Calling GKC Members...

[Nas]

I have organised a day at Coburn Primary School Melton for a basic kite making class, and afterwards a demo of buggy and landboard....

I need some skilled people on landboard and buggy to come along with me to help out.

The date is Monday June 23rd 2008.

Heres the plan....

*Morning kite making class for about 130 or so kids at grade 5/6 level... a very basic single string diamond kite which they will then attempt to fly with our help. (Between now and then I will seek a business like a caft shop or kite shop to sponsor this activity in the way of materials.)

*Then later on, most likely after lunch .... a demonstration of buggy and landboard.

After discussions with the school principal over the last couple of days, we have concluded that it will be best if the kids watch only, and take no part in traction kiting.

This way theres no headaches about insurance and safety for the kids, and no need to get parental permission.

They will watch the demonstration from behind a cyclone fence and the demonstration will take place on public land. This block has a perfect surface for this demo, it is "in town" so gusts will likely be the order of the day.

Thats if the wind blows. Here is a satellite image of the land

http://www.extremekites.com.au/glocation.php#lat=-37.69421&lng=144.57089&zm=16

I will also put the feelers out for a "showbag" to give each of the kids which I would hope would contain stickers, info, and maybe a kite related cap ... to expose the sport, this site, etc.

I will also contact the local paper to come along and do a bit of a story and take some pics for the local media.

any input would be appreciated greatly.


cheers,

Nas.

Sponsors so far....

T.J's Blue Sea Fish Shop - All the paper we need.
News Xpress Melton - 3 rolls clear Sellotape.
Melton South Newsagency - 15 packs crepe paper assorted colours.

[schultzie]

give anni over at kite factory http://www.kitefactory.com.au/

they do school packs and it could work out easy enough through them... just my idea though...

[Nas]

hi Schultzie...

Iv just about got all the gear mate free of charge... and for 130 kids , those school packs are likely to work out to a bit of a cost to someone... and if we can avoid that then all the better...

they can decorate the paper and whatever..

Nas.

[schultzie]

mmm... KP and some donated PL hats as freebies...

[Nas]

that sounds like a plan, a few caps and stickers and Goshen has gone OS :eek: ... dont forget to put your RDO app in ;)

[schultzie]

not an app it is an indusrty thing... you have pm :D

if not ill try and sort something out ok..

[Steve]

hi Schultzie...

Iv just about got all the gear mate free of charge... and for 130 kids , those school packs are likely to work out to a bit of a cost to someone... and if we can avoid that then all the better...

they can decorate the paper and whatever..

Nas.

https://www.kitepower.com.au/news/download.php?id=97324,717,4

Thats the Tyvek kite kit that Annie, and all of the remaining traditional kite shops have been selling for the last 15 years.
Its guaranteed to fly, Tyvek is waterproof, can be drawn on or painted, and its cheap and the kite can be used repeatedly for years if looked after like a normal kite.

Most kids spend much more than that a week on crap lollies and food as you would know.
Normally the schools charge $7-8 per child, they keep the remainder as a fund rasier.

I've personally done most of the schools in Geelong at one time or another, several years ago and some as far away as Melton, Bachus, Ballarat, etc.

A small two line foil can be safely used with the kids, but its a lot of work constantly relaunching it, and boys will try to kill it !:yes3:

Local business could easily fund the cost to do the school and fill up your showbags too, the schools go for community stuff more easily.

I'll be in the KP Geelong store next week if you have any questions.

[lickedysplit_au]

Most kids spend much more than that a week on crap lollies and food as you would know.
Normally the schools charge $7-8 per child, they keep the remainder as a fund rasier.

Have to agree with the "Master Yoda" on this one, when ever something extra curricular is planned ie. people come to the school for demonstrations/performances this is what generally happens (in my son's case - 2 different schools)

1. A note/permittion slip is sent home
2. They ask me to sign at the bottom (obviously dismissing them of all responsibility :D)
3. They ask me to chuck minimum 6 bucks in an envolope to pay for the experience

Work out your minimum cost to supply everything and add $1 to each child as a donation to the GKC
Surely a few popsicle sticks and some material wont cost more than 2 or 3 bucks a kid. Cheaper still you could make "Sled" kites, cut the cost of the frame all together!!

Sounds like a great idea Nas and I am sure you have probably already thought of all this but some food for thought anyway.

[Nas]

Thanks for the info Steve but now that Iv got people down here committing materials and coming to the party, Im not gonna turn around now and say...sorry change of plans..

While Im at it I dont suppose you have some spare stickers ? :D

Im gonna get onto PL and see what they can throw at me in the way of merch also.


Cheers,

Nas.


Lickedy... the head mistress has been very positive and one of the reasons was we could run this without having to bother with permission slips for any reason. Wanna keep it that way.

[Nas]

mate it sounds fantastic it really does...

But this is Melton South... cheapest houses in the state on average..

People get sick of letters coming home.... 5 bucks for this...10 bucks for that...

excursions here there and everywhere...

people get sick of it. This can be done simply and cost effectively... or Im gonna have to write 2 dozen letters, in the hope of coming up with a cash donation of nearly 900 bucks.

Thats more than most people weekly wage. cbf.

Nas.

[Steve]

No worries, just offering some advice based on many years of experience doing exactly what you are about to attempt.
Success and simplicity in a school is key!
Otherwise stress and disappointment is the result.
And no invite back!

Teachers appreciate well planned lessons with predictable results, the kit kite was developed especially for that reason. I would estimate maybe 50 to 80 thousand have been made in schools over the last 15 years.

Its possible to make kite from paper and bags, etc, then after you do that go around and see how many are just left laying around as more trash.

Sorry Nas I don't have any large stickers, but we do have some small ones that I could send.

We never did giveaways when we did the school workshops, and its hard to get quality stuff to give away, no-one really wants to be giving kids just more rubbish to throw away ot litter the area with on the way home. We just focussed all our efforts on the success of each kid making a durable kite that FLEW!

Good Luck!

[Steve]

mate it sounds fantastic it really does...

But this is Melton South... cheapest houses in the state on average..

People get sick of letters coming home.... 5 bucks for this...10 bucks for that...

excursions here there and everywhere...

people get sick of it. This can be done simply and cost effectively... or Im gonna have to write 2 dozen letters, in the hope of coming up with a cash donation of nearly 900 bucks.

Thats more than most people weekly wage. cbf.

Nas.

Know the area well Nas, I used to live in Hoppers.
$7 for a durable kite, with the kids own art on it to keep for a long long time, its a low cost high value experience.
Its not just another excursion, or a lazy teachers excuse for an outing or something.
Ya gotta beleive in the value of the KITE experience! It can be life changing!
I wish I had a $1 for every person thats ever said to me "I remember making a kite as a kid" its always a happy memory, and there are just not enough of them in peoples lives IMO.

Just because you have headed in one direction should not mean you should not change for a better direction (good survival skill too!)

[Nas]

I wish it was Thursday today... I will talk to Rhonda on Monday and see if she can get a note out by Monday night. I dont know if she will go for it.... no guarantees but I will give it a crack.

23rd of June is the day......... still got about 6 weeks...thats a bit of time...

I'll see how I go.

[Nas]

I'll print that page off, take it around monday morning and see what she reckons.

[Steve]

Its worth a shot, the whole shebang will go better for you and her, I think there is a teachers resource sheet on that page too, maybe print that as well.
Should be a great day for you. If they go for the kits get Rhonda to order them in plenty of time.