Oscar-nominated ‘Forrest Gump’ actor Gary Sinise’s foundation donates to Priest Lake firefighters

Academy Award-nominated actor Gary Sinise, known for his role as Lieutenant Dan in “Forrest Gump,” granted $27,000 in equipment to the East Priest Lake Fire District on Tuesday for new gear, according to a news release from the district.

The Bonner County district’s fire chief, Tom Renzi, applied to Sinise’s foundation for the grant to pay for 12 turnouts, the sets of fire-resistant trousers, boots and jackets that firefighters wear, the release said.

Sinise’s foundation focuses on philanthropy that benefits veterans and first responders, according to the release. Sinise began the foundation a year after meeting the first post-9/11 quadruple amputee veteran, U.S. Army Specialist Brendan Marrocco, injured in a bomb blast in Iraq, according to the foundation’s website.

That same year, the commissioner of the Fire Department of New York asked Sinise for help raising money to build Marrocco a smart home. One year after raising money for Marracco, Sinise launched the Gary Sinise Foundation, the website said.

The relatively new fire district formed officially in 2020 and had a fire chief, an executive secretary, three commissioners and 10 volunteers by August , according to the district’s Facebook page.