It’s a balmy, sunny, clear-skied day that many might describe as perfect. With a steady breeze flowing through the air, Ralph Stepp, a proud homeowner at The Orchards of Brannon Oak Farm in Cumming, Georgia, would say this is a perfect day for flying kites. Stepp, also known as the “kite man” by friends and neighbors, is the connoisseur, the king of kites.
Born in the hills of Kentucky, Stepp started making and flying his own kites as a young boy and has been perfecting his craft for over 50 years. Starting out with whatever scraps he could get his hands on, a whole new world of creativity and “flying high” became Stepp’s passion.
Today the “Kite Man” has been featured on The Daytona Beach News-Journal and the Chattanooga Times, as well as winning contests and participating in many International Kite Days. Yet to Stepp, this is more than just a hobby. Ultimately it’s a way for him to connect to nature, God and others around him.
“I am so blessed with my wife and family,” says Stepp. “It’s very important for me to give back to the community and with the help of my kites, I can.”
Stepp shares his passion with the community by visiting schools and churches for “kite day,” where he shows kids how to use basic material, like straws and plastic, to easily build and fly these amazing flying contraptions. On one particular school visit, Stepp remembers there were 600 to 700 kites flying simultaneously in the sky; a sight he will never forget.
With over 300 collected kites – big, miniature, Chinese, American – this man has them all. Currently his largest kite is a 27-foot tetrahedral kite and the smallest is a three-fourths of an inch miniature, remarkably made out of individual brush bristles and mylar. One kite even drops candy and tiny teddy bears on parachutes to the waiting children below.
Since retiring Stepp, with his wife and rescue cats, have found new friends and comfort in their new home at The Orchards at Brannon Oak Farm. When asked what he enjoyed most about his new home, he answered enthusiastically that not only is it conveniently located, the maintenance free perks allow him to spend more time with his family and kite-making. Along with being an active member of the Georgia GOP party, he also participates in his neighborhood bible study and is an active member at his church, Grace Chapel Church of Christ.
Exciting upcoming project plans include a permanent kite exhibit at The Children’s Museum of Atlanta and for his next winter project, he will be building and learning to fly a radio controlled “Concorde” wing kite.
So, the next time you are driving or boating on Lanier and see a kite flying high in the sky, you never know – the Kite Man could be on the other end, smiling into the wind.