LifeWords Reading Circles is a free lifelong-learning initiative created by Knoxville-based organization Own the Boards. Designed primarily for adults aged 50 and older, the program welcomes area residents regardless of their previous experience with literature. Its mission is to help participants stay mentally engaged, support a high quality of life, connect with neighbors, and create a meaningful literary legacy.

The program offers reading circles and literature seminars built around selected texts, with meeting themes and schedules shared through its website. Participants explore a range of literary works, including short stories, poems, and other readings, and gather to discuss their ideas and responses. The initiative has operated at venues including Sherrill Hills Retirement Community and the Frank R. Strang Senior Center, and expanded to the Everett Center in Blount County. LifeWords also hosts Recitation Showcases, where participants perform literature that matters to them. Recordings of these performances are shared with family and friends and preserved for posterity. Through accessible, community-based literary activities, LifeWords combines thoughtful reading, conversation, and creative expression.