SOAR Year-end 2021

As 2021 draws to a close, we cannot thank you enough for being by our side! Both 2020 and 2021 have been unique times to manage a non-profit that includes animals AND people. Thank you for giving us grace and understanding for our lack of public presence even as our need for support has not diminished. While the last two years have been a challenge, we hope to see better days ahead.

SOAR is going to start this year-end time by saying thank you to the Avangrid Foundation for letting SOAR know that our recent grant application has been approved – what a great way to start off the new year! We will make a formal announcement soon.

Thanks to you for sharing our website and Facebook posts with others! Many of you have followed our “Patient Snapshots” for a peek into the day-to-day life of SOAR, you have helped fill the freezers when SOAR was inundated with young birds, and you have sent needed supplies. Your support helped us work on our three-fold goal of rehabilitation, education, and research.

SOAR has had rehabilitation successes this year and we were fortunate to be able to gather for an in-person release party. If you were not able to join us, please check out this post: https://soarraptors.org/2021/10/2021-annual-release-recap/

SOAR educators and ambassadors were able to visit with a few school groups, organizations, and events over the past year. We’re hopeful that we will be able to see some of you at 2022 programs.

Mark November 30 on your calendar as a special day to support SOAR — that is #GivingTuesday 2021 — and kick off our year-end fundraising efforts.

On November 30, at 2:00 p.m. Central, SOAR will be “Facebook Live” for a conversation about our next project – two new flight enclosures.

For #GivingTuesday, we have a year-end fundraising goal of $43,000 for two new rehabilitation flight enclosures, food for patients and ambassadors, vehicle maintenance and fuel, and supplies to continue our bald eagles and lead research. Learn more during the Facebook Live event. Read about the building project here!

• Since 2015, SOAR’s rehabilitation program has seen over 300 patients annually and we have already hit that 300 admits in 2021.
• Even without programs on the calendar, our ambassadors need to be provided with quality food and care.
• The flight enclosure for our kestrels and screech owls was built by Kay’s father over 20 years ago and needs to be replaced.

How are we going to achieve our goal?

• SOAR has received a grant from the Avangrid Foundation.
• SOAR will be applying for one more grant this month, but we will not know the outcome until after the first of the year.

Here are different ways you can help us meet our goal!

• Donate to SOAR through the PayPal Giving Fund
• Donate to SOAR via our PayPal Account
• Mail your donation to SOAR at 25494 320th St., Dedham, IA 51440

If you’d rather support us via gift certificates for “rats for raptors” from RodentPro or supplies from Bomgaars or with gift cards from a convenience store for fuel:

• You can donate directly to our account (SOAR – Saving Our Avian Resources) from this page or by purchasing a gift certificate (use fly@soarraptors.org).
• Bomgaars gift cards can be bought and sent to SOAR at 25494 320th St., Dedham, IA 51440 (If this is your choice, please know that Bomgaars has had a “gift card blowout” sale in early December where your dollars go further!
• Casey’s convenience store gift cards can be bought and sent to SOAR at 25494 320th St., Dedham, IA 51440

Thank you for caring about our feathered friends and the wildness they call home. Thank you for helping us return all that we can back to their wild home! Remember, “UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”

Remember what Kay says, “Every one matters.” Every raptor and migratory bird that can be helped… matters. Every admit that we are able to release… matters. Every person that attends a SOAR program… matters.

Your donation… matters.