Hillsborough County dominoes tournament providing some normalcy for hurricane victims
TOWN 'N' COUNTRY, Fla. - Rather than cancel the annual Dominoes Tournament of Champions, Hillsborough County decided to hold the event in hopes of providing a distraction for the community.
"We just want them to get back to a sense of normalcy as far as what they participate in on a daily basis," Hillsborough County Aging Services General Manager Frances Duran Brea said.
Hillsborough County Aging Services has held the tournament for 10 years. It’s the biggest tournament for seniors in the county.
Forty-eight competitors represented the county’s 20 senior and dining centers. The tournament was originally scheduled for Sept. 28, part of Senior Center Month.
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"It's something that I've seen since I was a kid. I've been playing for 57 years. It's something that I have in my veins, so my blood is dominoes," Town ‘n’ Country’s Daniel Alvarez said.
The 62-year-old welcomes the distraction. Hurricane Helene flooded his home for the first time in 27 years. Alvarez estimates that he had four feet of water in his house, and says that Hurricane Milton sent two feet in.
"I lost my house. I lost my car, but that's part of life," Alvarez said.
Despite his loss, Alvarez maintained a positive attitude, smiling as he walked around the Town ‘n’ Country Senior Center prior to the tournament.
"They're going to take time, but I'll tell you, I see this community very strong, very together, a lot of help," Alvarez said. "It's going back to normal with people."
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