Community honors veterans and their families with breakfast, ceremony and ride at Harley-Davidson event

OMAHA, Neb. — Ahead of Veterans Day, the community came together not only to celebrate America's heroes, but to recognize the sacrifices they and their families have made to protect our freedoms.

Defiance Harley-Davidson hosted its annual Veterans Day celebration, giving the community an opportunity to say thank you to those who serve our country."Today's their day today. We have a lot of customers that are vets and first responders, and we owe them a lot," Kerry Hanson said.

The day began with a warm breakfast, bringing people together over pancakes and a common purpose — honoring those who have worn the uniform.
The American Legion of Springfield led a patriotic ceremony, featuring the presentation of the flags, the playing of Taps and a 21-gun salute.

Among the tributes was the Missing Man Table, honoring prisoners of war and those still missing in action. Each item carries a powerful meaning, representing the pain of separation and the hope that one day, those missing will return home.

"The black napkin represents the sorrow of captivity, Yellow ribbon in the vase represents a demand for proper accounting of those that are not among us today, A lemon slice on the plate to show the captive soldiers bitter fate. A white candle for the hope that all of our missing will return someday," a representative from the Exchange Club of Omaha said.

The event also featured organizations like Operation 22, which supports suicide prevention in the veteran community, reminding attendees that supporting our heroes must continue long after their service ends.

"Our veterans and first responders they go out on the line for us. They sacrifice a lot for the freedoms and everything that we have. And Sometimes they don't get all the recognition that they deserve. and thats why it's very important to do this and to show them our gratitude," Hanson said.

As the day wrapped up with a motorcycle ride-off, the celebration served as a reminder that freedom comes with sacrifice, and those who make that sacrifice deserve to be remembered every day.

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