• Madeline Lewis •
• Originally published January 9, 2009 at 11:47 p.m., updated January 9, 2009 at 11:47 p.m.

GOLIAD - The building at 601 W. Pearl St. in Goliad wasn't always a senior citizens center. At one time, it was a restaurant and, at another, a funeral home.

"It's as old as some of the people in there, like me," said William Zermeno, laughing.

The 81-year-old La Bahia man spends a lot of time at the Goliad County Senior Citizens Center because he enjoys the feeling of fellowship there, he said. However, he said a new center, with larger facilities, would benefit the community even more.

Zermeno is working toward this goal as chair of the center's advisory board. In December, the center received a grant from the Katherine O'Connor Foundation for a walk-in freezer.

It was the first in what Zermeno and Mary Wade, the center's executive director, hope will be several donations and grants to support the construction of a new building.

"This is just the beginning of the fundraising," Wade said.

Open Monday through Friday, the center provides daily lunches, programs and activities for seniors. The lunches are free of charge, but come with a recommended donation of $3.

Every day, the meals feed about 35 people in the center and 10 people in their homes, Wade said.

"We're their only contact sometimes," she said.

The limited size of the building, which is 2,500 square feet, occasionally gets in the way of the center's programming.

"When the domino players are playing dominos and the ladies are doing exercises, they are disturbing each other because they are sharing the same space," Wade said.

The new center, which would stand near the current center, would utilize 3,500 more square feet. This extra space would include a larger dining area and kitchen, extra rooms and bathrooms that are wheelchair-friendly.

"Where they are now is not very accommodating to the disabled," Wade said of the bathrooms.

The project got off the ground in the fall. Students in two architecture classes at Texas State University in San Marcos visited the center and came up with 16 proposals for the new building. Wade, Zermeno and others have narrowed the proposals down to four and plan to pick one in the coming weeks.

"We had so many to choose from," Wade said. "It was very difficult."

After they select a proposal, they will evaluate the costs and raise funds. Bum Phillips, a former professional football coach, and his wife Debbie have agreed to serve as honorary chairs and help in the fundraising process, Wade said. The couple lives on a ranch in Goliad County.

• Want to support a new senior citizens center in Goliad?Contact Mary Wade at 361-645-2144 or:

  P.O. Box 1357

  Goliad, TX 77963.

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