Even with temperatures exceeding 100 degrees Thursday, heat shelters weren't overrun by people seeking relief.

Only a handful of people gathered inside Dyess Park, one of 10 community centers designated a heat shelter by the Augusta-Richmond County Emergency Management Agency. Other shelters, including May Park, Sand Hills Center and W.T. Johnson Center, attracted even fewer people.

Fannie Collier, who oversees the Dyess Park center, said she has not had more than eight people using the cooling center at the busiest time. Before lunchtime Thursday, five people cooled off inside, but only two women remained at 3 p.m.

The few people who use the center come frequently and wait for Ms. Collier to open the door at 9 a.m. Monday through Friday.

"I have to be here," she said. "I have no problem with it, because I like the company."

Ms. Collier said the center on James Brown Boulevard in downtown Augusta attracts people from nearby housing shelters.

Inside the center, people can play cards or watch television.

Across town, the Henry H. Brigham Center wasn't busier than usual, according to program coordinator Paula Merritt. Most summer activity comes from neighborhood teenagers who play basketball on the indoor court.

Weather forecasters predict cooler temperatures today, with highs in the lower 90s, but heat shelters will remain open.