On a fitting day, the ribbon is cut on Central Oregon Veterans Village in Bend

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Veterans Day was a fitting point in time to reach the finish line on a challenging project to give Central Oregon homeless veterans a special place to call home and get the food, shelter and help they need and deserve.

Veterans activist Dick Tobiason cut the ribbon on the Central Oregon Veterans Village as many involved in the effort marked its completion, just as it takes in the first group of veterans who will be staying at the transitional shelter.

The project is a joint venture between the Bend Heroes Foundation and Central Oregon Veterans Outreach. It is being managed as a public-private partnership with the City of Bend, Deschutes County and the State of Oregon.

The village is modeled after a shelter program in Clackamas County. The 15 small homes surround a central community building with a kitchen, dining room and showers, as well as case management offices, a laundry and restrooms.

 The dedication was attended by dozens of community members who were involved in and contributed to making the project happen, despite the impacts of the pandemic and other challenges.

“We want to make every veteran that comes into the village a success, so that’s what we are going to work for,” said J.W. Terry, executive director of COVO.

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