Concord Seniors Glimpse Cherokee Nation

Kimmy Coombs is a nurse at the Birches assisted living community in Concord, yet she felt the need to introduce herself Monday to the seniors she sees each day.

As a full-blooded member of the Cherokee nation, Coombs told her audience about the history of her tribe, including how many members it had when it received independence from the United States government, and when members were granted the right to vote and the right to work.

Coombs lives in Penacook, an area itself rich in Native American history. She comforts seniors and says hugs sometimes work better than meds.