In 2027, the Mackinac Center for Public Policy will celebrate 40 years of fighting for liberty, opportunity, and free-market ideas in Michigan and beyond. Since our founding in 1987, we have advanced people's freedom to shape their own lives and communities. This milestone inspires us to reflect on four decades of ideas, people and partnerships and to look ahead to the next generation of work in defense of individual liberty and human flourishing. None of it would have been possible without the friends and supporters who have stood with us along the way.

To mark this significant occasion, please join us for An Evening with the Mackinac Center on May 21, 2027, featuring acclaimed actor and humanitarian Gary Sinise. Through the Gary Sinise Foundation, the Lt. Dan Band and countless visits with the troops, Mr. Sinise has made service to veterans, first responders and their families central to his life’s work. He tells the story of that commitment in his memoir, “Grateful American: A Journey from Self to Service.” His example reminds us that individuals acting on their own initiative can change lives, and that the freedoms we cherish depend on those who serve to protect them.

The Mackinac Center’s 40th anniversary honors the past and renews our commitment to the principles that have guided us from the start. We invite friends, supporters and fellow champions of freedom to join us for an evening of fellowship and reflection as we celebrate this landmark achievement and thank the people who made it possible.

Gary Sinise is an American actor, director, musician, and humanitarian. His honors include a Tony Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and three Screen Actors Guild Awards, as well as an Academy Award nomination. Best known for his role as Lieutenant Dan in Forrest Gump, Sinise founded the Gary Sinise Foundation, which serves veterans, first responders, and their families. He also formed the Lt. Dan Band, named after his iconic character, which performs for service members and their families at bases around the world.