4/28/07 6:15pm News Flash:

The squirrel has flown her nest yet again!

Thank you for your continued support of SOAR. If you are interested in making a donation to operation Freefall 2007, please feel free to do so. for your conveinence this website will be accepting pledges into May.

In 2008 I will of course continue my personal support of Operation Freefall; instead flying into a Pennsylvania or Ohio Drop Zone

(whoever has the coolest planes).

Please check back soon for a link which will take you to my pictures as well as video of Operation Freefall 2007.

Sincerely~ Squirrely (DR KS)

Operation Freefall  2007

A Project Of SOAR

SOAR  817a Virginia Drive  Orlando FL 32803

email:  info@soar99.org  (407) 898-0693

When Kellie Green, the founder of Speaking Out About Rape (SOAR), made her first skydive on January 18, 1999, she had no idea that it would become a national event. It was her way of reclaiming the day she was sexually assaulted. On January 18, 1994, Kellie’s life was devastated by rape. Five years later, she regained control. Through the healing process, Kellie’s perspective evolved from “rape victim" to "rape survivor" to "Kellie Greene, person." This is the spirit of Operation Freefall.

In 2006, I myself found my Operation Freefall participation to be an equally liberating experience from circumstances different than Kellie's. Augustin Burrows describes the devastation of childhood sexual abuse, with poignant accuracy in his memoir "Running with Scissors":  

"I feel like I've walked through some door, into some room and I'll never be able to leave. I feel like nothing is the same. Just like that. Nothing will ever be the same again........... I also feel like I can't ever tell anybody about this although I really really want to. What happened has to all be mine. I feel crowded by this. Like I need to go home and think about it for a week or maybe the rest of my life."

The mental health costs of sexual assault survivors are very high, studies have shown that 25 - 50% of rape and child sexual abuse survivors receive some sort of mental health treatment as a result of the victimization. (Miller, 1996) For the most recent report specifically regarding childhood sexual assault you may visit the following pdf webfile: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/saycrle.pdf

Unfortunately the consequences of sexual assault are not always "physical", and are not always immediate. 80% of survivors will suffer from chronic physical or psychological conditions over time. (Strategies for the Treatment and Prevention of Sexual Assault. 1995) Rape survivors are also 13 times more likely to attempt suicide. (Rape in America: A Report to the Nation, 1992) 26% of women with bulimia nervosa were raped at some point in their lives.

Additionally, sexual assault has the highest annual survivor cost of any crime. The annual survivor costs are $127 billion (excluding child sex abuse cases). This is followed by assault at $93 billion per year, murder (excluding arson and drunk driving) at $61 billion and child abuse at $56 billion per year. (Miller, 1996)

Devastating reality and life experience are "why" I’ve committed myself to this event; personally as well as professionally until I "Squirrely" can no longer jump out of perfectly good airplanes. 

On April 28th, 2007, I’ll again be participating in "Operation Freefall": the nation’s boldest, highest-altitude, and most daring effort to put an end to sexual assault.  I’ll be joining hundreds of individuals at skydive centers across the country who will take to the sky 2 miles high and jump , to raise awareness and money for sexual assault.

By participating in Operation Freefall 2007, I’ll be raising funds for Speaking Out About Rape (SOAR).

Your contribution will support the following services and initiatives:

Ensure access to free, confidential counseling to victims of sexual assault, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through support of local rape crisis centers.

Extend efforts to provide prevention, recovery, and prosecution information to tens of millions of people, across the country and in your community, each year. 

Expand SOAR’s programs to educate lawmakers, police officers, students and the media about sexual assault. 

I’ve agreed to raise $1500.00 before May 1st, and I need your support. Would you consider making a tax-deductible pledge to help me achieve my goal?  Prior to determing if you wish to donate, you may peruse the weblinks above for additional information. You may give your tax-deductible donation at this website. 

[SOAR’s Tax ID number is 59-3619948]

If you would prefer to make your pledge offline you may download a pledge form from  http://www.operationfreefall.com/register.html 

and please indicate that I am the sponsored jumper. All checks should be made directly payable to Operation Freefall.

I hope you’ll share in this incredible adventure by supporting me in my fundraising efforts.  If you should have interest in jumping yourself, you may also check out  www.operationfreefall.com

If you want to share a bit of what I'll be experiencing during the 2007 event, please check out the live footage of Operation Freefall 2006: http://www.realxstream.com/Operation_Freefall_2006.aspx

Thank you kindly for your generous support.

"Flying the friendly skies"~ Dr KS aka "Squirrely" 

 Assistant Professor of Neuropsychiatric Pharmacy Practice

Albany College of Pharmacy

106 New Scotland Avenue

Albany NY, 12208