Location Managers Guild International (LMGI) announced today that award-winning actor Gary Sinise will be receiving its Humanitarian Award at the 7th Annual LMGI Awards on October 24. The 2020 Awards are following the theme, “2020 Vision: We See It First,” and Sinise’s work with the Gary Sinise Foundation to serve and honor American defenders, veterans, first responders and those in need fits in well that theme.
LMGI President Mike Fantasia and Awards Co-chairs Lori Balton and John Rakich announced Sinise’s honorary award with former President Balton saying, “The LMGI proudly salutes Gary Sinise. We are humbled to help shine a light on the impact he and his foundation make on our military, veterans and first responder communities that they serve. In the turmoil of today’s world, those men and women who make such great sacrifices deserve our honor and are too often forgotten.”
Sinise formed the Gary Sinise Foundation in 2011 to find new ways to give back to America’s defenders, veterans, first responders, Gold Star families and those in need.
Before that, Sinise was nominated for an Oscar, a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award and he won the National Board of Review‘s Supporting Actor Award for his role as Lieutenant Dan Taylor in Robert Zemeckis‘ 1994 film, Forrest Gump. Sinise had already been an advocate for America’s service members long before that with support for the Disabled American Veterans organization to this day. In 2003, Sinise formed the 13-piece “Lt. Dan Band” in an effort to continue entertaining troops at home and abroad through the USO, playing hundreds of charity shows.
Sinise has appeared in hundreds of films and television shows over the course of his four-decade career, winning an Emmy, a Golden Globe and two SAG awards for his roles in the television movies, Truman and George Wallace, and in 2017, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2008, he was given the Presidential Citizens Medal, the second-highest civilian honor for his deeds performed in service of the nation, becoming only the third actor to receive that honor. He has also received honorary officer positions from the United States Navy, the Marines and the Fire Department of New York.
Sinise joins filmmaker Spike Lee as one of the LGMI’s honorary award recipients.
You can see a list of 2020 LMGI Awards nominees as they’re announced at the LGMI’s official site. Winners will be announced at a virtual awards ceremony hosted by Isaiah Mustafa on Saturday, October 24 at 2pm PST.
