Specialized Outdoor Adaptive Recreation
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SOAR
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Specialized Outdoor Adaptive Recreation - SOAR -
Specialized Outdoor Adaptive Recreation
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SOAR
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Specialized Outdoor Adaptive Recreation - SOAR -
SOAR Experiences
A NY State Registered Charitable Not-For-Profit Organization for
Adaptive Outdoor Adventures
SOAR Experiences is a not-for-profit organization offering experiences, education and charitable opportunities promoting outdoor recreation to guests with mobility impairments.
Our adaptive adventures offer “Miles of Smiles” to clients at our facility in Ellenville, NY and many other venues. Watch our slideshow to see how we help guests enjoy outdoor adaptive recreation, and educate university students about the benefits of these activities for both physical and mental well being.
At SOAR Experiences, we embrace the belief that nature's wonders should be accessible to everyone. Our commitment to inclusivity drives us to provide opportunities for individuals with mobility impairments to experience and enjoy the great outdoors.
Accessibility Meets Adventure
Our Services
Adaptive Experiences - Our adaptive programs, which include hiking, air gun marksmanship, off road passenger ride-along and much more, are based at our Ellenville, NY location through SOAR Experiences. Our guests can forge unforgettable memories in a supervised and supportive environment. Our adaptive hiking program can be offered at other venues as well.
Educational - Universities, Occupational Therapy Schools, State & Local Parks will benefit from learning about outdoor recreation inclusion for patients/guests with mobility disabilities. Our in-person or webinar based presentations have been delivered at venues across the country.
Partnered Programming - Clients can leverage our 5+ years experience of providing adaptive outdoor activities. We are available to assist in the design, launch and operations of your own Outdoor Adaptive Program.
Non-Profit - We realize many people with mobility impairments may be financially challenged. One of our goals is to offer adaptive experiences at low cost to our clients, achieved through ongoing fundraising, grants and donations. Please contact us to learn how you or your organization can help us help others.
How We Started
Our Adaptive program began in March 2019 when two paraplegic guests wanted to be trained to drive off road in a Jeep at our off road driving school (Northeast Off Road Adventures, est. 2011). They brought along temporary hand controls which we outfitted into one of our rental vehicles, and we all had an amazing experience.
After training, they urged us to create a program specifically for guests with mobility impairments and we said yes. We worked together over the next several months to build the needed infrastructure. Our first “Adaptive Sampler” program was for 15 guests from Helen Hayes Hospital in August 2019. The event was featured in a video by Wheels2Walking’s Richard Corbett and has over 159,000 views to date. The Specialized Outdoor Adaptive Recreation (SOAR) Program was formalized as a part of NORA and we began acquiring adaptive equipment to expand our offerings.
Over the years, NORA’s SOAR program has provided experiences to guests from Rehabilitation Hospitals, Universities and Veterans Organizations serving both groups and individuals. We launched our Action Trackchair factory authorized dealership under the STARR Adventures company in 2020, selling and servicing chairs in NY, NJ, PA, MA & CT to individuals, rehabilitation hospitals and veterans hospitals.
The adaptive program grew in momentum and popularity, deserving its own identity as an organization, so in late 2023 we created:
Specialized Outdoor Adaptive Recreation (SOAR) Experiences, Inc.
SOAR Experiences is a registered New York State Charitable Not-For-Profit organization offering experiences, education and opportunities promoting outdoor recreation to guests with mobility impairments. Our application for IRS Tax Exempt status 501(c)(3) has been filed and is pending approval, expected in late 2025.
Contact us to learn more, or to find out how you can help us to help others.