Levy will help meet community needs

Setting our sights ahead for our children and community, the Sisters Organization for Activities and Recreation District (SOAR District) has been providing a variety of programs, activities and events for the Sisters Community.

The SOAR District is at the crossroads of becoming a complete recreation district, providing activities, specialty classes, events and facilities for the entire community’s use.

The SOAR District presently offers programs like after-school tutoring, child care, pre-school programs, teen club activities, elementary and middle school sports, English language learner programs, adult sports, art, wilderness and fitness programs, youth wilderness classes, fitness classes, PKS classes, Taekwondo classes for all ages, art and drama programs, computer classes and more.

SOAR also sponsors basketball and baseball tournaments that bring thousands of out-of-area athletes and their families to the Sisters community and, according to surveys, bring over $1.5 million of income to community businesses annually.

In the past we have received over $140,000 a year in federal and state grant funds to fully or partially fund popular programs, like our teen club, wilderness programs, tutoring and our English Language Learner program. These grants are no longer available, as a result of a change in focus in government funding. Another challenge is the fact that granting agencies prefer to fund start-up projects, but expect organizations to create their own funding for ongoing programs.

Combine these challenges with the growing number of children needing scholarships, the need to upgrade a transportation fleet and the community’s rapid growth. The SOAR District is asking your help to pass a five-year Local Option for 35 cents per $1,000 property valuation. If your home is on the tax rolls at $150,000 this local option levy would cost you less than $54 per year or $4.38 per month.

What will your tax dollars be used for?

• 24 cents per $1,000 will be used to maintain and develop new programs, purchase two newer vans and provide scholarships for children of low income families. Since the inception of SOAR in 1995, the number of families in the community that qualify as low income has increased from 15 percent to 26 percent (at Sisters Elementary School). We expect this trend to continue.

The Cabana Club, which is our teen club for middle school and high school students, has been funded with grants. It serves hundreds of teens each year with after-school, evening and non-school time activities. The SOAR District wants to be able to continue this program and expand it to include more Friday and Saturday night programs.

We would also use local option funds to support our after-school tutoring program, expand our outdoor wilderness adventure program and expand our preschool program. The SOAR District would also set aside funds each year to purchase newer model vans to replace our present vehicles.

• 11 cents per $1,000 will be used to match grant funds for completing Phase 2 of the SOAR Community Activity Center, which will include a seniors’/community activity room with a kitchen, additional classroom and an auditorium/gymnasium.

A portion of the funds will also be used for skate park equipment and completion of the community ball fields.

With the completion of Phase 2 of our community activity center, the SOAR District would be able to increase its programs to include more adult and senior activities with use of the seniors/adult activity room and the auditorium.

The multi-purpose gymnasium/auditorium can be used for a wide variety of activities.

The seniors/adult activity room would be used for group meetings, luncheons, social groups, card groups or just a place for adults and seniors to socialize.

The SOAR District has been evolving into a complete Recreation District with development of programs for all ages, facilities that include a community center, skate park and community ball fields.

We need your help to better meet the needs of our community.