Manuel Marquez, MD, serves as a group leader with Road Scholar in Boston, Massachusetts, and as a tour director with Insight Vacations by Destination America in Anaheim, California. In addition to his work, Manuel Marquez, MD, donates to a number of organizations, including Save Open Space and Agricultural Resources (SOAR), which has made a major impact in Ventura County, California.
Since its inception, SOAR has worked diligently to maintain greenbelts between cities, aiming to preserve the distinct identity of each jurisdiction while protecting large expanses of greenery for people who want to escape urban areas. Much of the land protected by SOAR is farmland, which produces fruits and vegetables that people can buy fresh from their local markets. Less fossil fuel is used to transport food as a result. Also, the crops and other vegetation play a key role in cleaning the air.
SOAR has also helped promote Ventura County’s economic growth. The protected farmland is among the most productive in the country and plays a key role in the nation’s $2 billion agricultural industry. This land attracts new businesses and helps create high-paying jobs.
