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).