New Yorkers Protest Closure Of Corona Senior Center
NEW YORK (WCBS 880) – Seniors protested in Queens after learning their senior center may be facing the ax as a direct result from budget cuts.
LISTEN: WCBS 880's Sophia Hall spoke with seniors in Corona about their center
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Because of the budget cuts, 40 percent of the senior centers in five boroughs may be shut down, including the Florence Smith Senior Center in Corona.
Some seniors said it was their home away from home, where they got to see their friends who've become more like a family.
"I come nearly every day. We play games. We do yoga and go bowling," Lucy Collins said.
The possibility that the center will close has Collins and many others angry.
"This center means a lot to me. I come here every day and volunteer. As we get older, we need a lot to do—I just don't want to sit home and do nothing," Collins said.
Ron Martin agreed. The center offers so much, he said, that to shut it down would negatively impact the senior community.
"It's a nice little meal that they serve us. We play dominoes downstairs. We have ping pong, karaoke and also computers so we got a lot of things that keep us occupied," Martin said.
More than 100 other senior centers are also expected to be shut down.
SOUND-OFF: What do you think of the city's plan to close over 100 senior centers in the five boroughs? Let us know in the comments section...
