A email from Gary Sinise - Request for donation | Eastern North Carolina Now

   I am taking the liberty of reproducing a fund raising letter I received today. While this is not a political candidate, I think you may find that the cause is well worth your consideration this Memorial Day. If you wish to donate you can click on the blue links below or the Donate button at the bottom. Bobby Tony


Dear Bobby Tony,

   You may remember me as the actor from shows like CSI NY, Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders, and movies like Apollo 13 and Of Mice and Men. One of the most impactful roles I've ever played was Lt. Dan in the movie, Forrest Gump. For me, that one role has created an enduring connection to servicemen and women throughout the military community.

   While we can never do enough to show our gratitude to our nation's defenders, I believe we can always do a little more. This is why I put aside BBQs with friends and going to the beach on Memorial Day. Instead, each year I head to DC to remember and honor our fallen.

   I remember how thrilled I was when the American Veterans Center reached out to me back in 2005 to tell me they REVIVED the National Memorial Day Parade, an vent that had been dormant for nearly 70 years. They invited me to DC to participate in the first parade, and guess what? I've come back every year since.

   This is a special year for me. You see this year, we're commemorating the 75th anniversary the American entry into World War II. Seventy-five years ago, the nation was hit at Pearl Harbor and the entire country pitched in to help. More than 16 million Americans served in WWII, and over 400,000didn't make it home.

   I'm not sure if you know this, but the U.S. Government is not providing any funding to remember this important anniversary. With nearly 600 WWII vets dying every day, this is likely the last major anniversary many of them will see. The sad part is that the National Memorial Day Parade has to actually PAY the government about $80,000 just for the permits to put on the parade! That doesn't even include the additional costs to run the parade, like what the American Veterans Center pays to fly out to DC or the food they need to provide as lunch for the active duty troops marching in the parade.

   That is one reason why my foundation, the Gary Sinise Foundation, is paying to bring in about a dozen WWII vets to be in the parade. These great men are coming in not to be thanked, but to honor their buddies who didn't make it home all those years ago.

   Why am I telling you this? Because I hope you will join me in supporting the parade.

   In fact, I'm challenging you to support this great event with a donation of $41 to represent the year the US entered WWII, or $75 for this special 75th anniversary. If you can give more, please try, because I know that this is an important event that NEEDS help, which is why I am honored to support it and hope you will, too.

Your support will helppay for some additional WWII vets and their families to come to the parade. Your dollars also pay for lunch for the hundreds of active duty troops participating in the parade.

   Listen, I know you may not be able to join me in Washington to honor our fallen, but if you can't send a gift to help support the parade, I do hope you will take time out of your Memorial Day and go to a local veterans' cemetery, send a note to a family of the fallen, visit a veteran and thank them for their service, or just take time out of your busy day to honestly think about the men and women who gave their lives to defend OUR daily freedoms as an American.

   Again, I believe the American Veterans Center's National Memorial Day Parade is an important way to honor our fallen and remember the great country we live in. I hope you, too, will consider supporting this great event.

Sincerely,


Gary Sinise

Honorary Grand Marshal, National Memorial Day Parade



Donations made to the American Veterans Center are tax-deductible. The American veterans Center is a project of The American Studies Center, which is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational foundation.