To Our SOFT Family:

SOFT is an organization that has always and will always put families first. In light of the arrival of COVID-19 in the United States, the Board of Directors convened to discuss appropriate actions that should be taken in order to keep our members, and most importantly our SOFT children, safe.

We know the Coronavirus situation is stressful, and we take seriously our charge to proactively mitigate the risks it poses to our membership. Please know that the Board’s decision is made with everyone’s safety and well-being in mind.

Because of the risks posed by air travel, and the increasing recommendations from state government agencies to limit/cancel events, the SOFT Board of Directors has made the almost impossible decision to postpone the 2020 Roanoke Virginia Conference until July of 2021. We are working together to create a plan to provide virtual workshops and events through livestream the week that conference would have originally taken place (July 15-19, 2020). SOFT will be keeping the membership updated with information on the website and our social media accounts.

It is up to each attendee to cancel their hotel, flight, and car rental reservations. The hotel has informed us that they may be cancelling reservations that have already been made for the SOFT block of rooms. If you have made reservations at the conference hotel please call the Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center at 540-985-5900 to cancel if they have not already done so. If you have made reservations for air travel or car rental please call the appropriate providers to cancel.

Each year our SOFT Founder stands in front of all of us and says “Welcome home.” We know that many of you travel from near and far to experience that feeling of belonging, that feeling of being at home. This year, it will break our hearts not to be face to face with our old friends and meet so many new ones. We thank you for understanding that this decision was made with you, the SOFT families and loved ones, at the forefront of our minds. Thank you for your patience and support as we navigate this very difficult situation.

Be well!
The SOFT Board of Directors