"The bravery of these men and women can be seen not only in the wounds they received in the course of defending our freedom, but in their refusal to let those wounds slow them down," Lipinski said. "They remind us both of the extreme danger that our troops are facing every day, and the power to overcome tremendous adversity that lies within all of us. I wish all of them the best of luck in Sunday's race. I am sure it will be an experience they will not forget."

The Achilles Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans consists mainly of veterans wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan and includes five members from Illinois. After learning that team members were in need of specialized transportation on the day of the race, Congressman Lipinski worked with Pace - which provides paratransit services to the disabled - to ensure the veterans received assistance. Pace and Pace Chairman of the Board Richard Kwasneski were more than happy to help, and the agency will provide transportation for about 40 people - the veterans, team organizers, and family and friends - to and from the race Sunday.

The Achilles Freedom Team helps recently wounded veterans compete in marathons by providing motivation, training, and the opportunity to rebuild strength and endurance. Many members have suffered severe leg injuries and some use hand-crank wheelchairs provided by Achilles. Team members are competing in a half-dozen marathons this year.

For more information, visit: http://www.achillestrackclub.org/freedom_team.

(October 9, 2009)

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