2020 Highlights

Steady as She Goes

Calendar year 2020 was most definitely challenging, and a time when the saying “steady as she goes” is helpful to remind us all to do just that... be steady, be mindful, give grace and understanding. We appreciate our supporters and friends as they provided the reassurance and support needed to continue SOAR’s work during difficult times.

Hawk Building Maintenance

SOAR’s “hawk building” is how old? Unfortunately, older than we realize. The structure was originally attached to the Veterinary Associates of Manning building and was de-constructed and rebuilt at the current location in 1999-2000. Twenty-one years as the main SOAR facility is beginning to show. A bit of rust here and there, damaged skylights, scuffed paint - the same things that can happen to any structure over time.

Much of the last 18 months has been devoted to the needed upkeep. This is done in ‘spurts’ when a 10’ x 20’ flight pen is empty, then that particular area is updated. The biggest task is replacing rusted steel on the building and divider walls between the flight pens. In some places new steel was put up and in others, just the bottom 4’ was replaced with material meant to be cleaned often with water. The skylight panels are also being replaced in the small flight pens, along with turf on the perches!



Plus, the ICU floors were painted with an epoxy paint that helps with clean-up of the projectile poop!

There are still more maintenance tasks to complete. Steady as she goes

New Flight Pens needed

In the very near future, two new flight pens will be need to be constructed, one for kestrels (like pictured here headed for the flight pen) and one for screech owls. Minimum size requirements for unlimited activity / flight conditioning housing are 8’ wide x 16’ long x 8’ high for both of these raptors. The cost of building materials may impact when this project starts. Watch the website and Facebook page for a fundraiser announcement.

Rehab, Education, and Research Highlights

Rehabilitation Highlights

While some aspects of SOAR’s activities did change in 2020, the number of raptors in need of assistance was relatively steady compared to 2019. The August 2020 derecho impacted many individuals and communities across the state. Two hatch-year 2020 turkey vultures and two hatch-year 2020 Mississippi kites were admitted on the day of or within a few days of the storm from impacted areas. Both of these species can be late nesters in the state. Other “not usual” admits included one Swainson’s hawk and two rough-legged hawks.

All rescuers, transporters, and finders had limited contact with each other this year, being mindful of our collective health.

Rescuers and Transporters

Our thanks goes out to all who have continued to help SOAR over the last 18 months - including our volunteers, other rehabilitation groups and their volunteers, our veterinarians, our state and federal conservation officers, police officers and county deputies, natural resource agency and county conservation staff, local humane societies and city animal rescue staff, plus the concerned citizens that make initial contact. We could not do this without our donors and our cooperating veterinarians and their clinics! A special shout-out to those that traveled halfway to meet us - so helpful!

SOAR Education Programs

The SOAR 2020 program calendar was full before a public health crisis altered everyone’s day-to-day activities. At year end, SOAR was at 16 events with 28 programs that reached over 1,890 individuals. Unfortunately, 25 programs were cancelled in 2020. Normally, SOAR would have 60-70 face-to-face programs scheduled in a year. Not only did we have programs cancel, but we had folks that never even called to schedule! Program fees help support SOAR’s rehabilitation program. That translated into about $10,000 less in donations.

As you can imagine, programming remains down in 2021 because of COVID. Program questions can be sent to educate@soarraptors.org. Public events are posted on the website events page.

Bald Eagles and Lead Research

SOAR will be part of the virtual Lead in Wildlife Symposia on 9 October 2021, as part of the 2021 Raptor Research Foundation and Neotropical Raptor Network Conference! SOAR will present on the 17 years (2004-2020) of bald eagle lead level testing data from wildlife rehabilitators in Iowa. Without getting into the nitty-gritty of the data and their presentation, the analysis reveals that over time there is an increase in the total number of bald eagles admitted to rehabilitation facilities and NO change in the prevalence of lead poisoning. We will share the analysis after the conference.
 

SOAR Stewardship

Thank you to our friends, donors, and supporters! You all help us with the SOAR mission through your donations of talent, time, money, and requested items. Without your generosity, SOAR would not exist as it does now, nor could we provide care to our birdie patients. SOAR uses these resources wisely to support our mission of raptor rehabilitation, education, and research.

Income and Expense Summary

Here is a comparison of SOAR’s income and expenses for 2020 (green bars) and 2019 (blue bars). PayPal donations include all monthly and periodic donations through this platform. Contributions include all other monthly and periodic donations.

2020 donations were much less than in 2019. Those that donate monthly using PayPal accounted for 50% of all PayPal donations in 2020. All your monthly donations, regardless of platform, help SOAR be “steady” as we go.

In Remembrance

Thank you to those individuals and groups that donated in honor of or in memory of someone dear to them in the last year. If any remembrance was missed, please advise admin@soarraptors.org.

In memory of...
“Dad Decorah”
Beverly Fritcher
Karel S. Johnson
Ruth Yacome
Cheryl Lamb

In honor of...
Sheila Rogers
Kathy Baugh
Ambassador Decorah
James W Bailey
 

The Many Ways to Support SOAR

• Check with your employer or investment manager about matching gift programs or donor-advised funds.
• Mark SOAR as your Amazon Smile charity
• Visit and purchase a gift certificate for food or supplies from our Amazon Wish List. Please have gift certificates sent to SOAR at 25494 320th St., Dedham, IA 51440 or if electronic to fly@soarraptors.org.
• Write a review for SOAR on the Great Nonprofits website
• Shop the SOAR Store
• Become a monthly donor
• Include SOAR in your planned giving. Please contact Linette at admin@soarraptors.org and she can help your accountant, lawyer, or financial planner with the needed information.
• Invite SOAR for educational experience to your Iowa group even

Top-Rated Nonprofit

Even though SOAR has been honored with the Top-Rated Award for 2020 from Great Nonprofits, SOAR still needs more positive reviews to achieve Top-Rated status in 2021! Add your review here https://greatnonprofits.org/org/saving-our-avian-resources-s-o-a-r

We appreciate all of your contributions.
 

Release Party - Mark Your Calendar

SOAR’s annual release celebration has a new location for 2021!

Sunday, October 3, 2021
2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
The former Iowa 4-H Camp
1991 Peach Ave, Madrid, Iowa