For the past sixteen years, the Southern Ontario Amazing Race has been a tradition. During those years, SOAR raised over a million dollars for the Children’s Foundation of Guelph and Wellington. For many of us as volunteers, racers, and the Director team, it has become a tradition and something to look forward to each June.
In January 2020, our crew of directors met and began planning for SOAR 2020, an event that would never come to pass with the pandemic looming on the horizon.
In January 2021, we regrouped again and explored all kinds of potential options to pick back up again. Ultimately we made another tough decision to postpone, unwilling to compromise on the calibre of event that all of you have come to expect from us.
As we fast forward to January 2022, we’d be remiss to pretend like the world we know has not changed. We’re learning to live in this new world, we’re adapting, and we’re moving forward. and as much as the world has changed, so have we. However, one thing that hasn’t changed is our commitment to upholding the spirit of the event that SOAR became. Delivering anything less than our best isn’t an option. For that reason, we have collectively decided that the race had not just been yielded but had reached its final pit stop in the summer of 2019.
While we were not anticipating this would be the way we would have to say goodbye to something we’ve watched grow and thrive over the years, there is a lot we can look back on and reflect on our achievements. The competitive rivalries turned friendships, the places we’ve discovered across the province, all the wicked cool things we’ve done, and most importantly, the impact we’ve made on the lives of those we have helped through the charitable proceeds fundraised throughout the life of the event. We collectively made a difference to so many.
We want to take a moment to thank each and every one of you for being a part of SOAR, for volunteering your time, for signing up to the race and raising funds, for being a part of our SOAR family and for building it up to be the success that it was. While this is the end, this is not goodbye; we would like to try (gathering restrictions permitting) and host a SOAR outdoor barbeque type event in Guelph this summer/fall and share more details when we have more information. We would love to see you all there.
Sincerely,
The Southern Ontario Amazing Race Director Team
Fantastic race that is both fun and challenging while not being too overly physical. Raises money for a great cause. All the challenges were excellent and very well run. The organizers and volunteers are amazing and do an unbelievable job of pulling such a complex race off with barely a hitch. It really is an Amazing race!!!
Jon Prosser – 2019 Racer
First off, all proceeds from Racer fundraising go to a wonderful cause supporting children in Guelph and Wellington. The Race itself is extremely well organized from start to finish. As a two-time racer, my advice: pack light, read the clue at least twice and ENJOY. Expect the unexpected, to get wet, to be exhausted, to have your brain bent, to have many many laughs and to experience things you have never experienced before.
Alex Klein – 2019 Racer
I must say that was an incredible experience. The team at the Southern Ontario Amazing Race put together a truly amazing adventure for all of us! We met one of the greatest group of volunteers you could have help motivating you through this tough challenge, recording our moves and making sure we kept going.
Ron Bauman – Past Racer