Welcome to SOAR 2024! As an Official Featured Charity of the Los Angeles Marathon, I wanted to offer my eternal thanks for choosing to embrace a program that truly changes lives! When we began SOAR 16 years ago, the goal was simple— find a way to offer a no cost marathon training program to youth in need living in the Santa Clarita Valley. The term “in need” can be tricky to define, but for SOAR, is best pinned as social-emotional, physical, or economic in nature. Since it’s very inception one objective has remained absolute— offer a program that is exceptional in quality and has life changing impact. To that end, SOAR boasts an astounding 100% marathon completion rate for all participants since the program began in 2007. Unfortunately quality comes at a price. Training costs for each student run roughly $1,500 once you figure transportation, insurance, equipment, training supplies and event registration fees. Since we plan on supporting 30 students for this year's season, that means we’ll have to raise about $30K to pay the bills. Here’s where your support is crucial! As a 2024 program participant, you will be asked to raise funds in support of SOAR’s mission. This year we’re asking each student and adult participant in training to raise $700. To help reach these goals, we have fundraising activities planned, but support can also come from family members, co-workers, friends, social networking contacts, and individual campaigns. To keep things as simple as possible SOAR maintains its own web-based fundraising platform where friends and family can donate on-line using a credit card via secure server. Please review our charity participant expectations below, and feel free to contact me at 661.877.7024 if you have any questions.

Thanks again for your support!
Kevin Sarkissian
Director / Assistant Coach
661-877-7024

******* IMPORTANT IMPORTANT ****** 2024 Charity Participant Expectations ****** IMPORTANT IMPORTANT ******

1 ) Commit to a proven marathon training schedule— either with Team 2024 or on your own.

2) Register and fundraise using our Official Haku Team Fundraising Site by 10/31/24.

*** BACK FOR 2024 - Charity Suite Access and Marathon Bus Ticket are Now Included with your Charity commitment. Yezzzzzzzzzzzz!!! ***

All SOAR Charity Runners agree to raise $700 in program support for their student in training even if injury or personal conflict results in an inability to train and subsequent withdrawal from the marathon. Participants not having met their $700 fundraising minimum by 3/08/24 agree to pay the balance of their commitment via pre-authorized credit or debit card transaction by 3/12/24**

The following credits / incentives will apply toward minimum charity fundraising goals if optioned:
* Head Coach commitment - $100
* Assistant Coach commitment - $100
* Mardi Gras Madness steering committee participation - $100 (Contact Coach Kevin for details on this option).
* Mardi Gras Madness Team participation - Registration credit applies (Contact Coach Kevin for details on this option).

3) Submit payment to SOAR for $170 —your official LA Marathon entry fee— by 10/31/2023.

4) Register for the LA Marathon using Team 2024 Official Invitation and Comp Codes by 12/31/23.

5) Provide credit / debit card authorization when completing your Team 2024 Haku Fundraising Page in order to satisfy the balance of your $700 charity commitment after 3/12/24 if needed.