Sioux Falls Scheels Shares Emotional Tribute To Local Veterans

Wednesday, November 11th is Veterans Day. This is a time when we recognize all South Dakota, Iowa, and Minnesota veterans and those who are actively serving in our military.

We wouldn't be the great country that we are without our military. Sioux Falls Scheels is one of the many stores in the area that recognize our veterans. There's even a heartfelt tribute that store patrons can see inside Sioux Falls Scheels right now.

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Scheels (Sioux Falls, SD) (via Facebook), Canva

In a touching Facebook post, officials with Sioux Falls Scheels share a picture with a single chair and an empty table. This is a symbol to show those men and women who are missing. I see this tribute each year. This serves as a reminder of those who gave up everything and the families who continue to wait for loved ones to come home.

Prisoners of War/Missing in Action (POW/MIA) are service members who have been captured or missing in action. This is Sioux Falls Scheels way of showing the community that POWs and those MIA are not forgotten:

The table is round - to show our everlasting concern.

The tablecloth is white, symbolizing the purity of their motives when answering the call to serve.

The single red rose reminds us of the lives of these Americans....and the loved ones and friends who keep the faith, awaiting answers.

The yellow ribbon symbolizes our continued uncertainty, hope for their return and determination to account for them.

A slice of lemon reminds us of their bitter fate, captured or missing in a foreign land.

A pinch of salt symbolizes the tears of our missing and their families.

The lighted candle reflects our hope for their return.

The bound text is a book of faith to represent the strength gained through devotion to sustain those lost from our country.

The glasses are inverted - to symbolize their inability to share a toast.

The chair is empty - they are missing

We truly wouldn't have the freedoms we have today without the brave men and women who fought for this country. Thank you, veterans, especially thank you to members of my family who risked their lives for this country: James "Bob" Murphy, James Manika, and Bradley Burt.

Here's to the Sioux Empire veterans who make this country great and to the ones we'll never forget.