By Bethaney Phillips

On Piotique weekend, Charles Hallman will be making his business debut with Full Circle Kiting and Events, LLC. Starting as a hobby kite flyer, he will now begin displaying his large kites at functions, as well as selling kites of all sizes and price points.

After flying his quad line – a kite with four lines – at various events around the state, he became friends with other professional kite performers, including Great American Kite and Events out of Polo, MO. In the last year, Hallman has flown in Kansas City, where he was invited onto the main flying field, Liberty, MO, Wichita, Dodge City, and more.

“I enjoy flying,” he said. “I want to bring the kites to Clay Center because nobody else has. It’s something different and it’s fun with all of the kids and the excitement.” Before he got re-acquainted with kites, Hallman said the idea struck when he was filling out a form from the VA. A former 91 Lima in the Army, Hallman came to the area when stationed at Fort Riley. “They asked me when was the last time I had excitement or joy in my life and I really didn’t have an answer,” he said. “It’s been hard with the PTSD and the VA suggested kite flying as a means of getting out in the field and getting some sun.”

Before joining the Army, Hallman said he flew kites with his Dad in California, his home state. In February of this year, that line of thought – and encouragement from his 14-year-old daughter, Vera, he bought his four-line kite, a Revolution XX Tarantula.

From there he joined an online group of kite flyers and began flying the kite locally. Then he began getting more kites, including smaller ones that come in kits. He sews them himself and attaches them to a single- line kite, Trish the trilobite’s line. A set of whales and sharks – each around 10-feet long – now accompany the line. He also has a large pink blob with black spikes, and a large purple octopus.

At 80-feet in length (110 with its front lines), the kite was made in New Zealand and retailed for
$3,500.

Going forward, it’s his plan to provide entertainment and to help get others involved with
kiting.

“My main goal is to get a kite into little kids’ hands and give them their first kite,” he said. “Maybe I
can help other people and invite adults who have flown smaller kites or people in the VA and
help get vets into flying kites.”

Vera and Hallman’s fiance, Katie Groves, have also gotten in on the joy of kites, they said.

“We kind of got sucked in,” Groves laughed. “We’ve enjoyed this adventure and it just keeps getting bigger and bigger and bigger.”

On Piotique Saturday, Hallman and kite flyers from Kansas City will be on the field behind the High School Softball Complex and northeast of CCCMS. He said the first kite will be in the air by 8 am and they will be flying until 4 pm. Kites – from small, single- line kites up to dual- line stunt kites, will be for sale. Hallman
has also built a “Candy Cannon,” which will launch candy once an hour.

“The whole thing is about making memories with little ones,” he said.

Visitors can park in the end of the softball complex and walk toward the field.