Bend students and seniors mark Veterans Day

In honor of Saturday’s Veterans Day holiday, the Touchmark Retirement Community in Bend celebrated with history and music Friday.

The Summit High School Choir sang along to a slideshow presentation that highlighted World War I.

Residents sang along to the songs they knew, then listened as presenter Bill Matthias discussed the military’s historical significance.

This is his fourth year doing the veterans presentation.

“I think this age group is looking for this kind of stimulation as something they do remember, and remembering makes them very comfortable,” Matthias said. “And they are very patriotic kinds of people, they’ve grown up with patriotism in their souls.”

Along with singing “God Bless America,” the seniors got to sing along as the high school choir sang “Pack up your Troubles (In Your Old Kit Bag),” “Over There” and “It’s a Long Long Way to Tipperary.”