Article originally posted on www.postcrescent.com on 3/6/2015.
By Jim Collar
APPLETON – The Arc Fox Cities, which has improved the lives of those with developmental disabilities for decades, has changed its name to match its mission.
The organization is now known as SOAR Fox Cities.
“This is what family members want for their loved ones,” said Executive Director Sonia Barham. “They want them to soar in life.”
SOAR Fox Cities will use March — Developmental Disabilities Month — as a springboard to acclimate the community to its new name and brand.
The name change became official in July, but leaders took a slow, patient approach to making the transition. They wanted to ensure that participants were comfortable with the name change.
The new logo will be unveiled at a Thursday banquet dubbed “SOAR to the Stars” at Fox Cities Stadium in Grand Chute.
SOAR Fox Cities accommodates roughly 1,200 participants and has 19,000 client contacts each year. Its Special Olympics program includes nearly 230 athletes.
The organization serves as an advocate and as a resource for families, and it helps people of all ages.
Adult programming includes health and safety, conflict resolution and independent living. SOAR offers camps and a variety of structured activities such as dances and trips to events.
It provides assistance to families as well as participants. As participants learn, socialize and enjoy the community, parents can shop, recreate or simply relax while knowing their loved ones are in good hands.
Terry Wadel of Appleton said her son Brett, who has Down syndrome, has established lifelong friendships. It has given him access to the world that some take for granted. The 27-year-old, unlike his siblings, can’t simply hop in the car and head to the mall.
“Without all of these activities, his world would be very small,” Terry Wadel said.
SOAR isn’t an acronym. Capital letters were chosen to make a bold expression.
Barham said the typical response of families to the name change is: “It’s about time.”
The organization began as the Association of Retarded Children. It later became the Association of Retarded Citizens. While the acronym was removed from the name in the early 1990s, the awareness of what Arc stands for hasn’t faded away.
SOAR Fox Cities will bring its message to the community in several ways this month. On the week of March 9, officials will head to Fox Valley schools to raise awareness about developmental disabilities. On March 26, “positive picket” will be held in downtown Appleton to spread the word.
The name change is the latest of several milestones in the last decade.
The current nonprofit began in 2006 with the merger of Neenah-Menasha and Outagamie County Arcs. In 2013, the Arc joined with NAMI Fox Valley to purchase the office building at 211 E. Franklin St. in Appleton. The move brought higher participation due to the close proximity of the building to the Valley Transit Center.
Fox Valley Arc organizations were developed by families in the 1950s who were dissatisfied with the services and wanted more for their children. It was a time when people with developmental disabilities were either institutionalized or kept in the home. An effort was undertaken to make them true members of the community.
Times have changed, but there’s still room for progress and the name change is another step, Barham said.
Wadel said the name is more than a description; it sets a direction.
“For me, it simply means we’re rising to new heights,” Wadel said.
— Jim Collar: 920-993-1000, ext. 216, or [email protected]; on Twitter @JimCollar
If you go
What: SOAR to the Stars. The event will include hors d’oeuvres, musicians from the Fox Valley Symphony Orchestra, awards and a fireworks display.
When: 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday
Where: Fox Cities Stadium, club level
Tickets: $35. They are available at www.arcfoxcities.com.
Donations: Those who can’t attend the event can make a financial donation. There is a matching gift grant from a donor within the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region. The grant will match donations up to $7,500.
