An actor famous for his role in "Forest Gump" is planning to throw a rock show in Old Town.
Gary Sinise, who played "Lt. Dan," a soldier who lost his legs in Vietnam, is set to headline a show with his group, "The Lt. Dan Band," outside the . The show is tentatively scheduled for March 1.
"I'm asking this council to go outside this building and have a rock show," Sinise said to the council during a meeting today.
The proceeds from the show will go to building a house in Temecula for Marine Lance Cpl. Juan Dominguez, who lost his arm and leg in 2010.
The corporal is undergoing physical rehabilitation in San Diego now, but he aims to move to Temecula, Sinise said during a meeting at the .
"He chose Temecula to be his home," he said. "He found this beautiful community."
Sinise hopes to use his fame to bring attention to the soldier, he said. "I want to make th community aware that they have a hero in their midst, and he needs help."
The cost for the show is $10,865 in cash and services, which the City Council approved unanimously.
"We owe (Dominguez) a debt we cannot pay," said Mayor Pro-tem Mike Naggar. "(Approving the concert) is the least we can do."
The price of the concert is trifling compared to what the corporal gave in the line of duty, Councilmember Ron Roberts said. "It's a small price to pay for everything that happened to him."
Civilians owe all vets a debt, said Councilmember Maryann Edwards. "We owe them everything because they have risked everything for us," she said.
To read the agreement with the city, click here.
Siniser is a representative of the Gary Sinise Foundation, which is sponsoring the show, along with the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation.
"It's our duty and our responsibility to take care of (wounded soldiers)," said Frank Siller, the head of Tunnel to Towers.
The concert was almost held at the Pechanga Resort and Casino, according to Mayor Chuck Washington.
The foundations' representatives came to the city to ask officials whether they thought the Pechanga Tribe might host the show. Then, they saw the Civic Center and asked about holding it out front.
"They asked, 'Have we ever considered holding a concert,'" Washington said during the meeting. "It just so happened we just had the there."
So, they made arrangements to hold the concert in front of the Civic Center, Washington said.
