Power Kite Forum

Global Kiter Foundation: a fantastic new launch!

Joekiter - 4-5-2011 at 06:20 AM

Global Kiter Foundation is about to bring you the winds of change. Like our space on Facebook and be the first to know!

www.facebook.com/globalkiter

Drewculous - 4-5-2011 at 06:21 AM

dont have facebook, sorry mate

tell me about this

bobalooie57 - 4-5-2011 at 06:27 AM

:no: FB spam? One post then offline? If they want a following, they should explain more.

Drewculous - 4-5-2011 at 06:28 AM

kinda what i figured, giving them a chance tho

indigo_wolf - 4-5-2011 at 08:17 AM

It would have been much better if the basic information about the non-profit organization, their mission, contact info and location were provided on their facebook page. The only photo/album is the logo.

Would love to give folks the benefit of the doubt, but it would help if they were more forthcoming with meaningful information.

There are some basic tenents to non-profit marketing & branding.

Compare the Facebook info pages for various kite related non-profit organizations.
American Kitefliers Association
Drachen Foundation
World Kite Museum

The About and Company Overview fields should be filled in. The Mission field should also be filled in for a non-profit organization, and can be copied directly from their charter and/or 501 (c)(3) incorporation paperwork.

The Facebook info page only contains
About The global winds of change have arrived!
Email info@globalkiter.com
Website http://www.globalkiter.com (a login page with no further info).

Otherwise, your kind of left with that whole Facebook, wham, bam, but feeling so used in the morning feeling.



ATB,
Sam

BeamerBob - 4-5-2011 at 08:27 AM

All I get are dead ends. It's a bunch of hooie.

vacumatic - 4-5-2011 at 01:40 PM

Pretty generic logo too.

Bladerunner - 4-5-2011 at 04:41 PM

I have a few requests in my facebook from folks I am sure are kite friends but I don't know who they are by the tag and picture. If I am ignoring anybody please message me.

This facebook thing is one of the 1st things I find myself knowing I need to do but am resisting. A sure sign of old age creeping in, I'm afraid :Ange09:?

ripsessionkites - 4-5-2011 at 04:44 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bladerunner
I have a few requests in my facebook from folks I am sure are kite friends but I don't know who they are by the tag and picture. If I am ignoring anybody please message me.

This facebook thing is one of the 1st things I find myself knowing I need to do but am resisting. A sure sign of old age creeping in, I'm afraid :Ange09:?


accept me, already!!! hehehe

GKF - Global Kiter Foundation: who we are and our goal

Joekiter - 8-5-2011 at 08:46 AM

Hello everyone

Apologies for not getting in touch sooner, we have been busy with the website - http://www.globalkiter.com/ , i hope you like it!!! Thanks for your replies and comment

So let me tell you more about the Global Kiter Foundation.
The Global Kiter Foundation - aka GKF - is creating a unified kite sports environment through committed environmental work, comprehensive education and an involved community.
GKF is a non-profit Foundation, established by royal decree in Brussels, Belgium. It is the only one of its kind in the industry. We have chosen this as it provides transparency, accountability and credibility.

We are using the 100% donation model, where every cent of the public's donation is directly invested in their chosen community project.

Accountability is part of our ethos. We will publish our accounts online at the end of each fiscal year. There are also systems of public feedback in place at every level to ensure that quality and standards are kept high.

Projects supported by GKF will publish progress reports to show how funding is being used so that you see your donation in action.

Find out more about our staff, the faq, ambassadors and our latest news.

Everyone in the community and the wider public can play a role in GKF.

So let's start today, get in touch with us - http://www.globalkiter.com/foundation/get-involved

Joe

cheezycheese - 8-5-2011 at 09:50 AM

I dunno, maybe it's just me... :dunno: but this kinda just made it worse...

Pulsar - 8-5-2011 at 02:25 PM

I read all of it and still don't get it ... he wants us to donate money ... why?

