Hispanic seniors center gets reprieve

By Timothy Pratt

Friday, Oct. 15, 2004 | 11:06 a.m.

A Las Vegas center for Hispanic seniors got a last-minute reprieve when a plan was cobbled together Thursday afternoon to prevent it from closing today.

At a meeting including the Latin Chamber of Commerce and Las Vegas City Councilman Lawrence Weekly's staff and about 40 seniors who use the center, it was agreed to turn it over to the chamber, according to Kelly Benavidez, of Weekly's staff.

The Nevada Association of Latin Americans -- the nonprofit organization that has run the Cambeiro Senior Center until today -- was not at the meeting.

The center was due to close today after the organization issued a one-paragraph press release Wednesday saying there was no money to keep it open. That announcement caught the seniors by surprise -- up to 70 use the center each day. The Latin Chamber, whose headquarters is next door to the center, was also caught off guard, as was Weekly, whose ward includes the center at 323 N. Maryland Parkway.

Teri De la Torre, the executive director of the Nevada Association of Latin Americans, could not be reached for comment this morning. She also was not available Wednesday. It is unclear how much money it takes to run the center, or what the problems were in funding the center.

Benavidez said the agreement to keep the center open was good news for those who use what she said was the only senior center targeted at Hispanics in the Las Vegas area.

She said Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman would organize a fund-raiser to help the Latin Chamber keep the center open.

The center offers seniors lunch as well as recreational and educational activities, including English as a Second Language classes.