Hempstead opens cooling centers as temps soar

With the National Weather Service predicting temperatures to soar to the mid-90s, and perhaps as high as 100, over the next two days, the Town of Hempstead has opened “cooling centers” at its senior center on Clubhouse Road in Merrick and its senior center on Bellmore Avenue in Bellmore, as well as extended hours at pools across the town.

Todd Goldfarb, the town’s deputy commissioner of the Department of Senior Enrichment, said anyone who is feeling the heat and needs a place to cool off can stop at the senior centers, where they can sit in an air-conditioned space and grab a glass of water, juice and a cookie. Goldfarb noted that the Clubhouse Road center is located at Clubhouse Road Park, and anyone who might be overheated from a game of basketball, tennis or baseball, regardless of age, can make use of the cooling center.

“If you want to come in and just cool yourself, come in,” Goldfarb said.

The deputy commissioner said cooling centers are located at the senior centers, in part, because Supervisor Kate Murray has made providing for older adults’ needs a priority.

With temperatures hovering in the low 90s on Wednesday afternoon, two dozen seniors sat in the comfortably climate-controlled Clubhouse Road center, engaged in a fierce game of bingo.

Merokean Edith Golub said she loves hot weather. “I don’t feel heat,” she said.

But Marion Sforzo said she can’t handle high temperatures, so she appreciates having a cool place to beat the heat. “I get nauseous” in the heat, Sforzo said. “I’m afraid I’m going to pass out.”

When Sforzo’s not at the senior center, she said, “My house is air-conditioned, so I stay inside.”

And Mary Falco said, “I stay away from Florida because I don’t like the heat. I keep my home cool and airy. I try to take it easy. At my age, they say keep yourself cool. And I eat light.”

At the Bellmore Senior Center, the older adults in attendance had much the same story to report. “I don’t have an air-conditioner, so it’s perfect timing for me,” said Bellmorite Marie Ward of the town’s cooling center. “It’s social and it’s safe.” “I come here all the time, cool or hot,” said Dominick Carillo, who lives in North Bellmore with his wife, Ruth. “It saves me a little money. We stay quite late and then head home.”