Despite morning snow and intermittent rain throughout the day, 11 children made and flew kites Friday as part of the local 4-H Fly-a-Kite program.
The Fly-a-Kite program is in its second year of operation, according to 4-H extension agent Ashley Elgin. The program is a one-day event where participants learn about the history of kites before making their own and flying it.
"We did it last year around the same time," Elgin said. "We had lots of interest so I thought I'd try it again. We go over the history of kites and how they are made, along with some safety stuff."
The kites, ordered online, come in a roll with everything necessary for assembly. They are then decorated by the participants and assembled for flying. This year, participants in the group made two types of kites: the Malay bird and the Delta.
The Malay bird kite is a simple one-piece kite with a long tail. The Delta kite is a little more complicated with two pieces attached together to form a triangular design with flaps at the ends.
After choosing their kite type, participants let their creative energies flow, decorating their kites with unique designs. Tess Reeves, who chose the Delta kite, decorated hers with flowers and butterflies while Baylee Rollins decorated her Delta kite with zebra-esque stripes in various colors. Jacob Barragan chose the Malay kite and decorated it with the names of sports teams while Brandi Rollins decorated her Malay with different designs.
Once they were finished decorating and everything was assembled, participants brushed up on their kite flying safety, learning to not fly their kites in bad weather, near power lines or in crowded areas.
The kites were flown on the hill at the Holiday Inn Express in Orange.
"They're nice enough to let us use their hill," said Elgin.
Despite the cold, wet weather, it didn't take long before the kites were soaring through the air. However, the Malays seemed to weather the elements better than the Deltas.
"The Malays seem to work better," Elgin said. "Last year, it was probably the windiest day of the year, it almost blew us off the hill, and they lasted."
The Orange County 4-H regularly offers programs and events for interested youth-age participants including clubs, day programs and camps. For more information, contact the extension office at 672-1361.
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