Rio Grande Valley Seniors Find Plenty To Do and Places To Go
After five years as seasonal visitors, Maryan and Bill Moore moved permanently to the Rio Grande Valley and then to Harlingen’s Camelot Retirement Village in 2001.
“We were looking ahead to a time when we’d need more of what a retirement community offers,” says Bill Moore, age 90. Citing a lifelong interest in the legend of King Arthur, he asks, “What better place to live than in Camelot?”
While Maryan Moore leads water aerobics classes three times a week, her husband, who is a retired psychologist, professor and Marine Corps officer, fills his time reading, gardening, and staying in touch with fellow aviators.
The Moores typify the growing cadre of Winter Texans who eventually relocate permanently to Harlingen, lured by the tropical climate and abundance of year-round activities.
In Texas, Harlingen is the second most popular destination for retirees, and is pursuing recognition as a Certified Retirement Community. A lower cost of living and fresh-picked oranges and grapefruit certainly matter to retirees here, but the city’s high quality of life is what seals the deal.
Harlingen’s assets include being the health-care heart of the Valley with the region’s only medical school; the new Metro Harlingen bus system; employment and continuing education opportunities; and numerous recreational, cultural and sports facilities. Neighborhood watch programs reinforce personal safety and a sense of community while volunteer opportunities abound. Housing options range from gated communities to studio apartments to assisted living centers.
Baby Boomer retirees are discovering Harlingen, too. Seeking refuge from the high stress level of Washington, D.C., 57-year-old former policeman Danny Hoehne and his wife Susan opted for Harlingen’s gentler pace of life three years ago. The couple list Harlingen’s proximity to the beach, friendly people and tropical wildlife as key reasons for choosing to relocate here.
The Hoehnes mentor elementary school students in the Help One Student To Succeed program and volunteer for events such as the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival.
Harlingen caters to the interests of retirees through programs like the Center for Creative Retirement, which schedules lectures and trips such as visits to South Padre Island’s Coastal Studies Lab. Retirement communities regularly post calendars jam-packed with exercise classes, craft workshops, dances and special events.
A mental image of the perfect place to retire brought Jim Golliher, age 71, back to Harlingen in 2000. Forty years after his first visit, that vision is now reality for Golliher and his wife, Hope.
“We’re usually out fishing on the Laguna Madre or going to street festivals like Downtown Market Days,” he says.
Hope Golliher says she initially envisioned golfing daily, but with so much going on, she only plays once a week.
“I can’t fit much more into my schedule. I love it here,” she says.
