The Enid News and Eagle, Enid, OK

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  • Kites fill the sky behind Autry Technology Center Sept. 10, 2009, during Kites Over Enid. Area residents will try to break the Guinness Book of World Records by flying the most kites at once on Sept. 25. (Staff Photo by BONNIE VCULEK)

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September 9, 2010

New world record: Kites Over Enid may have to beat 7,202, unofficially

By Joe Malan, Staff Writer Enid News and Eagle

ENID — The world record for number of kites flown simultaneously once again may have been broken.

This time, however, Kites Over Enid organizers were prepared should such an event happen.

According to news articles, children in the Gaza Strip unofficially have broken their own Guinness World Record, flying 7,202 kites en masse. It tops the record they set last year of about 3,700 kites.

Because Kites Over Enid officials only ordered about 3,000 kites last year, they were unprepared to try and top the record on short notice. But this year, organizers have ordered 10,400 kites. So, Enid still would set the world record — if they can get that many people out to Autry Technology Center on Sept. 25, that is.

Stan Hicks, a Habitat for Humanity board member, is confident Enid will eclipse the new — though unofficial — record despite the fact organizers won’t be busing in school students this year.

“Every indication I have is, frankly, we may exceed (7,202 kites),” Hicks said.

In response to a question of whether or not busing in school children would have an effect on attendance, he said, “We’re going to find out, aren’t we?”

The reason Kites Over Enid 2010 is on a Saturday this year is because last year, many adults expressed to organizers the desire to participate, but their employers wouldn’t let them out of work.

So, organizers are hoping the gamble pays off and entire families come out to participate.

In addition to putting it on a weekend, organizers strategically scheduled the event on a weekend when both Oklahoma and Oklahoma State are not playing football games in-state.

There’s one caveat to everything, though. Should the weather be bad, the event will be canceled altogether — there is no back-up date planned.

“If it’s rained out, it’s over with,” Hicks said, due to the fact many people scheduled to appear at the event run a tight schedule.

For now, organizers, such as Hicks and event spokeswoman Vickie Grantz, are hoping for favorable weather and a big attendance.

Grantz remains optimistic organizers will reach, and possibly exceed their goal.

“We’ve strived to get over (7,202) even before they set (the record unofficially),” Grantz said. “Our goal is to go above and beyond that anyway.”

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