Sharing The Love Of Kites

by Clifford J Quinn
(Coopersburg, PA, U.S.A.)

This past August I spent a week in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. I was a volunteer at the Ronald McDonald Charities summer camp for children with cancer.

I was known to everybody as "kite man". During the week I conducted kite workshops with the youngsters who were 7 to 17 years old. We made Sled kites, Diamond kites and 3 foot Rok's. What fun it was to see the kids running all over camp flying their creations.

The highlight for me was teaching one of my students to make a Diamond kite. He was a young man who lost his sight because of brain cancer. It was an amazing experience for me and the young lad. With only verbal instructions he did a fantastic job. The frame was wood dowels, the sail was plastic and tape was used to assemble the kite . He even tied the fly line onto the frame all by himself. He was so proud and you can imagine how thrilled I was.

I'm already planning workshops for next year and can't wait till I return to see my friends again.

Cliff Quinn - Kite maker, and Treasurer of the American Kiteflyers Association (AKA)