John Holgate - 8-5-2011 at 02:41 PM

Yeah, me too. I just read it and couldn't tell you what it's about! Doesn't Belgium make really nice chocolate??

shaggs2riches - 8-5-2011 at 09:28 PM

My guessing is that the foundation is setup to help those who might not have the means necessary to get into kiting. Sounds like a missionary for kiting. The money is donated, and they use it to give professional lessons to would be kiters, who might not have the chance otherwise. (like a foundation looking for money to build skateparks in towns that don't have one) Which could be a good thing if it is helping people who have no clue about safety how to learn the sport with less risk.:dunno: Kinda too upfront to post this without previous history on the forum. I feel that each individual kiter has the duty to promote safe practice each time they are out or if they see someone unsafely kiting they should help that person out the best they can.

22bene - 9-5-2011 at 08:29 AM

If that is his effort then don't we do that anyways??? If I saw unsafe kiting taking place I would park my kite and teach... If we are all ambassadors to the sport of kiting then that is our duty!!! Right??? I sure as hell feel that way! I want everyone I know to kite and I spend more time teaching at this point than I do with my own kites in the air... I don't need to donate money to someone across the pond to do all of this... How 'bout sending me money for every poor soul that I have seen making horrid mistakes and reducing my smile time! If am wrong then I would love to see some sort of united front for kiting I am still intrigued by the idea and will keep following till I know more....

bobalooie57 - 9-5-2011 at 08:34 AM

Must be the Belgian kite scene is getting way too crowded with inexperienced newbies, threatening the health and well being of your average Flemish beachgoer, hence the Royal Decree? Seems the King (or Queen or Prince as the case might be) would have some more important Decreeing to do. :bouncy:

Joekiter - 9-5-2011 at 09:41 AM

Thanks for all the feedback...

Our Foundation's aim is to teach all forms of kiting in the safest ways possible.
I am glad to read some of you would stop their own session to help out a newbie or non local so everyone can stay safe and can keep access to a local spot. Sadly, this is not the case everywhere...

The Global Kiter Foundation is a fresh, new approach to kiting. It is the only non-profit Foundation in the industry that aims to regroup kiters, professional riders, industry leaders, school owners, instructors, riders, beach users and supporters, to improve access to our sport.

Everyone in the community and the wider public can play a role in GKF.

Through committed environmental work, comprehensive education and an involved community, GKF intends on working for the good of kiting as well as the kiters.

One of the most important functions of GKF is to reinvest in local kiteboarding efforts. Money raised through the Foundation goes directly to improving the local kiteboarding environment and initiatives. GKF runs the 100% donation model. It means 100% of every donation goes directly into the kiting community to fund specific projects or on-going work carried out throughout the year. Supporters decide exactly where their money goes and see how it is spent!

GKF is a non-profit Foundation approved by Royal Decree in Brussels, Belgium and operates at an international level. The demanding and rigorous legal structure of a Foundation was chosen to reinforce our accountable, non-profit and community based approach to kiting. The accounts will be published at the end of each fiscal year, offering full transparency on how the donations are spent and how the Foundation is managed.

The team behind GKF has been involved with kiteboarding for over ten years.

GKF is joined by an excellent team of Ambassadors who will help to promote the important work and objectives of the Foundation. Ambassadors include prominent members of the kiting community: Dimitri Maramenides, Laurel Eastman, Jerome Josserand, Nuria Goma, and Jack Elston.

I hope this helps bring clarification to your questions guys,

Bladerunner - 9-5-2011 at 05:05 PM

Best of luck with this.


I am sure it makes more sense over in Europe than over here. On land at least?

I fail to see what supporting this group will do to promote kiting in Van Can on land?

gilligan - 9-5-2011 at 10:15 PM

That was kinda like reading a madlib. And I did see the word 'local' used quite a bit for a 'global' organization.

Joekiter - 10-5-2011 at 08:18 AM

@ Bladerunner. Thanks for your feedback. Some charities taking care of children with a disability will organise a day with land kiters for them to take some children on a buggy tandem ride for instance, some kiddos will have the time of their life flying a trainer kite - as it may be one of their way to express themselves.
Personally, i have been involved with such events with National charity organizations. We also teamed up with local husky dog owners to donate our old buggys, for them to customise them so they can stand on the back axle, have a handicapped person sitting in the buggy and the hound of husky dogs pull the two guys.... Check this out for a land based GKF project - http://www.globalkiter.com/foundation/projects#2

@ Gilligan, thanks for your comment. Yes we are called the Global Kiter Foundation. Our approach and ground work is done at local level, by individuals like me and you, at their local spot, with their local community...

I hope i answered your questions ;-)


Joe