Loose Leaf Notes

-The following first appeared in The Floyd Press on March 21, 2019.

It was the 1st annual Kite Festival in Floyd, and “there will definitely be a second,” said Tracyann Costello, the Floyd County’s Parks and Recreation Authority (FCPRA) Chairperson.

There was plenty of March wind, kites of all varieties and families having fun together at Authority’s Park Drive park, off Route 8, on Saturday.

“We’re super excited that the community has come out,” Costello said.

County Supervisors are currently exploring the possibility  of the Authority becoming a county department, and Costello said it is her hope that the Kite Festival turnout would help more people discover what the FCPRA has to offer:  a playground, trails, classes and workshops, along with Youth and Adult Athletics that includes Tee Ball, Softball, Baseball, Volleyball, Soccer and Basketball.

The Authority collected can goods for PLENTY’S community food bank at the event and provided kites for people to decorate and fly.

A sound system of music was provided by DJ Linda DeVito.

Along with many first-time kite flyers, flyers from Roanoke’s Got Wind Kite Club were in attendance doing kite flying demonstrations.

“I probably have about 100 kites,” said Got Wind Kite Club member and Floyd County resident, Donald Jacobs.  He commented that club members are from all over Southwest Virginia and that they do kite festivals up and down the east coast.

Jacobs, who got hooked on kites after fixing a trashed kite that he found on Myrtle Beach, said he was contacted by FCPRA director Andy Mabe, who initiated the idea of a kite festival for Floyd.

Jacobs has been flying kites for 10 years and competes in kite flying competitions.  But it’s really all about the fun and getting kids outdoors, he said.

“We’re all like a bunch of kids out here.”