in programs do not have to start out as experts, either. 

There are mentoring classes that teach the basic woodworking skills (even beginners find the skills are not hard to learn and that they already possess some of the basics).

Benefits of the club membership includes great camaraderie but that’s among the major attributes of all the 400 clubs at Tellico, which has evolved into one the best-known and most popular retirement communities in Tennessee since it was established in 1986.

The over 200 extremely active social clubs here give added emphasis to one of the development’s slogans: “It’s Better at Tellico Village.” Clubs cover a variety of interests, from golfers to Knoxville symphony-lovers, from wine connoisseurs to dog fanciers. One of the most popular new clubs is dragonboat, a form of racing that has evolved into a highly popular sport throughout the state of Tennessee.

Tellico’s location is a major reason for retiring in Tennessee. The planned community is on the western shores of Tellico Lake, which has 357 miles of shoreline in the Smoky Mountains.  Knoxville (30 minutes away) is often identified as one of the US’s best cities for retirement, partly because it is home to the culture-rich University of Tennessee.

Nearby Knoxville also appeals to seniors with the University’s leading research hospital, which offers highly specialized care that includes some of the country’s top heart specialists.

For Villagers who are caregivers for their elderly relatives, The Neighborhood at Tellico Village provides a senior living facility. The Neighborhood offers 24-hour nursing, assisted living and memory/Alzheimer’s care. For shopping, Tellico Village residents are a short drive from a host of retailers ranging from warehouse-style Costco to high-end boutiques, and from major department stores to local specialty shops. Its location gives it a temperate year-round climate with an appealing small change of seasons.

One of the major reasons Tellico Village attracts residents retiring to Tennessee is that it offers a high standard of living at exceptional low costs. 

Reasons include: 

---No Tennessee state income tax.

---Low property taxes.

---Low monthly assessments.

---No state inheritance tax.

Low monthly POA fees at Tellico add to the lakefront community’s appeal. Homes for sale in Loudon County TN at the village for those retiring in Tennessee start in the low $200k’s and can reach over $1 million for prime lakefront homes. The average price of homes at the village is in the $300k’s. Tellico Village is made up of eight neighborhoods that all offer small town settings with lake and golf views within a 30-minute drive to the major city of Knoxville.

One of its unique attributes is that the forests have been preserved with a minimal amount of residential impact. This makes for a tranquil, almost pastoral atmosphere. 

Besides the hundreds of clubs, other “clubs” are also appealing to golfers. Tellico Village hosts three championship golf courses.

There are also three marinas and a yacht club with a restaurant, bar, banquet facilities, and several outdoor entertainment areas. Many Village activities (such as the Woodworkers Club) are hosted at the Yacht Club.

Major points that have made Tellico Village among the best retirement communities in Tennessee include:

---A unique combination of natural beauty.

---A pleasing moderate but four-season climate.

---Outstanding recreational facilities.

---Easy to make friends.

---A huge variety of nearby shopping and outstanding health care options.

And don’t forget the 200+ social clubs…among them Woodworking…which helps give new meaning to the notion of wood in everyday lives.

Call Tellico Village directly at 888.287.0676 to schedule a tour and to check on Discovery Package availability. This is a much nicer way to explore homes for sale in Loudon County TN at the village instead of staying in a hotel.