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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Ashley Judd cancels Friday keynote at YWCA luncheon, but event will go on as planned

FILE - In this April 25, 2015 file photo, Ashley Judd attends the 2015 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner in Washington D.C. (Charles Sykes / Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)
From staff reports

Ashley Judd, the keynote speaker at Friday’s YWCA Women of Achievement Luncheon, has canceled due to a medical emergency, organizers of the event said Wednesday.

“With disappointment, we announce today that our keynote speaker for the event, Ashley Judd, has been forced to cancel her appearance because of an unexpected surgery,” YWCA CEO Regina Malveaux said in a news release.

The luncheon will go on as planned at 11:30 a.m. at the Davenport Grand Hotel, and will honor the seven Women of Achievement honorees.

They are: Jan Wigen, Arts & Culture; Joyce Cameron, Business & Industry; Dr. Roberta Wilburn, Carl Maxey Racial & Social Justice Award; Dr. Robbie Paul, Community Enhancement; Dr. Chrissy Davis Jones, Education; Dr. Lisa Shaffer, Science, Technology and Environment; and Mari Clack, Lifetime Achievement Award.

YWCA said in a news release that 1,200 people have registered for the annual event. Organizers hope to raise money to fill a $200,000 shortfall in money needed to keep the YWCA’s domestic violence shelter open.