Liberty donates 500 autographed Gary Sinise books to area veterans

Liberty University donated 500 autographed copies of Gary Sinise’s New York Times bestseller, “Grateful America: A Journey from Self to Service,” to the Lynchburg Area Veterans Council (LAVC) on Wednesday.

Liberty received the hardback copies when Sinise visited campus as a guest speaker at the Conservative Political Action Conference in March. Sinise, also an actor known for his role as Lt. Dan in “Forrest Gump,” founded the Gary Sinise Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to helping veterans, active service members, and their families

Many of the books will be given to veterans at the Salem VA Medical Center on Oct. 20. Some will also be distributed to veterans living in Lynchburg.

“It’s going to be fantastic for the veterans who are going to receive them,” said Mike Brady, outreach coordinator for the LAVC. “(Sinise) has done a fantastic job for the veterans here in this area and around the country and around the world.”

Many local veterans had a chance to meet Sinise during his visit to Liberty and had their picture taken with him and Liberty President Jerry Falwell.

“Liberty has been such a supporter of the local veterans here in Lynchburg,” Brady said. “It’s been unbelievable. All the veteran services (Liberty) provides for the community is God-blessed service that all the veterans are feeling here in Lynchburg.”

Jon Norman, supervisor of Liberty’s Veterans Center, said the donation was just one more way Liberty supports local veterans.

“We’re always looking for ways to help each other out and partner for the betterment of the community, especially when it comes to our local veterans,” he said. “Liberty University has had a longstanding commitment to veterans on campus and off, and we’ve always had a really good relationship with the Lynchburg Area Veterans Council.”

In 2019, Liberty was named No. 1 ‘Best for Vets’ school by Military Times, and more than 34,000 active service members, veterans, and military spouses pursued degrees through Liberty University during the 2018-19 academic year.