Saving Our Avian Resources, SOAR is a 501(c)(3) organization established in 1999 dedicated to saving our avian resources through raptor rehabilitation, education, and research. SOAR maintains all necessary US Fish & Wildlife Service and Iowa DNR permits to provide the rehabilitation and education.
Our Goals
- Establish a regional raptor rehabilitation facility to serve western Iowa.
- Use personal connections with individual, wild animals to bring attention to important natural resource conservation projects and issues.
- Conserve habitat, conduct needed research, and provide educational opportunities.
Does SOAR allow visitors?
SOAR’s mission is three-fold, raptor rehabilitation, raptor education, and raptor research. The facilities of SOAR are designed for the safe and quiet rehabilitation of our feathered patients, i.e. a birdie ‘hospital,’ and are not suitable for visits. In fact the federal rehabilitation permit SOAR operates under requires that these birds are not on display and we limit human contact and disturbance for the patients’ well-being. We thank you for your interest and encourage you to browse the SOAR website where you can meet the folks that help (see below), see pictures of the facilities, check in on recent admits, find a listing of public events where SOAR and educational ambassadors are scheduled, and more.
SOAR celebrated 20th Anniversary in 2019
Thank you to all who attended… long-time to new supporters to spouses to those that came from across the ocean to those from near and far! In addition to releasing two American kestrels, two red-tailed hawks, and one 3-year-old bald eagle, we celebrated with pie and ice cream and live music!
SOAR featured on IPTV Iowa Outdoors Episode #305
Iowa Public Television videographer Chris Gourley (now retired) spent time in the field and at SOAR filming for this segment… Click here to see the segment of the show about SOAR.
SOAR Newsletters
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- 2017 Recap / Year-in-Review (pdf)
- Mid-year 2017 (pdf)
- Spring 2016 (pdf)
- Spring 2015 (pdf)
- Fall 2014 (pdf)
- Spring 2014 (pdf)
Board of Directors
SOAR is managed by a Board of Directors. SOAR is funded through grants, gifts, donations of supplies and in-kind services, and educational program fees. The current board of directors:
Chair, Kathy Hodges
Vice-Chair, Tom Holcomb, DVM
Treasurer / Secretary, Rosemary Partridge
Meet the SOAR Team
SOAR is able to do what it does because of the dedication of many people that volunteer their time or provide their services at a discount.
Kay Neumann, Executive Director
Kay is a flurry of activity! She provides the daily care, monitoring, and rehabilitation needs of the patients and care and feeding of the education birds, provides programming to school and adult groups, plus keeping the freezer stocked with food, and doing her least favorite activity — record-keeping. She makes time to oversee the education and training of high school and college interns as these are our future biologists, rehabilitators, conservation managers, and environmental educators.
Kay has an M.S. in Wildlife Biology and a B.A. in Biology. She has been working in the fields of environmental education, wildlife research, wildlife rehabilitation, and natural resources restoration for more than 25 years. Kay is a master-class rehabilitator and master-class falconer and celebrated her 30th hunting season in 2014.
Kay received the 2014 Ada Hayden Conservation Education Award from the Iowa Association of Naturalists / Iowa Conservation Education Coalition for outstanding efforts for education on preservation, land management, or natural resource conservation.
SOAR was honored with the 2018 Frederic Leopold Award from the Iowa Association of Naturalists / Iowa Conservation Education Coalition for outstanding environmental education efforts by business, industry, or labor.
If you are interested in falconry or becoming a falconer, please visit these links for information as Kay is not able to take on an apprentice at this time:
- North American Falconers’ Association
- Iowa Falconer’s Association
- Read the Iowa Code regarding falconry regulations
If you are interested in wildlife rehabilitation, please visit these links for information as Kay is not able to take on additional apprentices at this time.
- National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association
- Iowa Department of Natural Resources Permits page, see specifically wildlife rehabilitation application with Iowa Code
Veterinarians
SOAR could not provide quality care to patients and education birds without the help of these veterinarians, their clinics, and support staff that provide consultation, x-rays, medications, and surgery.
- Dr. Ross Dirks, Dickinson County Small Animal Clinic
- Drs. Rexanne Struve and Gary Riordan, Veterinary Associates of Manning
Linette Bernard, Communications Director
Linette works remotely from north-central Iowa and maintains the website and Facebook page, the patient and supporter / donor databases, monitors email communication, develops printed materials as needed, helps with educational programming, and transports patients as needed. Linette and Kay have worked together, on and off, since 1993. Linette had her first education red-tailed hawk in 1993.
Linette has a B.A. in outdoor recreation and a M.A. in Youth and Human Services Agency Administration. She has been working in the fields of environmental education, fundraising, youth development, non-profit management, and program quality-assurance.
Terrie Hoefer
Terrie has been a SOAR volunteer since 2004 and was the first webmaster. She has a degree in Fisheries and Wildlife Biology and has worked as an environmental educator presenting programs to children, school teachers, and the general public which is her passion. Her work with education birds dates back to 1988. As her full-time job allows, Terrie helps with programs and transporting patients.
Savanna Judson
Savanna has now graduated from Buena Vista University in May 2018. Savanna is learning much of what it takes to run SOAR. Savanna will be helping with programming plus transport and rescue. Please welcome Savanna to the team!
Cassie Wendl
Cassie has been assisting with rehabilitation and rescue / transport since August 2014. Recently, she has been helping with programming duties at some larger events!
Educators
These dedicated educators help with programming as their work schedules allow, primarily on weekends when SOAR has multiple requests or day-long events.
Matt Wetrich
Taylor Smith
Christina Roelofs
Megan Cook
Interns
Occasionally SOAR has high school or college interns that help with various tasks. Currently we do not have intern positions available.
Transporters / Rescuers
Thanks to our “go to” rescue and transport crew of Stacey, Ron H., Matt H., Dan T., Shelley, Christina, Dan, Jenni, Deb, Marla, Ron A., Cassie, Alex, Wendy, and volunteers from Wildlife Lodge and Clinic for helping to transport or provide overnight care for injured birds to SOAR. County Conservation Board and Iowa DNR staff help, as able, with rescuing and transporting injured birds.
Osprey Care
Vic, Doug, and Janet provided the bulk of the care and feeding of the osprey while in the hack tower at Whiterock Conservancy from 2006-2011. Vic helped with osprey care at Swan Lake State Park in 2012-2016.
Learn more about volunteering for SOAR here.
Many others…
So many folks have provided one-time or ongoing help that if we tried to thank them all, we would miss many. Please know that your help and time is truly appreciated!
Required Reporting
As a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, SOAR is required to annually file a federal income tax form.
- 2016 Federal 990ez (pdf)
- 2015 Federal 990ez (pdf)
- 2014 Federal 990ez (pdf)
- 2013 Federal 990ez (pdf)
- 2012 Federal 990ez (pdf)
- 2011 Federal 990ez (pdf)
- 2010 Federal 990ez (pdf)
- 2009 Federal 990ez (pdf)
- 2008 Federal 990ez (pdf)
- 2007 Federal 990ez (pdf)
- 2006 Federal 990ez (pdf)
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service permits that SOAR holds require annual reports be filed for each calendar year on rehabilitation, education, and species propagation activities.