A crowd of around 200 joined in the official song for each branch of the U.S. Military this past Veterans Day at Morningside of Fullerton. In all, 56 residents who served our country were honored. The ceremony also included patriotic pledges, visual tributes, poems, and short stories from former soldiers.
“It’s funny how many remember specific details like their service number, and when you hear ‘oohs and ahs’ from the crowd when they see old photos,” said resident Don Piantoni, a former Navy 1st class petty officer who served in the Korean War and comes from a family of soldiers. “I grew up with the understanding that I had a natural obligation to our country, and it’s heartwarming to honor those who served.”
“We like to celebrate many occasions here and Veterans Day is one of our largest and most special events of the year,” said Christina Aguilar, life enrichment director at Morningside of Fullerton. “It’s really touching and especially how they honor those currently serving who are loved ones of staff or others at our retirement community.”
To read more, see the article featured in the Orange County Patch.