Army veteran Jessica Lynch, who was taken prisoner during the Iraq War and rescued by Special Operations forces, will speak Nov. 5 at a luncheon to benefit a local caregiving agency.
Her appearance at the Hilton Vancouver Washington will be part of the fifth annual “Symbol of Freedom” event to raise money for CDM Caregiving Services, a nonprofit Vancouver-based agency that provides care for the elderly and disabled.
Lynch, then a 19-year-old supply clerk, was captured along with five other members of the 507th Maintenance Company when their convoy took a wrong turn and came under attack on March 23, 2003. Eleven soldiers died, including Lynch’s friend and tentmate, Army Pfc. Lori Ann Piestewa, 23.
Lynch was rescued from an Iraqi military hospital on April 1, 2003, after nine days of captivity. According to Associated Press reports, Lynch suffered two spinal fractures, nerve damage and a shattered right arm, right foot and left leg during the ambush and firefight.
If You Go
• What: “Symbol of Freedom” lunch to benefit CDM Caregiving Services.
• Who: Jessica Lynch, former U.S. Army soldier and Iraq War POW.
• When: 11:30 a.m. Nov. 5.
• Where: Hilton Vancouver Washington, 301 W. Sixth St., Vancouver.
• Cost: $50 per person. (There also will be a $100 VIP reception at 6 p.m. Nov. 4, at the Artillery Barracks; the cost for both events is $125).
• Contact: CDMCaregiving.org or call 360-750-3825. Tickets will be available at the door.
She wrote a book about her experiences, “I Am A Soldier, Too: The Jessica Lynch Story,” with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Rick Bragg. Lynch earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s degree in communication studies.
CDM Caregiving Services is Southwest Washington’s largest in-home care agency for the elderly, disabled, and those with dementia and traumatic brain injury. The Vancouver-based agency also offers adult day services that offer rehabilitation, activities, and socialization, and it is the home-care referral registry for Southwest Washington.
According to a spokeswoman for the event, Lynch will discuss struggles, perseverance and staying true to your goals.
“All these issues directly relate to the clientele of CDM as they are dealing with dementia, Alzheimer’s or traumatic brain injuries and must use these strategies on a daily basis,” said Lisa Capeloto of Westby Associates Inc., which works with CDM Caregiving Services and other organizations.
Lynch also will appear at a special VIP reception at 6 p.m. Nov. 4. It will be in the Artillery Barracks, in Fort Vancouver’s West Barracks.
