The Jacque Benton Memorial Spaghetti Days fundraiser returns to Mt. Juliet on Thursday, Oct. 15, and Friday, Oct. 16, with $20 plates raising money for the MJ 55+ Activity Center.
All proceeds from the two-day event go to the center's programs and activities, according to the Mt. Juliet Chamber of Commerce events calendar. Each $20 meal includes a large portion of spaghetti, salad, homemade dessert and bread.
Lunch is available for pick-up and delivery from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. both days. Dinner is pick-up only from 4:15 to 6 p.m. The event takes place at 1021 Charlie Daniels Parkway, the former Mt. Juliet Police Station next to Charlie Daniels Park.
That address is also the center's new home.
The MJ 55+ Activity Center moved there in June after 30 years at its previous location on N. Mt. Juliet Road, as The Chronicle of Mt. Juliet reported. The nonprofit rebranded from the Mt. Juliet Senior Activity Center to signal that any adult 55 or older is welcome.
"We hope to attract them as well and capture all 55 and up members," Executive Director Valissa Saindon said in May when announcing the name change and move.
Activities Director Jennifer Pinto said at the time that the center's membership stood at 550, with more than 50 new members joining in recent weeks. The nearly 14,000-square-foot facility almost doubles the center's previous space, with rooms for billiards, ping pong, music, sewing, cards, exercise and art, plus a main room with portable walls for large events.
The city approved a long-term lease for the building at $1 per year. The renovation was funded in part by the sale of the center's former building to Mt. Juliet Church of Christ. A $500,000 capital campaign launched in February 2026 to cover remaining costs. As of Feb. 16, 2026, the campaign had raised $341,877, according to the center's campaign announcement. Whether the campaign reached its goal has not been confirmed.
The center offers fitness classes, games, trips, music and shared meals. Residents can contact the MJ 55+ Activity Center at (615) 419-4269 or [email protected] for details about the fundraiser or to arrange lunch delivery.
