PHOENIX, Ariz. (Oct. 23, 2019) – Gary Sinise, whose role as Lt. Dan in the legendary movie Forrest Gump prompted him to found the Gary Sinise Foundation to support veterans and their families, will join the upcoming Stars Across the Desert Gary Sinise Foundation Hero Drive at the Bondurant High Performance Driving School. Sinise, who has an Academy Award nomination for his role portraying a veteran, an Emmy, Golden Globe and star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, is the latest celebrity addition to the star-studded fundraiser being hosted by the School. Gary will attend a meet and greet reception and dinner at the Bondurant Event Center for donors to the foundation at 4 p.m. on Nov. 3.
Sinise’s appearance is in conjunction with the school’s announcement naming the Gary Sinise Foundation as their official non-profit partner long term.
“We share Gary’s vision that everyone can always do just a little more for those who have done so much for all of us,” said Franki Buckman, newly appointed chief executive officer at the Bondurant High Performance Driving School. “Dodge, our staff as well as all of our partners are thrilled to welcome Gary to the School, to recognize our veterans and to meet the local enthusiasts and supporters who want to contribute to the ultimate goal of raising $250,000 for this event.”
The reception and meet & greet with Sinise requires pre-registration. Single seats and tables are available for purchase in advance, with all proceeds benefiting the foundation. Interested supporters can contact the Bondurant High Performance Driving School at (480) 403-7600 or email cchapin@bondurant.com.
In addition to attending the meet & greet with Sinise, select veterans will drive the Bondurant track and the Hero drive to Las Vegas in the new patriotic Stars and Stripes Dodge SRT Charger. Donors can sponsor drivers, pledge per mile, or give a one-time or recurring donation by visiting https://donate.garysinisefoundation.org/campaign/stars-across-the-desert/c252430.
About the Gary Sinise Foundation
Established in 2011 by actor/humanitarian Gary Sinise, aka Lt Dan from Forrest Gump, the Foundation honors America’s defenders, veterans, first responders, their families and those in need. Through its R.I.S.E. program (Restoring Independence Supporting Empowerment), specially adapted smart homes are being constructed for severely wounded veterans nationwide. Each one-of-a-kind home is customized to ease the everyday burdens of a wounded hero, their family, and caregivers. Other programs include Relief & Resiliency, Community Outreach & Education, and First Responders Outreach. Under these programs the Foundation offers numerous services and events, including Invincible Spirit Festivals, Gary Sinise & the Lt. Dan Band, Arts & Entertainment Outreach, Serving Heroes, and Soaring Valor. A more recent addition is Snowball Express, which serves the children of our fallen military heroes, surviving spouses, and Gold Star families. For more information, please visit GarySiniseFoundation.org.
About Bondurant High Performance Driving School
The Bondurant High Performance Driving School, located in Chandler, Ariz., is the only purpose-built driver training facility for performance enthusiasts and the largest driver training center of its kind in the world. The school maintains over 100 race-prepared vehicles, sedans, SUVs, and open wheel formula cars. For more information about the school, visit www.Bondurant.com or call (800) 842-7223.
About Dodge//SRT
Dodge//SRT offers a complete lineup of performance vehicles that stand out in their own segments. Dodge is America’s mainstream performance brand and SRT is positioned as the ultimate performance halo of the Dodge brand, together creating a complete and balanced performance brand with one vision and one voice.
For more than 100 years, the Dodge brand has carried on the spirit of brothers John and Horace Dodge, who founded the brand in 1914. Their influence continues today. New for 2019, the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye is possessed by the Demon. Its 797-horsepower supercharged HEMI® high-output engine makes it the most powerful, quickest and fastest muscle car reaching 0-60 miles per hour (mph) in 3.4 seconds and the fastest GT production car with a ¼-mile elapsed time (ET) of 10.8 seconds at 131 mph. It also reaches a new top speed of 203 mph. Joining the Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye is the 2019 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat with its more powerful 717-horsepower engine, the Challenger R/T Scat Pack Widebody, which features fender flares from the SRT Hellcat Widebody and adds 3.5 inches of width to Scat Pack’s footprint, as well as the new Challenger R/T Scat Pack 1320. Infused with exclusive drag strip technology from the iconic Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, the Challenger R/T Scat Pack 1320 is a drag-oriented, street-legal muscle car and a blank canvas for the serious grassroots drag racer. The 2019 Dodge Durango SRT, America’s fastest, most powerful and most capable three-row SUV with a best-in-class tow rating of 8,700 lbs. fills out the brands’ performance lineup. These visceral performance models join a 2019 brand lineup that includes the Durango, Grand Caravan, Journey, Charger and Challenger — a showroom that offers performance at every price point.
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