THE RETREAT

• Our 2024 retreat officially begins on Friday evening February 16 at 8 pm but you can set up all your equipment starting at 2 pm in the Waterford Ballroom at the Turf Valley Resort.  Once again, the rear door to the ballroom will be open for easy unloading.  The retreat ends Monday noon February 19. 
• The retreat includes our classic fantastic agenda, including Friday evening introductions, multiple presentations on Saturday and Sunday, and our marvelous Saturday night banquet which is paid for in your registration fee.  And then there’s the great auction.
• We have room for no more than 35 participants in the retreat, each with his or her own 8-foot worktable.  You are registered when your check is received; we're urging you to do that right away to ensure that you have a workspace. You do have some time to sign up for our guaranteed reduced hotel rate for the retreat, but we suggest that you sign up right away to avoid extra costs or missing out on a room. 
• Ben Huggett is this year’s Retreat Shepherd once again.  We really appreciate his help.
• Phil Broder, owner of Fly Market Kite Making Supply company, will be with us, offering a wide range of kite fabric plus other supplies and tools.
• This year’s registration fee is $175 per person, same as last year.  (It’ll probably be more next year.)  That gets you your own individual 8’ table workspace, the Saturday night banquet, including wine, and the joys of being with great friends.  Additional banquet tickets for non-registered guests can be purchased for $60 each. 
• Checks for registration should be made out to the Maryland Kite Society and sent to Jon Burkhardt, Treasurer, Maryland Kite Society, 10113 Lloyd Road, Potomac, Maryland 20854.

 PROJECTS

We’re featuring a number of presentations this year, so you can depart with one or more brand new finished flyable gems and a lot more knowledge.  If you have already decided which of the projects interests you, please let me know ASAP so that we can confirm your choices and start ordering supplies. 

 

• Jon Trennepohl’s Suspended Wing Delta [see attached photo]:  This kite is an extra-large version of the Tyro that Jon presented in 2022.  It’s a large kite, 97.5” wide and 80” tall, designed for 2 – 10 mph winds.  It’s a great flier in lighter winds but isn’t limited to those.  The cost for the entire kit is $125.00 including everything needed to make this kite.  If you’re interested, sign up with me and the kits will be premade before the retreat.  There may be color choices available; we’ll be sending out more info about that shortly.
• Mike Mosman’s Mini-Edo project [see attached photo]:  Mike calls this kite a Skylight because of its shape and size.  Yours could be 36 to 40 inches tall and 18 to 20 inches wide.  It will have one longeron and 5 bowed cross spars.  You can get parts from Phil at the retreat or bring your own, including your own designs for the sail.
• Adam Grow’s Sew What? Presentation:  Adam says that what you know about needles and threads is only the beginning   --   there’s lots more to know, including lots of info that will help you with this year’s kitebuilding projects. 

  

OUR HOTEL

. . . . . .  is again the Turf Valley resort in Ellicott City, Maryland.  It’s just off Route 40 west of Ellicott City on 2700 Turf Valley Rd and the zip code is 21042.

 

Room rates for rooms at Turf Valley for 2024 are these, the same as last year: 

• Traditional 1 bed         $125 / night
• Traditional 2 beds        $125 / night
• Golf view 2 queens       $125 / night
• Queen Petite Suite       $150 / night
• One bedroom Suite       $150 / night
• Executive King Suite     $150 / night.

  

The 6% Maryland tax and 7% Howard County room tax will be added to the room rates.  If you want to come earlier or stay later, these room rates will be honored 3 days before and 3 days after our meeting dates.

 

You need to make your own room reservations and payment arrangements directly with the hotel.  To make reservations at the hotel, call 410-465-1500 or 888-833-8873.  You must identify yourself as attending the Maryland Kite Society Retreat to get the group rate.

 

IT’S TIME TO GET READY

 

·       HOTEL RESERVATIONS:  The cut-off date for reservations is January 23, 2024.  Our Group Code is 28A5BZ.  Check-in time is 4 pm and check-out is 11 am.

 

·       VOLUNTEERS:  For those of you who volunteered last year to help out with the 2023 retreat  --  auction, hospitality, publicity, registration, set up, or other functions  --  please contact Ben right away at  benhuggett@gmail.com .  You can also contact me at takokichi@comcast.net to check on how you can help in 2024.

 

·      OUR AUCTION:  You do know that your auction donations help make this retreat possible, right?  Old items, new items, just for fun items, and especially handmade kites and other items    …………    We really appreciate everyone's support.  This year’s auction will again feature kites and kitemaking supplies from Arnold Simon’s great kite collection that Arnold so graciously donated to MKS, as well as some very special donations that might include some big and beautiful Rokkakus.

  

We do hope that you will join us in 2024.