Gary Sinise Launching Foundation

borrowed from Gary's Fb page

I have been a fan of Gary Sinise -- personally and professionally -- for a long time. I LOVES me some Gary Sinise. He is one of those people who uses his notoriety and personal resources for good in the world. Closer to my heart is that his favorite cause is the military -- active, veterans, the wounded. With this announcement, he takes another piece of my heart. As the wife of a veteran, the mother of a wounded veteran, and the mom of an active duty sailor, Thank you, Gary, from the bottom (and the corners) of my heart.

 

Presidential Citizens Medal Winner, Actor Gary Sinise Launching Foundation

Los Angeles, CA. (June 15, 2011) – Award-winning actor Gary Sinise will launch the Gary Sinise Foundation July 4th, 2011 to honor the Nation’s defenders, veterans, first responders, their families, and those in need. The foundation will provide and support unique programs designed to entertain, educate, inspire, strengthen and build communities.

Some of the many programs include relief for wounded warriors, entertainment for service members and their families, school supplies for children where U.S. troops are deployed, and scholarships for veterans. The foundation will also support and promote several quality organizations, some of which include The United Service Organization (USO), Operation International Children, Snowball Express, Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation, American Veterans Disabled For Life Memorial, Fisher House Foundation, People to People International, Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, TAPS-Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, The FDNY Fire Family Transport Foundation, Hope For The Warriors, The Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund, The Navy Seal Foundation, and Disabled American Veterans.

The launch will coincide with the release of Jonathan Flora’s documentary “Lt. Dan Band: For The Common Good”. During the 30-day online release, when people stream the film at http://www.ltdanbandmovie.com/, one out of every four dollars will go to the Gary Sinise Foundation to support its programs.

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ABOUT GARY SINISE:In 2008, he received the Presidential Citizens Medal, the second highest civilian honor awarded to citizens for exemplary deeds performed in service of the nation. He is only the second actor, and one of only 110 people in history to have received the honor. Other awards include The Medal of Honor’s Bob Hope Excellence in Entertainment Award, The Spirit of the USO Award, The Ellis Island Medal of Honor, The Harry S. Truman Good Neighbor Award and the Heart of a Patriot Award from USO of Illinois. In April 2011 he received the USC School of Social Work’s Crystal Heart, the school’s highest honor for his outstanding community service, and the university established the Gary Sinise Endowed Scholarship in the School of Social Work in his name to support further education in the area of military social work.

Sinise has done hundreds of personal appearances and concerts with the Lt. Dan Band worldwide, mostly for military related organizations. He has participated in more than 40 tours and made more than 150 appearances for the USO alone, and traveled to bases in Alaska and throughout the US, and overseas to locations such as Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, Germany, Belgium, The UK, The Netherlands, Italy, UAE, Qatar, Korea, Singapore, Diego Garcia, Okinawa and Guantanamo Bay, raising the spirits and boosting morale of hundreds of thousands of troops and their families.

As a result of Sinise’s first two trips to Iraq, he started Operation International Children with Seabiscuit author Laura Hillenbrand, which has worked with schools in the U.S., corporate sponsors and People to People International to supply the military with well over a quarter of a million school supply kits, along with more than half a million toys and thousands of blankets, backpacks, pairs of shoes, Arabic-language books and sets of sports equipment to provide to children in conflict areas.

Sinise serves as the spokesperson for the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial, traveling the country to raise funds to build the memorial to honor America’s three million living disabled military veterans, which broke ground in 2010. He was involved in raising funds for The Pentagon Memorial located just southwest of The Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, where one can find a permanent outdoor memorial to the 184 people killed in the building, and on American Airlines Flight 77. He also helped raise funds to build The Brooklyn Wall of Remembrance in KeySpan Park, to honor the first responders, those fire, police and emergency personnel from across the nation who raced to the sites after the terrorist attacks, risking their lives in service to others.

“The Foundation is a strong, dependable resource to spread the 'give-back goodness’.” That’s what Gary Sinise wants his Foundation to do, “provide opportunities for people to give back.”

Currently, Sinise stars as Detective Mac Taylor and is also a producer of CBS’ highly successful “CSI: NY.”

GIVE SOMEONE ELSE'S MONEY TO THE USO!!!

Bacardi USA’s “60 Second Cocktail Program,” is an initiative launched by Bacardi, USA in association with the USO. This summer, Bacardi, USA encourages Americans to toast to the troops with its “60 Second Cocktails Program”. Bacardi has committed to donate $75,000 to the USO at the onset of summer, with consumers (21+) able to increase the total donation; each time a fan joins Bacardi’s “60 Second Cocktails” Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/#!/60SecondCocktails and clicks DONATE, the company will send $1 to the USO. With just one click, anyone can give!

Civilian and military people alike understand the USO’s important mission to raise morale for soldiers overseas. From Operation Enduring Care to the Celebrity Entertainment Tour, the USO has been providing a home away from home for American servicemen and women since World War II.

On the “60 Second Cocktails” Facebook page, you will find easy grilling and cocktail recipes using Bacardi products from celebrity chef John Besh and seasoned mixologist Bryan Stowe, both of whom have served in the U.S. Marine Corps.  The “60 Second Cocktail Program” is fun for summer and an easy way to give to the USO.

So go over -- click the DONATE tab and give the USO some of Bacardi's money!! And spread the word!!!

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Disclosure: I have received no compensation in any form for this promotion.

SAVING ABEL USO TOUR TO PERSIAN GULF

UPDATED 3/4/2010

http://www.ustream.tv/savingabel

It's where Saving Abel's USO tour will livestream tonight 10ET.

