Hello Folks, Blake Walston here, 70+ years young. Just an old man who is happily married for 50+ years(March 15th , 2013) and who builds, teaches, flies model airplanes, and enjoys internet conversation with good people world wide. I have a dream to share that I want to make happen.
I am too old to solicit funds to make this dream come true and I have no gimmicks or sales pitches, just want to share an old man’s dream of a legacy that I want to leave behind. I ask only for prayers if you are a praying person and good wishes if you are not.
This is the dream:
Legacy of Wings Project:
The purpose of Legacy of wings is help kids and young adults find the careers that they love, to find work that they enjoy and by doing so, my hope is that they will learn how to fly not particularly in the air but in their hearts and minds. It is a pure joy to work around someone that loves their work. It creates a very happy atmosphere.
We will do this by:
1. Providing a learning environment that is fun. There will be no formal classroom training; however it will be made available if wanted by student.
2. Teaching each student: work ethics, honesty and integrity by integrating those values into building models, projects in the trades, arts and sciences on a one-on-one basis.
Motivational inspirations will be in the form of signs and forms of work that show dedication and commitment. Such as models of Leonardo DiVinci's inventions, the Wright Brothers, Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla, and others and teachers that care enough to be honest.
3. Teaching the pay-it-forward attitude and to make it obligatory to carry on the tradition and legacy by being alert to those who could benefit from Legacy of Wings and to sponsor them at the center.
4. And seeking out those who can be taught for which formal training is either not available or not suited to the student
. Legacy of Wings is a complex, including: housing for the staff, an active aircraft runway, a lake, a dispensary, and a chapel, but most of all it contains 4 very large hangars, two of which will be staffed with top value educational toys. (Not found at Toys R Us) , Toys such as these:
http://legoengineering.com/curriculum-submenuteachingresources-142.html
http://machinedesign.com/article/toys-that-teach-1213
http://scientificsonline.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_3151604
Educational toys for every career field that we can afford, including music and art. These teaching toys will be placed in the hangers and the students are free to try any and all of them with a goal to choose those that interest them.
These youngsters and adults will come by invitation only, drawn from teachers and others who see the potential in these folks. The purpose of the toys is to find that which interest the students. For if they are interested and enjoy playing in a particular career field, then that will be where we will guide them
This is not a public venture. Nor will public or government monies fund any part of it. It will be open to all to visit but participants will be selected by a governing board based on the need and attitude and character of the students, this will be at no cost to the student other then the work requirement stated below.
Legacy of wings will not teach the fundamentals of reading, writing and arithmetic, nor other classes that are taught in public school. This environment will allow the kids to pick the areas in which they have an interest. Thereby enabling them to build a project or perform projects in every form of trade on the planet for which we can find a willing and dedicated teacher. The staff at this time is mostly family because they believe in the project; several other possible staff members have been spotted for which evaluations are still pending. I have located a site for the complex on which to build. (800+ acres)
All in all it will take about 20 million dollars to build it and 30 million dollars to provide a perpetual funding or 50 million to build and sustain it. So you know ole Blake has to win the lottery to build it. But that is what dreams are for.
Years ago when we were in Japan, my wife, son, and I went to a department store and in the toy section they had an area fenced off in which there was every kind of toy that the store sold and the kids could play with any of them. I watched for over an hour as the kids would pick up one toy or the other and finally settle on one to play with. That was the toy the parents bought for their kids. Over the last 35 years I have worked at trying this out with kids I have taught to build model planes. Allowing them to do the picking of their hearts desire and then enabling them to do it by providing tools, materials and instruction where needed. I know that it works and although I know there are lots of things I need to learn, I am still working towards building this dream.
The kids will have a wee amount of work to do...just enough so that they know they have earned what they get. Nothing that would over burden them or place them in harms way, things like cutting the grass, painting or yard work, and maybe as they progress something in the line of their interest. For instance: a music student might have to practice for several hours to do a public benefit for disabled children, or a flight student might have to clean the airplane before or after he flies in it. What ever it takes so that they know nothing is free but their imagination and through work they can accomplish their hearts desire or what ever they can imagine. I hope to direct them away from the mundane into projects that spark an interest and direct them more to the trades and art. We already have enough chiefs. We need to have better Indians. Let me know what you think of my dream.
The whole shebang is to help folks to find their life’s work that they love to do by providing those toys and materials, to find their niche in the world rather than having to take a job because they need bodies. I have learned that folks who love what they do make a better workplace for everyone else. The complex will be open for applications from anyone, who dares find his or her dream. The main goal of this center is to help create a world of happy workers, who know how to treat their fellow man with kindness, honesty and integrity. Most folks want to win the lottery to quit work...I want to win it to go to work, I guess I am one of the few who really likes to work and this dream will truly be a work of love. If you care to donate, money, tools or materials, it will be gratefully accepted, but all I ask for is prayers or well wishes for it to happen. Far too many folks hate their jobs and if this concept succeeds, it will breed other complexes all over the country and maybe the world and help to make a happier world Please remember that no government or public funds will be used to either build or maintain this facility and it will be open for the public to visit by appointment or reservation. . God grant that we can make it happen. .
Please feel free to share this blog with all whom you come in contact. I feel that the more prayers we have the better chance we have for it to be built.
