WOW WOW WOW!! Where do we even begin?? On Monday, July 17th, we hosted our 32nd Annual Golf Outing, and we exceeded all of our goals! We smashed ALL of our previous golf outing records, from our outstanding 119 golfers who filled the course, to the amazing TWENTY-EIGHT returning and new sponsors, to the generous local businesses that provided 45 raffle/auction baskets, and the 40 wonderful volunteers who helped run all of our course activities. We are thrilled to announce that this year’s outing raised over $43,000!!
THANK YOU to this year’s sponsors, who helped make the day so great!
Eagle Sponsor: Prevea
Birdie Sponsors: Everdry Waterproofing Fox Valley, Interstate Batteries
Par Sponsors: Appleton Axe, The New Arena, Co., Todd Steven & Associates, Inc.
Prize Sponsors: Lakeland Care, Miller Welders, N&M Transfer Co., Inc., Adrienne Nelson and Family
Hole Sponsors: BEST Enterprise, BMO, The Bridge Rescue, CMD Corporation, Community First Credit Union, Edward Jones-Financial Advisor: Holly Mrstik, FreedomWear Co., Gardan, Inc., Guardianlife, Steve Guyette – Thrivent, Stone Creek Haven, The Village Companies, Wisconsin Deer Hunters Fox Wolf Chapter, The Buckley Family, The Detienne Family, The Van Nuland Family
If you haven’t attended our outing- it is way more than golf! There are many things that set our Golf Outing apart, one of which is the fantastic raffles, auctions, and prizes that we offer!
Thank you SO much to the following businesses that donated gift cards, items, and experiences to help make this our best event yet!
Agea Salon & Spa, Appleton Axe, Appleton Indoor Golf, Avenue Jewelers, Badger State Brewing Company, Bergstrom Corporation, Cedar Harbor Home Décor & Gifts, Chick-fil-A Appleton, Fleet Farm Appleton, FreedomWear Co., Great Harvest Bread Company, Green Bay Gamblers, Green Bay Packers, Green Bay Rockers, Ho Chunk Gaming Wittenberg, Katsu-Ya of Japan, Manderfields Bakery, McCarty Law, Menominee Casino Resort, Milwaukee Food and City Tours, Paine Art Center & Gardens, PDQ Car Washes, Scheels, Stein’s Garden & Home, Swimtastic Swim School, The Building for Kids, Tim’s Full Belli Deli, Valley Management, Wisconsin Herd, Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
Thank you to the The Real Estate Group Foundation Fund (TREG Foundation) within the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley for their $750 grant in support of SOAR Youth Programs!
In order to support the growing Youth Programs at SOAR Fox Cities, we remodeled space in our building to become a Youth Clubhouse! This was no small feat, and included investments in sensory support materials, comfortable seating, crafts, games, storage, and more! The TREG Foundation generously supported our efforts with a $750 grant to purchase some of these needed supplies. We would like to extend our sincerest thanks to the The TREG Foundation for their support of our expanding program!
Thank you to the Helen Thom Roemer Fund for their $2,500 grant in support of SOAR Fox Cities’ Youth Program!
SOAR works towards inclusion, and that starts with our Youth. Our programs for elementary, middle, and high school students with and without disabilities teach kids how to work together and see others for their abilities, rather than disabilities. We also teach social and life skills, enhance problem-solving capacities, and provide opportunities for our participants to build relationships with their peers. We would like to extend our sincerest thanks to the Helen Thom Roemer Fund for their support and dedication to creating school and communities where all members feel celebrated, included, and welcomed!
Thank you to US Bank for their $2,000 grant in support of SOAR Fox Cities’ Youth Programs!
SOAR Fox Cities Youth Programs engage youth with and without disabilities in problem-solving, team-building activities that teach skills, build relationships, and foster values of acceptance and inclusion. These program includes Kidz Klub and Teen Stop, after school programs for elementary and middle school youth respectively, in-school Activity Days, Teens and Transitioning youth, an out of school program providing activities for high school youth, and a summer day camp for youth ages 6-16, K.I.T.E. Kamp. Together with US Bank we provide spaces where children of all abilities can feel valued, make friends, learn new things, and grow in self-confidence. Thank you for your support!
When the clock counted down on New Years, no one could have anticipated what this year would bring. We have all been presented with challenges and isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With that being said, these challenges created opportunities for SOAR to be creative and adapt the way we offer programs to continue supporting our participants, regardless of the circumstances.
Our Executive Director, Erin Schultz said, “When our office first closed in March because of the pandemic we heard from many participants and their families – with many of their other services being stopped or severely restricted, isolation and loneliness were setting in. They needed connection, but above all, they needed hope and it was in that moment we knew we needed to find a way to relaunch our programs.”
Cassidy is one of the many SOAR participants who experienced this. When the pandemic started, Cassidy temporarily lost her job and her usual community activities were unavailable. The virtual sessions and adapted programs that SOAR quickly launched allowed her to safely engage with SOAR friends and staff. Some of her favorite adapted activities were SOAR’s Virtual 5K, Disney Trivia on Facebook Live, Baking Class Zoom and Parking Lot Bingo. Cassidy will tell you, “SOAR’s virtual activities are different, but a lot of fun!”
People with differing abilities need social connections, support, and hope now more than ever. Will you take this opportunity to help by donating to SOAR Fox Cities’ Annual Appeal?
We are so grateful to all of the teams, sponsors, donors, and supporters who made our first-ever Amazing Fund-Racer such a success! It was a beautiful day for some socially-distanced fun, and we were so impressed by the creativity and enthusiasm that teams showed in their scavenger hunt submissions! This fast-paced, socially-distant, city-wide event raised over $5,000 for SOAR Programs that empower youth and adults with disabilities! Thanks to the following event sponsors for their support: Meijer, Menasha, Innovative Services, Inc., Green Stem LLC, Schroeder Moving Systems, Inc., College Connectors, Relish and Roots, Sabre Lanes, and Liberty Hall! We cannot wait to host this event again next fall- hope to see you there!