SAVING ABEL MAKES LONG-ANTICIPATED JOURNEY OVERSEAS AND PERFORMS FOR TROOPS ON USO TOUR TO PERSIAN GULF

Week-Long Tour Kicks Off in Qatar and Kuwait, with USO Concert at Camp Arifjan
To Be Broadcast Online in Early March with Help from Ustream

Twitter Pitch: Follow @the_USO and @SavingAbel for updates from their rocking tour through the Persian Gulf

ARLINGTON, VA. (Feb. 24, 2010) – Rock band Saving Abel teamed up with the USO for a weeklong USO/Armed Forces Entertainment tour in the Persian Gulf. Busy visiting and performing for troops in Qatar and Kuwait, Saving Abel has entertained more than 3,500 troops so far and just finished filming their USO show at Camp Arifjan. Footage from the hi-energy USO show will be broadcast in early March with help from Ustream.

• As part of their eight-day, three-country USO tour to the combat zone, Saving Abel will visit eight military bases and perform seven concerts. Known for their radio-ready sound, memorable melodies and hard-hitting tracks, the band will also sign autographs, pose for photos and spend time with soldier.

• Having entertained 1,750 troops in Kuwait, the group filmed their USO show at Camp Arifjan on February 23 and will provide viewers with an exclusive behind-the-scenes look of USO entertainment in early March. With the help from Ustream, the concert will be picked up by MySpace, Facebook and other social networking sites, and is dedicated to America’s armed forces and their families.

• Visit http://www.ustream.tv/savingabel and http://www.uso.org/ for concert updates.

• Students from St. Albert the Great School in Louisville, KY, created an assortment of cards and artwork, which Saving Abel has carried overseas and are hand delivering to troops in appreciation.

• This is Saving Abel’s first USO tour. The band has been eager to travel overseas for quite some time and have made multiple appearances on bases stateside.

• Avid supporters of the U.S. military, Saving Abel performed for troops in October ‘08 as part of MTV’s "A Night for Vets: An MTV Concert for the BRAVE."

• Known for such songs as “Addicted," 18 Days,” “Drowning (Face Down)”, Saving Abel was formed in Corinth, Mississippi in ’04.

The safety, well-being and happiness of our nation’s troops have always been close to our hearts. And what better way to show them we care, than by traveling to the Persian Gulf on a USO tour and rocking out America’s soldiers. The USO has a rich history of delivering a touch of home to our men and women in uniform, and Saving Abel is honored to be apart of that legacy. We couldn’t do what we do everyday without them, and we are forever grateful. -- Saving Abel

No matter where we go or who we are playing in front of, we always make sure people know that from our perspective it is each and every one of their responsibilities to support our troops. They do so much for us, they deserve to be recognized. We have these freedoms because of what they do. -- singer Jared Weeks

America’s armed forces do more than defend our borders and protect us from harm, they sacrifice their lives for us 365 days a year and serve our nation proudly from all around world. Through USO tours like Saving Abel, the USO is able to give back to our nation’s troops by lifting their spirits and bringing smiles to their faces. We are thrilled to be working with Saving Abel and know that those in the Persian Gulf are in for a great treat. -- Sloan Gibson, USO president and CEO

Gary Sinise: A Tribute to the Troops

“On the Road in Iraq With Our Troops and Gary Sinise” — a one hour special that is airing this Saturday, Jan. 10 at 9p ET on FOX News Channel.

This from Gary Sinise's Blog:

With the help of the USO, my brother-in-law Jack, and my friend Jonathan Flora who used a handheld camera, you will see what happened on a seven day trip I took to Iraq last summer which will air this Saturday night on the FOX News Channel. It was my fourth trip there with the USO. My goal, as always, was to cover as many miles as possible and to take pictures, sign autographs and shake hands with as many troops as I could in the time I had. Stops included bases in Kuwait and in Iraq — Al Asad, Al Qaim, Ramadi, Habbaniyah, TQ airbase and Baghdad.

It was the first time I have let a camera follow me around on one of these trips.

We all know Gary Sinise's dedication to the troops... and we thank him.

The Sound of Your Voice...

For Doc (see you soon!!)

I have gotten so far behind in my blogging... I promise to catch up this week... and I want to start by letting you know about one of my favorite Christmas charities: the USO.

Last night I watched the special "Trace Adkins: X (Ten) Days" which followed the ten-day USO tour he did for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan earlier this year... it might not have been as flashy as the old Bob "Mr. USO" Hope Holiday specials, but the scene of the fiddle player's son jumping on the plane in Afghanistan where he is serving was as touching a scene as I have seen -- until the Dad had to bid his son farewell. The USO does so much more than provide entertainers to our troops around the world - they provide those great respites at our nation's airports... and lounges at military hospitals & facilities (and clothing, DVDs, food... ) through Operation Enduring Care... they send care packages... and one of the most successful and appreciated programs -- Operation Phone Home which provides calling cards to our troops around the world.

All of us who have (or have had) someone we love deployed know the elation and joy and peace of mind that a simple phone call means... No sweeter words than, "Hey, Ma!" or "Hi, honey!" or a child hearing a father's or mother's voice on Christmas morning from a world away... More than 2 million phone cards have been distributed since the inception of this program in 2003. You can help by donating to USO's Operation Phone Home. Just click this link and give:

$15 buys 45 minutes... $20 = 60 minutes, $40 = 120 minutes -- 2 hours!! $60 = 180 minutes and $100 = 300 minutes. You can give any amount ($15 minimum online). The sound of a loved one's voice -- nothing like it. So if you haven't decided on your Christmas or Hanukkah donation, this should be it. Really. If you're stretched Christmas week, think of tax planning the week after -- your donation is tax deductible!!

and lastly, one of "our guys" is having a very hard time right now... pretty serious... prayers would be greatly appreciated for V...