AIC Teams Up with the Gary Sinise Foundation to create Smart Home for Wounded Warriors
If Gary Sinise doesn’t sound familiar, it’s most likely you know him as Lt. Dan: the devil-may-care lieutenant turned legless scallywag shrimper in “Forrest Gump”. It’s a well-known fact that “Forrest Gump” was filmed exclusively in the Lowcountry. The area must have made quite an impression on Gary; he has come back year after year to support vets. His work with veterans started in the early 80’s and has continued to this day through the Gary Sinise Foundation whose sole mission statement is “we serve our nation by honoring our defenders, veterans, first responders, their families, and those in need.” They do this by “creating and supporting unique programs designed to entertain, educate, inspire, strengthen, and build communities.” One of these programs is R.I.S.E. – Restoring Independence Supporting Empowerment – that builds individually adapted smart homes for the most severely wounded vets and provides home modifications, mobility devices, and adapted vehicles to our injured, wounded, ill, and/or aging heroes. When this Foundation decided to build a smart home for a Lowcountry resident, they knew Advanced Integrated Controls was the most capable home automation company in the area to help the foundation create a custom smart home that will change the lives of this family and give them the ease we all deserve to feel in our homes.
“Freedom and security are precious gifts that we, as Americans, should never take for granted. We must do all we can to extend our hand in times of need to those who willingly sacrifice each day to provide that freedom and security. While we can never do enough to show gratitude to our nation’s defenders, we can always do a little more.”
– Gary Sinise
Gary has been advocating for America’s service members for over 50 years. It began in the early ’80s, supporting local Vietnam veterans’ groups in the Chicago area and into the ’90s, when his portrayal of Lt. Dan formed an enduring connection with service members throughout the military community, and as he worked on behalf of the Disabled American Veterans Organization, which he continues to actively support today.
He hasn’t been a stranger to the Lowcountry since his time as Lt. Dan either. There were 4 consecutive years that Beaufort, SC hosted Lt. Dan Weekend where Gary played with his 13-piece band aptly called The Lt Dan Band. The concert and other events were fundraisers to help support severely wounded vets and their families. Since then, he has served as Beaufort’s grand marshal for the historical Tricentennial Parade. As recently as 2020 he joined The Beaufort Film Society Board. It’s no surprise that the Gary Sinise Foundation chose this area to help a new family through R.I.S.E.
The R.I.S.E. initiative constructs one-of-a-kind specially adapted smart homes for the most severely wounded heroes that were injured in combat operations or during training while performing their duties. Advanced Integrated Controls has always supported our active-duty service members and veterans. They jumped at the chance to work on this project and are acutely aware of how to get it done. AIC is always slammed with automating existing homes and new builds. There is a reason they are the Lowcountry’s premiere home automation and home technology company. AIC actively invites challenges of all kinds from homeowners and thrives in the execution and delivery of the custom plans they make for each of their clients. With leading partners in the industry like Elan, Lutron, and Sony, AIC has the best technology available to create anything a wounded veteran may need. Everything in a home can be automated now; lights, electrical systems (like the Heating and Air), truly anything you can think of can be a functional part of anyone’s day.
This ease of living for the family and loved ones of a wounded hero will to be taken into consideration as well. A disabled person may need things adjusted or completely customized to use. Whereas a fully able person may have a hard time using those same household systems due to customization. It can be a tricky process and The Gary Sinise Foundation doesn’t partner with companies lightly. They do their research and pick the best of the best in the areas where they are building homes. With 63 completed and 20 currently under construction, the foundation must be doing something right.
For more information about what Advanced Integrated Controls can do for you, click Here to see our full services or start a quote, call us at (843) 941-5194 or visit our showroom at 365 Red Cedar St STE 301, Bluffton, SC 29910
