John,

It’s Gary Sinise here.

You may know me from my roles in movies like Apollo 13 and The Green Mile or the CBS television series CSI: NY – but it was in 1994 playing the role of Lt. Dan in Forrest Gump that changed my life and inspired my enduring connection to our defenders, veterans, and first responders.

I've served as an Honorary Grand Marshal for the National Memorial Day Parade in Washington, D.C. nearly every year since American Veterans Center revived it in 2005. 

Now, I’m grateful to again serve as an Honorary Grand Marshal on the 20th anniversary of this important event.

This year will be a remembrance like no other, as we commemorate the 80th anniversary of victory in World War II and the 250th birthdays of the U.S. Army, Navy, and Marine Corps.

John, the National Memorial Day Parade is ENTIRELY FUNDED by private contributions, including from generous Americans like you. Will you help chip in today to help support the Parade with a gift of $25, $50, $75, $150, or more?

The National Memorial Day Parade costs a fraction of other major public events to put on each year. In fact, the entire parade costs about as much as just THREE balloons in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade or TWO floats in the Rose Bowl Parade!

That means that every dollar that’s contributed by a generous American like you makes a difference for this important event.

But I want to reiterate that American Veterans Center does not take ANY federal funding for this event. It is funded entirely by private citizens like you who want to honor those who have sacrificed so much for our country. 

Your support of the American Veterans Center not only helps the Parade, but also supports great programs like:

• Record hundreds of oral histories of veterans from World War II to Today before we lose these stories forever.
  
  
• Hold our National Youth Summit which allows young students a chance to hear first-hand from veterans from WWII, Korea, and Vietnam.
  
  
• Produce veteran focused T.V. documentaries and specials that remind Americans the price of our freedom.

Please join me in support of the National Memorial Day Parade with a gift of $25, $50, $75, $150, $250, $500, or more right now.

If you’ve been looking for an opportunity to give back to those who have given so much for our freedom, this is one of the best possible ways you could do it.

And for a special group of veterans, this might be one of the last chances we get.

You see, with each year that goes by, we lose more and more of our World War II veterans, and for the few we have remaining, traveling to Washington, D.C., for the parade is difficult.

WWII veterans were a key part of the first parade when it was revived in 2005, as they have been every year since for the last 20 years.

But this may be the last year we have the opportunity to have these brave men and women with us for the parade. 

That's why we are making a concerted effort to ensure these veterans are at this year's National Memorial Day Parade to honor them one last time. 

So this year, as we mark the 80th anniversary of victory in Europe and Japan to end World War II – and the 250th anniversaries of the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps – I encourage you to help us honor these brave veterans while we still have them with us.

And no matter how much you can give to this important cause, I want to ask something additional of you.

On Memorial Day – not just this momentous year of military milestones, but every year – please join me in honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms.

Come to the National Memorial Day Parade in Washington, D.C. Visit a local veterans’ cemetery. Send a note to a family of the fallen. Or simply take a quiet moment to think about the men and women who gave their lives to defend OUR country.

I believe that while we can never do enough to express our gratitude to our defenders, veterans, and first responders, we can always do a little more.

John, thank you for your support of America’s heroes, and please – if you’re able, make a gift to fund the National Memorial Day Parade right now during its 20th anniversary.

Sincerely,

Gary Sinise

Honorary Grand Marshal

National Memorial Day Parade

The mission of the American Veterans Center and the World War II Veterans Committee is to preserve and promote the legacy and experiences of America's veterans and active duty service personnel from World War II through today.

A non-profit educational organization, the AVC and WWIIVC are funded solely through generous contributions from people like you. All contributions are tax-deductible.

© American Veterans Center
1100 N. Glebe Road Suite 910, Arlington, VA 22201