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Kite flying fun at McFarland Ranch
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| Kite maker Pete
Sheragy prepares to get his dragonfly kite, one of his own creations, to
take off |
By Valerie McGill
Staff Writer - Attending the annual kite flying event at McFarland
Living History Ranch was a great way to welcome beautiful weather after weeks of
rain. Children of all ages enjoyed flying their kites while others enjoyed some
restful time with friends while watching kite fliers run through the open green
fields.
The Galt Area Historical Society (GAHS) sponsored the event. Member Pete Sheragy
of Acampo, who makes kite flying an art, brought a variety of kites from his own
collection for visitors to view and others to fly. He makes kites in his free
time and has more than 100 in his collection. Besides making his own, he also
has purchased several over the years.
“I’ve been collecting them for about 17 years,” said Sheragy. “When I retire, I
plan to really get into it but right now I just don’t have the time to do as
much as I’d like. When I do have the time, I’d like to experiment with the kites
to find the best way to make them fly well.”
He has made quite a variety of kites and specializes in birds and butterflies.
His varieties include a flamingo, an owl, a Canadian goose, and a Monarch
butterfly. He shows his kites at the annual GAHS kite-flying event and at the
Crane Festival in Lodi. Once he retires, he plans to show his kite collection in
a wider range of venues.
He goes into great detail to recreate real birds and butterflies in his
creations.
“When you see them in the air, you can’t tell the difference between the kite
and the real thing,” said Roger Sanders of Lodi, in reference to Sheragy’s bird
kites. Roger enjoyed flying some of Sheragy’s kites, as did some of the children
and teens.
Sheragy belongs to the American Kite Flying Association. Sheragy also brought a
variety of books on kite making for people to look through. He uses books on
birds to get the proper silhouettes to make his birds as realistic as possible.
He said that he uses ripstop nylon and tyvek fabric to make his kites, and he
sews them himself. He also uses paint for some of the detailing.
“I think he makes really good kites,” said Jonathan Brower, an eighth grader
from McCaffrey Middle School. “I’ve been flying his kites, and they work really
well.”
Sheragy and his wife, Debbie, brought kite-making supplies to the event for
those who wanted to make their own kites and attempt to fly them. They helped
the children make sled kites and had simple directions to follow. Kites can be
hard to fly but, amazingly, these kites seem to fly with no problem. The
children seemed pleased with their creations and successful flights.
“I liked flying my kite so much,” said four-year-old Kayla Campbell of Galt.
“I like to come every year they have it,” said River Oaks fifth grader Mike
Frey. “It’s a really fun activity.” His grandfather, Earl Frey, brought him out
for the event.
Along with the kite making and kite flying, families brought picnic lunches and
sat out under the shade trees enjoying the day.
GAHS will be having other events over the next several months as it celebrates
20 years of service to the community of Galt and surrounding areas this summer.
Coming up on Saturday, May 6, will be the annual Mother-Daughter Tea at the Rae
House Museum from 12 to 3 p.m. This wonderful event proved to be very successful
last year. For reservations, call 744-9553.
Another special event will be a Country Crafters Faire on June 10 at McFarland
Ranch. This fundraiser will give local artisans an opportunity to sell their
specialties. For more information on this event and future activities, check the
GAHS website or call 745-0951. |
