Kitebuilder.com - Fly... with a little help from your friends.

[stevef]

Long time coming, not sure why I didnt add this section sooner. Cliff Quinn (CJQ) is an American Kitefiers Association Grand Champion Kitebuilder, AKA 2017 volunteer of the year, AKA 2011 Bob Ingraham award winner, and 2006 Kitebuilder of the Year. He has faithfully been a member of this forum since 2003 and has over 5000 posts. He has helped countless members on this forum and many others within the kiting community.



Quinco is Cliff's website, through which he has been working with children, conducting children’s workshops in schools, libraries, scouts, youth groups, children’s summer camps, even children’s hospitals. This firsthand experience has contributed to designing his kite kits so every child’s kite will go together flawlessly and be a great flying kite.

I have created this section of the kitebuilder forum, in part as an advertisement, but mostly for recognition and a place to ask Cliff questions about his kite kits and kitebuilding programs for kids. Between traveling all over the country doing kite workshops, he still manages to frequently check into this forum. I am sure he will be available to answer any questions.

Thank you Cliff, for all you do for the kitebuilding community.
_________________

Steve Ferrel
Measure once, buy twice!
www.kitebuilder.com - Go Build a Kite! |

[Lex B]

I can only concur that Cliff is a great guy to have around on this forum. Had sniffed around on his site. Great initiative!
_________________
I guess I'll always be
A soldier of fortune

[stevef]

So Cliff.... tell us about your background in children's kitemaking...describe your passion. What makes your kite kits such a valuable commodity for community kitemaking events?
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Steve Ferrel
Measure once, buy twice!
www.kitebuilder.com - Go Build a Kite! |

[CJQ]

Steve, thanks for the opportunity to tell my kids kite story and how QUINCO KITES was born. Ya know, like so many others we start making kites for the challenge and the rewards when we see our creations fly high in the sky, it gives us a rush ! We make our first, then a second ,then we're into it big time. Time and money . I started back in the early 90's and that time I wanted to do it all, gosh there's so many facet's in this kite hobby, I like making and flying single line kites, tried sport kite stuff and got discouraged quickly, I can't chew gum and fly at the same time. I joined the local kite club, joined the AKA, traveled to many many festivals and AKA conventions , met amazing kite folks , attended workshops to hone my skills, and this was all about ME. Me having fun . And then I realized there was a need to share the things others have taught me, I started to teach at adult workshops, local stuff, Fort Warden, Mks , Mid West Kite Makers, (now U-Make ) but what really turned me on was kite making with children at festivals, I'd go to festivals and never flew one of my kites but you could find me making kites with kids. That was the kindling for the fire that would erupt.
One day I got a call from a lady who was involved with a charity called Ronald McDonald, they have a summer camp for children with Cancer, she asked if I would come to their camp and make kites with their children,,, how do you say no
I went to camp, did kite workshops and returned the following year as a councilor and activity specialist. Returning home after the second year I thought there must be more camps like this, searching the internet I found a camp that Paul Newman the actor started before he died, the camp's called The Hole In The Wall Gang Camp , it's for children with life threatening illnesses , Cancer being one them. I contacted that camp and asked if they had an interest in kite making work shops, and they did.
Paul Newman had a vision of having many camps , today there are 9 in the States, I've visited 5 , in fact there are several world wide, I went to the camp in Ireland and did kite making. Many of these camps are associated with Children's Hospitals, this became a new avenue for kite making with children. I've visited more than a dozen children's hospitals across the country making kites with confined children.
Whew, a long story to explain how QUINCO KITES started,, Doing all this kid's stuff I needed kite kits, A kite that was easy to make, pre cut parts so no tools like scissors or punches were needed, no need to chase for anything to complete the project. Besides that, the kite had to be durable, not a paper thing taped together that may or not fly. And there had to be a comprehensive instruction booklet .
I decided on only a Diamond kite and a Sled kite design, two straight forward fliers.
Seemed pretty easy in the beginning but I soon got involved with finding suppliers, sail material, spars, fittings, tape, tails, winders, packaging, production equipment , marketing.
So now I have kits to do my charity work and kits to market.
What makes me happy is knowing kites make a difference in children's lives, most that make a kite today won't make one tomorrow, but at some time in their lives they'll make another.
Thanks for listening

CLIFF

[StringDriver]

[CJQ]

There's lots of folks out there that share the passion of working with children and introducing them to kites and fun stuff, we can't expect that tomorrow they'll start making kites but we've planted a seed that takes time to germinate.
We do workshops with kids and talk about the sciences , we talk about kites and culture around the world, and one important thing is we teach them life skills.
Hopefully one day when they get old like us they may start making kites too. HAA HAA!!!

CLIFF

[Spence602]

Cliff,
Is there a way to donate on your site - rather than purchase kites?
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Spence

[CJQ]

Hi Spence, thank you so much for your generous thought, I've not had anyone ask about donating thru my web site . I don't manage my site so I asked my web master if I can include such a feature and the answer was yes, so, I'm working on it.
In the mean time Spence I sent you a PM with a solution.

CLIFF