Haltom City (1080 KRLD) - The United Way has reopened its four senior centers in Tarrant County. The locations closed more than a year ago when the pandemic started.
More than 100 seniors and volunteers were expected at the Haltom City Senior Center Monday. People attending could play games, solve puzzles and design cards.
"It's super exciting to see people coming back together," says Leah King, president and chief executive of United Way of Tarrant County. "This is one of the first times they've been able to gather in the Haltom City Community Center. You can feel the energy. You can see the smiles and the hugs. People are just very happy to be back."
King says gardening and art classes will resume later this summer.
"You can see and hear people saying, 'How have you been doing? You look so good. I missed you so much,'" King says. "It is exactly like a reunion. I'm just excited we can be here to witness all of them coming back together again."
"I got so bored at home. I could not exercise. Now, I can come down here and do exercise and get more healthy," one woman said.
"For me, it's just fun seeing everybody again, my old friends and being able to talk to them. I lost contact with them during the year I was off," another woman said in between rounds of cornhole. "It's just been really a lot of fun."
The four senior centers are located at:
Haltom City Senior Center
5000 Bernice St.
Haltom City, TX 76117
Como Community Center
4660 Horne St.
Fort Worth, TX 76107
North Tri-Ethnic Community Center
2950 Roosevelt Ave.
Fort Worth, TX 76106
East Library and Recreation Center
1817 New York Ave.
Arlington, TX 76010
Tarrant County Public Health says COVID-19 patients now use about two percent of hospital capacity down from a high of 31% on January 9th. Hospitals in the county had 106 COVID-19 patients Monday. People 65 and older account for 44% of hospitalizations in Tarrant County and 73% of deaths.
Across Texas, the Department of State Health Services says hospitals had 1,503 COVID-19 patients using 2.3% of capacity through Sunday. That was the lowest number of patients in more than a year, since April 20th, 2020. The highest number of patients was 14,218 reported on January 11th, 2021.
Through this weekend, 39.5% of Texans were fully vaccinated.
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Sign Up and Follow NewsRadio 1080 KRLD
