Officers for 2011 are:

President: Tom Cross

Vice President: Dean Murray

Secretary: Brad Klages

Treasurer: John Kaulbars

Barb Meyer spoke to the group about the AKA and about her recent trip to India. She brought back some Indian fighter kites to share. She also brought a paper lantern kite that is flown in the evenings in India and a couple spools of manja, the glass coated kite string used for fighting for the club to check out.

Brad Klages read a letter from Marcus Young about the status of Wishes for the Sky. There will not be a 2011 Wishes for the Sky, the event will return in 2012.  This year the organizers will work on sponsorships and planning to bring it back.

Tom Cross addressed the group next thanking everyone for their participation in the club. He apologized for forgetting to bring the Lead Kite award...  A brief discussion happened about if Tom should keep the award by default or if Dean Murray should receive it for an incident in the 2010 St. Patrick's Day fly in Siren, WI. Dean's kite had been anchored after being loaned to a local flier and at the end of the day it had broken free and found a resting place in a large spruce tree next to the high school. With the use of his handy golf ball retriever the kite was retrieved.

Next Tom presented the Hod Taylor award to Ron Pegg and Peggy Teasley as a couple for their lifetime contributions to the MKS.  Congratulations Ron and Peggy!

Next Ken Wilkowski, Ken Runke and Paul Koepke ran the Live Auction putting on a great show.

Here is a slideshow of pictures from the annual meeting and banquet.

Donated by The Ordway Theater

2 Tickets Ordway $70 Value. Your choice between  Beijing Dance on Tuesday, April 5th  or  Tu Dance on Friday, May 6th. 

Here is a link for the Ordway.

Here is a link for information about the Beijing Dance on April 5.

Here is a link for information about the Tu Dance on May 6.

Donated by The Guthrie Theater

Backstage event passes.

Here is a link to The Guthrie Theater website.

Donated by Jasper Bound

Various pieces of pottery.

Donated by Luke McLain and Todd

Several cases of Homebrew Beer. (Very tasty!)

Donated by Peggy Teasley

Several mystery auction items. One of the items was a Japanese kite train, very nice.

Donated by G-Kites.com

Dave Gomberg donated a 50% Discount Certificate for G-Kites.com. The certificate will entitle you to a 50% discount on your order at their G-Kites web site. Must be used before June 30, 2011. GKPI has been supporting local kite events for more than 25 years. Here is a link to www.Gkites.com.

Donated by Nancy Lockwood

Nancy is working on a kite project she is calling Mardi Gras Parade for our auction. We will be posting pictures when available. Based on other kites from this artist, I'm sure it will be a beautiful, excellent flying kite.

Here is an update about the Mardi Gras Parade.  It is a train of 27 kites, each having five foot link lines between each kite. Nancy is disappointed that she could not do a decoration on every kite. There wasn't enough time. She wrote that the MKS has quite a few good sewers who might just decide to add their own finishing touches to the plain kites in the train. She is including a couple of the original drawings she made to do the decorated kites, in case someone would like a pattern. There is also a bag of confetti with the hope that these "bits" will inspire creativity along with time to act on it.  It should arrive next week. Pictures will be posted as soon as possible.  For an idea of the kite size, the box the kites are shipped in is 26" x 26" x 10" deep.

click on the picture to start slideshow

Mari Gras Parade Kite Train

From 2011-02-23

 click on the picture to see a larger one, easier to read

George Peters Buzz Bee kite  NEW  $85   Link to more information about this kite	Collectible plate with a kite theme
Chinese Tiger Kite  NEW  $70   This is a BIG kite. Height: 18 ft   Width: 4.5 ft	New Tech Humpty Dumpty Kite  NEW  $39   Link to more information about this kite
Mystery Box  (Kirin Dragon Kite) NEW $49 Link to more information about this kite.

Received a number of items, including a new Barb Meyer Barndoor kite with a matching fuzzy tail!