Regards
ole Blake
ablaker2@sbcglobal.net
I am too old to solicit funds to make this dream come true and I have no gimmicks or sales pitches, just want to share an old man’s dream of a legacy that I want to leave behind. I ask only for prayers if you are a praying person and good wishes if you are not.
This is the dream:
Legacy of Wings Project:
The purpose of Legacy of wings is help kids and young adults find the careers that they love, to find work that they enjoy and by doing so, my hope is that they will learn how to fly not particularly in the air but in their hearts and minds. It is a pure joy to work around someone that loves their work. It creates a very happy atmosphere.
We will do this by:
1. Providing a learning environment that is fun. There will be no formal classroom training; however it will be made available if wanted by student.
2. Teaching each student: work ethics, honesty and integrity by integrating those values into building models, projects in the trades, arts and sciences on a one-on-one basis.
Motivational inspirations will be in the form of signs and forms of work that show dedication and commitment. Such as models of Leonardo DiVinci's inventions, the Wright Brothers, Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla, and others and teachers that care enough to be honest.
3. Teaching the pay-it-forward attitude and to make it obligatory to carry on the tradition and legacy by being alert to those who could benefit from Legacy of Wings and to sponsor them at the center.
4. And seeking out those who can be taught for which formal training is either not available or not suited to the student
. Legacy of Wings is a complex, including: housing for the staff, an active aircraft runway, a lake, a dispensary, and a chapel, but most of all it contains 4 very large hangars, two of which will be staffed with top value educational toys. (Not found at Toys R Us) , Toys such as these:
http://legoengineering.com/curriculum-submenuteachingresources-142.html
http://machinedesign.com/article/toys-that-teach-1213
http://scientificsonline.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_3151604
Educational toys for every career field that we can afford, including music and art. These teaching toys will be placed in the hangers and the students are free to try any and all of them with a goal to choose those that interest them.
These youngsters and adults will come by invitation only, drawn from teachers and others who see the potential in these folks. The purpose of the toys is to find that which interest the students. For if they are interested and enjoy playing in a particular career field, then that will be where we will guide them
This is not a public venture. Nor will public or government monies fund any part of it. It will be open to all to visit but participants will be selected by a governing board based on the need and attitude and character of the students, this will be at no cost to the student other then the work requirement stated below.
Legacy of wings will not teach the fundamentals of reading, writing and arithmetic, nor other classes that are taught in public school. This environment will allow the kids to pick the areas in which they have an interest. Thereby enabling them to build a project or perform projects in every form of trade on the planet for which we can find a willing and dedicated teacher. The staff at this time is mostly family because they believe in the project; several other possible staff members have been spotted for which evaluations are still pending. I have located a site for the complex on which to build. (800+ acres)
All in all it will take about 20 million dollars to build it and 30 million dollars to provide a perpetual funding or 50 million to build and sustain it. So you know ole Blake has to win the lottery to build it. But that is what dreams are for.
Years ago when we were in Japan, my wife, son, and I went to a department store and in the toy section they had an area fenced off in which there was every kind of toy that the store sold and the kids could play with any of them. I watched for over an hour as the kids would pick up one toy or the other and finally settle on one to play with. That was the toy the parents bought for their kids. Over the last 35 years I have worked at trying this out with kids I have taught to build model planes. Allowing them to do the picking of their hearts desire and then enabling them to do it by providing tools, materials and instruction where needed. I know that it works and although I know there are lots of things I need to learn, I am still working towards building this dream.
The kids will have a wee amount of work to do...just enough so that they know they have earned what they get. Nothing that would over burden them or place them in harms way, things like cutting the grass, painting or yard work, and maybe as they progress something in the line of their interest. For instance: a music student might have to practice for several hours to do a public benefit for disabled children, or a flight student might have to clean the airplane before or after he flies in it. What ever it takes so that they know nothing is free but their imagination and through work they can accomplish their hearts desire or what ever they can imagine. I hope to direct them away from the mundane into projects that spark an interest and direct them more to the trades and art. We already have enough chiefs. We need to have better Indians. Let me know what you think of my dream.
The whole shebang is to help folks to find their life’s work that they love to do by providing those toys and materials, to find their niche in the world rather than having to take a job because they need bodies. I have learned that folks who love what they do make a better workplace for everyone else. The complex will be open for applications from anyone, who dares find his or her dream. The main goal of this center is to help create a world of happy workers, who know how to treat their fellow man with kindness, honesty and integrity. Most folks want to win the lottery to quit work...I want to win it to go to work, I guess I am one of the few who really likes to work and this dream will truly be a work of love. If you care to donate, money, tools or materials, it will be gratefully accepted, but all I ask for is prayers or well wishes for it to happen. Far too many folks hate their jobs and if this concept succeeds, it will breed other complexes all over the country and maybe the world and help to make a happier world Please remember that no government or public funds will be used to either build or maintain this facility and it will be open for the public to visit by appointment or reservation. . God grant that we can make it happen. .
Please feel free to share this blog with all whom you come in contact. I feel that the more prayers we have the better chance we have for it to be built.
Regards
ole Blake
ablaker2@sbcglobal.net
Unlce Blake, I love it and see your heart in every aspect! I know you will find the funds to make this project a success and it will impact the lives of so many! My prayers are with you!!
ReplyDeleteChristina
Today I am 70 years plus, this is the only item on my bucket list. So if you think it is a good idea, say a prayer for me to last long enough to see it come to pass.
ReplyDeleteRegards
ole Blake