Kite kaboodle brings out the children in all of us

I took Aaron, my 8-year-old son, to the Kite Kaboodle Sunday at the Orland Park Village Center near the civic center. They had the Kite Kaboodle, where kids can make their own kites and then fly them.

Not everyone knows how to make a kite.

But everyone did have fun. Fortunately for Aaron, I managed to put the kite together (without my glasses) and it flew. And wow did it fly. We've been out several times in the Springs past trying to fly a kite -- a box kite, a store bought kite -- but they rarely got much height.

I blamed it on the lack of real wind.

But there wans't much wind out Sunday and Aaron's kite shot up straight to the heavens all the way to the last inch of string.

I was surprised there weren't more kids and parents there. Orland Park has some great family fun events, this one co-sponsored by the SportsPlex. What a blast.

We saw Heather Warthen of the Orland Park Prairie out there taking pictures. I don't think Heather ever sleeps, she's everywhere. And, there was a writer and photographer for the SouthtownStar covering the Kite Kaboodle, too.

Orland is getting a lot of media attention these days. While all of the suburban communities are experiencing drops in retail sales and store closing, Orland is managing to survive very well and the newspapers and media know it. They have a great advertising base out here.

But watching my son hold the last of the string as the kite he made fluttered high above in what little wind was there, smiling, was real satisfaction. It's nice to see kids have fun.

-- Ray Hanania
www.RadioChicagoland.com