Southern Ohio Amateur Radio Association (SOARA) is a community service club that provides radio communications to support Lawrence County and surrounding areas.

While perhaps most recognizable as the ones walking around during the Memorial Day Parade with hand-held radios, they also play a role in disaster relief operations when more modern forms of communications fail, said Ken Massie, SOARA public information officer.

“When everything else fails, hams still can communicate,” Massie said. “We are like an insurance policy, you never hope things are bad enough to need us, but you are thankful we are there when you do — and would find yourself bad off if we weren’t.”

Read the full story - http://www.irontontribune.com/2013/02/26/amateur-radio-association-raising-funds/