Elizabeth Smart delivers message to CDA

COEUR d'ALENE — Elizabeth Smart has a message for North Idaho about the Coeur d’Alene Regional Chamber of Commerce's first Women’s Luncheon next month.

“Seats are almost all gone, so hurry up,” she said.

Smart will be the keynote speaker at the event at The Coeur d’Alene Resort on Aug. 17.

Marie Widmyer, wife of Coeur d’Alene Mayor Steve Widmyer, will be the special guest speaker.

This week, Smart shared a few thoughts via a video through the chamber about her upcoming visit. The theme of the luncheon is “Connecting with Ourselves and Our Community."

“Which I think is so essential and so needed after the last year and a half that we’ve all made it through,” she said.

Smart was 14 when she was abducted from her Salt Lake City home on June 5, 2002. She was abused by her captors, Brian Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Barzee, for nine months before she was rescued after being recognized while in public with them.

Barzee was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison in 2010 for her role in the kidnapping and abduction, although she was granted early release on Sept. 19, 2018. Mitchell was sentenced to life in prison.

Smart has become an advocate for change related to child abduction, recovery programs and national legislation.

She has also helped promote The National AMBER Alert and other safety legislation to help prevent abductions.

Smart recently released a book, "Where There's Hope," about what it takes to overcome trauma and find the strength to move on.

"I look forward to seeing you and speaking to you all in August," she said.

Marie Widmyer owns several businesses, is mother of four and grandmother of two. One of her mantras is, “We all have a voice; we all have a story to tell. Go and tell yours, as no one will tell it for you.”

Tickets are $89 for chamber members, $99 for non-members.

To register: bit.ly/3imBOWI