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Greensboro Hotel Shelters Seniors From Wilmington As Florence Heads For Coast

The Sheraton at Four Seasons is home for 250 members of a Wilmington retirement community as Hurricane Florence starts to pummel the coast.

Greensboro, NC -- As the storm of a lifetime begins its assault on the Carolinas, some Wilmington residents are calling Greensboro home.

On Thursday, members of an independent living community, Plantation Village, spent part the day exercising and shopping to keep their mind off of the category 2 hurricane expected to hit first in the area they call home.

Related: Families Moving Out of Hurricane Florence's Path Find Shelter at LJVM in Winston-Salem

The Sheraton at Four Seasons is home for 250 members of the retirement community and others for now.

Many of the residents also brought their pets with them.

“The cats had their own van because the dogs and cats did not want to ride together,” one resident said with a smile.

Related: Incredible Photo: Elderly Couple Holding Hands Ahead of Evacuation For Florence

Betty Rossetter, 90, said she doesn’t want to think about the possibility of returning to damage or severe flooding in Wilmington.

“That's not gonna happen. That's not gonna happen,” she said.

By contrast, others from Plantation Village also said they survived Hurricane Fran two decades ago and expect to see a lot of water when they return.

Caryl Hudson from Southport, North Carolina, said she installed hurricane shutters before evacuating. She and her husband are also staying at the Sheraton.

“I feel we are in the safest place we could be. With whatever is coming our way. We are lucky we are here,” she said. “It's just not worth sacrificing your life.”

HURRICANE GUIDE | Be Storm Ready, Prepare Now, Safety And Other Vital Emergency Information

Check It Out: North Carolina's Hurricane Guide: What to do Before, During and After

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