My Nonprofit Reviews

Ambassadors at SOAR Thora and Decorah...this photo was posted by SOAR 8/17/17...in updated outside weathering area...with individual pools yet! This picture made me smile and, of course, is just a part of the many services Kay, the staff and volunteers provide for our sick and injured avian population.

So, here I am for the fourth year, advocating for SOAR to be Top- Rated as a nonprofit by the group Great Nonprofits. Caring for raptors and other birds entails so much more than medical care; feeding, housing, rehabilitation services, transport are all costs that need to be covered. SOAR's extraordinary outreach to educate on ways we humans can protect our avian populations and avian environments are an ever present part of SOAR's mission.

More and more nature cams are touching human hearts, more and more human appreciation for our wild life grows, as does awareness of organizations that help our injured wildlife. My family and I have been pleased to contribute to SOAR...such a worthwhile nonprofit.

I have been a fan, a follower, of SOAR since Ambassador Decorah was first brought to them by Bob Anderson after being rescued. I often check SOAR's Patient pages to see how current rescues are progressing. The wide variety of birds rescued, treated and rehabbed by SOAR director Kay Neumann, her staff and volunteers is uplifting; but, as a non-profit there is always a need for funds. Vet fees, test equipment, medicine, flight cages, not to mention food, are just a few of expenses in running rehab facility. I try to do my bit by buying gas cards to pass out to the volunteers who pick up and deliver injured birds to SOAR a few times a year.

Besides caring for all the patients at their facility, SOAR trains and provides Ambassador birds and works with other organizations conducting research, and does education outreach. Earlier this year was heartbreaking when 13 Eagles were brought in for care and only one survived for release this summer. SOAR's multi-faceted education efforts to make the public aware of the dangers of lead poisoning are so very important...whether presenting to schools, hunting groups, conservation groups or making information available on alternatives to lead hunting and fishing to where lead free ammunition can be purchased.

Every year SOAR patient intakes increase...every year the need for funds also increases.

I have been following SOAR since Ambassador Decorah was rescued by Bob Anderson of RRP, from a stream unable to fly because of a broken wing, and was turned over to the care of SOAR. Although Decorah will not be able to fly free, his journey to becoming an educational ambassador is an amazing story. Besides care and rehabilitation, SOAR also provides Invaluable education on lead free hunting and fishing by raising awareness of dangers lead is to our nation's raptors. SOAR's patient reports show the depths of their care for our raptors.

On a personal note, I have been happy to donate to SOAR, and on my past birthday, my 74th, my family knowing of my love of Eagles and support for SOAR, went to SOAR's Amazon wish list and presented me with a package of gift cards from stores on that list to forward to SOAR. An amazing gift and a joy for me to send along to SOAR.

For the first time, last year, I was introduced to eaglecams; first the Alcoa cam, then the Berry cam, and then the Decorah cam. Again this year, I followed the eagle families from egg to fledgling, officially becoming one of a growing number of eagelholics! I was introduced to S.O.A.R when Decorah eaglet D20 was injured, rescued by Bob of RRP and S.O.A.R , and taken to S.O.A.R for treatment. This facility does an amazing job caring for, rehabbing and finally (hopefully) releasing eagles and other birds, and educating through outreach programs to community. S.O.A.R also works to educate sportsmen of the dangers lead has on avian populations and also works with power companies to identify and take remedial action on poles that pose risk to all birds. I am amazed that such a relatively small organization as S.O.A.R , with its dedicated staff and volunteers, could have such a huge impact. As such, S.O.A.R is indeed worthy of being recognized as a GREAT non-profit.

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