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Eric and Dorothy Wolff: Wonderful cocktail conversation.

- Michigan Kite Contest
Attracts Chicago Couple

ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM

Assistant Editor

E

ric and Dorothy Wolff
have had their heads
in the clouds for years
now, and they love it.
It all started with a birth-
day present Dorothy bought
for her husband: a kite. To-
day, the two are "absolutely
fanatic" about kites and own
the Chicago Fire Kite Co., a
kite manufacturing business
based in the Windy City.
When not making kites,
the Wolffs often can be found
at kite contests. Last week
they participated in the
nation's largest and most
prestigious sport kite com-
petition, the American Kite
Circuit National Sport Kite
Championship, held in
> Grand Haven.
Not long after receiving
> his birthday gift, Eric Wolff
designed his own kite — a
three-dimensional stunt kite
that flew exceptionally well,
according to Ms. Wolff. His
partner on the project was a
friend, Frank Sieseler, he
met while flying kites in the
park. Their first kite proved
so popular the two decided to
go into business for them-
selves.
Mr. Sieseler and the Wolffs
researched kites for a year
before opening the Chicago
Fire Kite Co., which
operates out of the Wolffs'
basement. The company
offers mostly two-line stunt
kites which can do loops and
dives and operate on a finite
amount of string, generally
between 100 and 150 feet,
Ms. Wolff said.
The three design the kites
in Chicago, then send them
to be sewn in Texas,
Colorado and England. Each
completed kite costs between
$150 and $300.
Several times a year, the
Wolffs close the door on their

business, pack up their new
baby boy and head off to a
contest. Though Ms. Wolff
no longer participates as a
competitor, her husband is
regarded "almost as a guru
in the kiting community,"
she said. Several years ago,
American Kite ranked the
Wolff team second in the
country.
Ms. Wolff describes learn-
ing to fly a kite as similar to
learning to ride a bicycle.
"You have to get your bal-
ance," she said, "and you
crash a lot at first."

And don't let the simple
appearance of the kites fool
you: competitions — open to
both teams and individuals
— require incredible talent,
Ms. Wolff says. Participants
must demonstrate skill in
compulsory maneuvers,
where they perform
prescribed shapes in the sky,
and creative ability, "where
you get to strut your stuff."
China is host to the largest
kite contest in the world,
while last year's World Kite
Festival in Tasmania, which
the Wolffs attended, at-
tracted some 20,000 spec-
tators. About 5,000 came to
Grand Haven to watch the
kite competition.
Ms. Wolff said one of the
things she likes best about
the competitions is that they
reunite old acquaintances,
all bonded through their fer-
vor for kites. "It's like going
on vacation with your best
friends," she said.
And being together with
other kite enthusiasts
means the Wolffs have a day
off from explaining their
work yet again, Ms. Wolff
said.
"You get all kinds of
bizarre looks when you tell
people you're in the kite
business," she said. "At
least it makes for wonderful
cocktail conversation."

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THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

15