Barn door Kite with matching fuzzy tail and bag  NEW Height 57" Width 53"	Silk Peacock kite
Japanese 1998 Calendar	Japanese 2011 Calendar
Dragon Kite	2 Sled Bags These bags were designed to be used for making sled kites. Each bag makes two kites.
How Make a Sled Kite VHS tape	Shirts from the 2009 AKA Convention in Rochester, MN 2 T-shirts w/ AKA pins, 1 Golf shirt
T-Shirt from 2008 Fort Worden Kitemakers	T-Shirt from the 2008 Westport Windriders Festival
Miniature Kite Sticks/Wands

Stephen donated a large part of his kite collection.

Kite winders, Kite line and some kite making supplies	Large Delta Kite w/ kite bag Height 5' 8"   Width 12 ft
Some fighter style flat kites	Large Dual Line Kite Height 4'  Width 8' 4" Needs a top spar and stand offs
Large Bird Delta w/ kite bag Height 4'  Width 10' complete	Owl Delta Conye Kite Height 38"  Width 82" missing and broken spars
Blue Delta Kite w/ Yellow tail Height 3' 10"  Width 4' 6" complete, needs some repair	Blue, White and Black Delta Kite Height 55"  Width 93" complete
White Bird Delta w/ Black Keel Height 48"  Width 80" sail only, needs spars	Yellow Bird Delta Height 39"  Width 79" complete
White Bird Delta complete	Large Owl Delta Conye Kite Height 5' 6"   Width 10' 6" complete, small broken spar, flies good

Two dual line stunt kites w/ Plastic kite bag

  

Here is how the Large Owl looks in the sky...

Brad also donated a bundle of bamboo frames for chinese sparrow kites, like those flown at Wishes for the Sky. (Tom not included... unless the bid is really good.)

  

 

Also donated is a Hudson Hot Air Affair sponsor mug from this year's event.

Jason donated a number of items, including a make-it-yourself Rok kit.

Make-it-yourself Rok Kit   NEW  $25 Link to additional information about this kit

Gayla Scooby Doo Delta Kite, Frog Kite Tail and Kite Line

Received a variety of items, including kite making supplies, a kite reel and several kites

A Beautiful Japanese Poster Edo style kite.	Hyperkite Star Cruiser stack of 3 NEW Small spinning windsock
Centipede Kite Kite is in decent shape, but does need some repair to the front panel that some transparent tape to the back will fix.	Hand painted, paper, diamond kite
Dual-Line Stunt Kite	Vintage Hi-Flier Plastic Delta kite
Rainbow Diamond Kite	Racing Tie for the NASCAR fan in everyone
Assorted Bonded Thread  NEW 4 oz spools	George Maurer Music CDs
Set of coasters	Drachen Foundation Apron and a small windsock
Kite making supplies, Kite line, Wind Wand w/ Ribbon	Umbrella Hat
2 Spin bowls and a Spin Sock	Wind Chime and a Kite Making book
Lightweight Flag   NEW	Windsock and a Kite Tail
Plastic Butterfly Kite	Cellophane Cell Kite
Lake Harriet Hat & Scarf  and a St John's Bay Hat/Hood NEW	Jalbert Parafoil Kite  J-7.5   Looks like new!
T-Shirts	Art Set  NEW
'99 Kites on Ice Sponsor Kite (Sail only) 6 ft high.  Needs spar pockets and spars. Have a bridle for it, needs bow lines.	'99 Kites on Ice Sponsor Kite (Sail only) 6 ft high. Needs spar pockets and spars. Have a bridle for it, needs bow lines.
Lots of Velcro Strips!  Great for spar pockets or use them to keep your banners, flags and kites bound neatly at the end of the day.	Kite Themed Puffs Tissues
Indiana Jones & the Temple of Doom Dragon Kite	Large Art Calendar
Really nice Kite Winder	Assorted Kite Sticks

Donated by Dean Murray

Dean donated several kites, including two new Grandmaster fighter kites and a few commercial kites.

Grandmaster Fighter Kites    These are awesome fighter kites made in the 80's. Each kite is hand made, hand painted and signed by the artist. They retailed for about $15 each back then. Today they sell for $24-$34 each plus S/H on their website. They are 30 years old but never flown and still in the original package. Click here for more information about Grandmaster kites.

Three good kid kites.

There is a Daredevil Stunt Plane kite which includes a guy with a parachute that can be dropped.

Also a treasure chest kite and a pokeman kite.