Not many people know that much of "Forrest Gump," the Oscar-winning movie starring Tom Hanks and Gary Sinise, was filmed in the Low Country of South Carolina (mostly because the movie itself was set primarily in Alabama). And it is there that an annual gathering seems to have taken root. Sinise, who played a Vietnam era soldier who lost his legs in combat in "Forrest Gump," traveled to the Low Country this weekend for the second annual "Lt. Dan Weekend," a gathering of military personnel and vets who were severely wounded in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Sinise's band, the Lt. Dan Band, played for the gathering on Friday night, according to the Associated Press. The band plays covers and does roughly forty shows a year. Sinise himself is active in promoting various causes for American troops and charities, doing what he can for wounded veterans through the Gary Sinise Foundation.
"We have a lot of folks who are banged up out there and need our help," said Sinise Thursday at a reception for the 65 wounded personnel, their caregivers and families attending the four-day weekend. "I always remember this great Calvin Coolidge quote that the nation that forgets its heroes will itself be forgotten."
The "Lieutenant Dan Weekend" weekend's events included the concert, a bike ride, golf tournament, an art exhibit dealing with the wars and films. The event is the brainchild of Steve "Luker" Danyluk, an Iraq War Marine veteran who founded the Independence Fund in 2007. The organization provides the much-needed support for those who have suffered severe wounds in the war on terror.
Danyluk, who now makes his home in Beaufort, said he in a restaurant with his wife when he saw pictures from the "Forrest Gump" movie on the wall and:
"It just popped into my head that we should get Gary Sinise here to do a benefit because he had performed for us in Dallas," he said. So he emailed Sinise, not knowing if he "would get anything back but I got a response in about 20 minutes."
Sinise had replied "Lt. Dan Band in Beaufort — make it happen."
Thus far, the Lt. Dan Weekends have raised over $1.5 million.
Afterward, Sinise took to Twitter: "Check out the photos I posted 2 my foundation page on FB from Lt. Dan Weekend 2: www.facebook.com/GarySiniseFoundation"
In fact, Twitter is where you can often find Sinise, updating happenings in his life, providing information on his hit show "CSI: NY," posting gig dates for the Lt. Dan Band, and such.
Sinise was nominated for an Academy Award for his portrayal of Lieutenant Dan Taylor in "Forrest Gump" in 1995. Since then, he has won several major awards for his work, including an Emmy (for the lead role in "George Wallace"), a Golden Globe Award (for the lead role in the mini-series "Truman"), and two Screen Actors Guild Awards (as part of the Outstanding Cast of "Apollo 13" and for "Truman").
"CSI: NY" will enter its eighth season on September 23 at 9:00 p.m. on CBS. The season premiere is set to pay tribute to the tragedy of September 11, 2001. Gary Sinise's character, Det. Mac Taylor, lost his wife during the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
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