Whether he likes it or not, Dr. Jeff Cain and I are forever linked by our fanciful (some would say, stunning) cover photo on American Kite Magazine in winter 1990. It was probably our common home state of Colorado that put our two very different kites on that cover, but it was obvious to all who met Jeff that he would rise to great heights in our passion. In fact, shortly after this photo and after another wonderful kite replica (this one of the Langley Flying machine), Jeff began flying “real” airplanes.

For children of Ruca Choroi Neuquen, Argentina, kites are not something new. Back in 2005, Gustavo Sonzogni, a great kiteflier, and I started a kite building and flying experience that continued over several years throughout the region. We made more than 500 kites with schools and kids belonging mostly to the Mapuche community.

A FASCINATION WITH FLIGHT: GETTING TO KNOW THE MANY FACETS OF MARK REED Everyone’s personal history can either be crafted by the individual or someone else. I like the idea of having it crafted by someone else, as it creates a larger circle of interest, liberal interpretation, and “the thing that makes one a legend.” In this Discourse, I thought it would be fun to do an article that continues the 20th anniversary theme. I looked around in the kite industry, and who did I find?

It’s time to reflect on twenty years of the Drachen Foundation and talk about some of the moments that have made us proud. Before doing that, let me take a moment to thank three people who made the Foundation what it is. First, my wife Sherry, who agreed so many years ago to let me pursue this passion and then participated in funding the organization through its history. Sherry was nice enough to let me travel the globe while she managed kids, dogs, and household emergencies. Without Sherry’s support, the Drachen Foundation would have remained nothing but a dream.

DAVE LANG BOARD MEMBER

Like all stories, there is a beginning and an end. This one has a definite beginning, and hopefully there is no end. In our 20th year anniversary, we wanted to celebrate those things in our history which made Drachen special. For me, it is one person, Scott Skinner.

A hobby and sport in the West and a religious celebration in the East, kiting became international in the last two decades through increased global travel and because the internet made verbal connections fast and easy. Intelligent patronage by the Drachen Foundation helped these developments significantly.

I was trained to be an observer of life; to find those incidents and experiences that influence people to the point of action. This delightful blog of how this kite came to be is the direct result of individuals who were inspired by something they saw; a wonderful kite by Texas Tech University art educator and artist Betty Street. Betty’s art was done with the passion of her past, patchwork quilting and textiles, using these motifs to make kites that flew.

The space that Discourse enables for the friends of kites all over the world is especially interesting because it allows us to also talk about our experiences in many different contexts. Trips, work with intercultural groups, workshops with children of isolated rural schools deep in Patagonia…. These topics have been covered — but this time I want to share a very special story about pirates, Argentine kites and literature.

The Kite Machine was the first of a series of itinerant exhibitions of handmade, low-cost miniature kites available in refurbished vending machines in various communities, beginning with Far Rockaway, Queens, New York City. The goal of the project was to provide people with accessibility to kiteflying as an art, a pastime, or a way of life. We wanted to reach as many people as possible with our human resources and the results far surpassed our expectations.