My name is Joanne Zacharias and I am a member of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community. I volunteer my time for an amazing non-profit Organization called Simply Outdoor Experiences (SOE). They are based out of St. Cloud, MN but travel all over the state of Minnesota to do their events.

The concept for SOE started in 2007 because of Woody Sankey’s passion for sharing the great outdoors with others. Woody is the Executive Director and I am a Pro-Staff Member /Event Coordinator for Simply Outdoor Experiences. SOE is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization which creates opportunities for families, veterans, and people with special needs.

We Touch Hearts by creating over 20,000 hours of family time every year through our Simply Outdoors Experiences Program! SOE provides all the essential tools to be successful in the great outdoors which leads to being successful throughout your life. Through our mentoring and teaching, we strive to give all families a meaningful outdoor experience that will last a lifetime!

Volunteering for Simply Outdoor Experiences has changed my life. I have met so many special people through this program. I have been a boat captain several times and each time I get to teach them some basic skills for fishing. I have had a variety of different people in my boat, and I have to say that these were some of the BEST ever fishing experiences. The feeling that you get when a kid catches their first fish is heartfelt to say the least. We bring all the needed equipment for them to use and spend our time helping them catch fish and making memories! That is what SOE is about, touching hearts and making memories!

For more information or if you would like to donate, please visit our website: www.simplyoutdoorexperiences.org.