Does this pic warm your heart?
This is Ella, looking like Little red riding Hood today, because it's winter here, who is one of the kids I teach model building to at my sons' school in Brisbane, Australia. I do the club every week, on my day off, at lunchtime. Not sure who loves it more, me or the kids. Lol.
The kit is one of several donations from myself and some very generous people. It is the coolest thing to see the excitement when they get a new model. She alone, has completed 5 models in the 3 years since I started.
This is my contribution to our hobby. We have around 12 per year in the group. Most are continuing on building models even when they leave for high school. Keeping our hobby alive. 🙂
Just wanted to share.
Paul..
Rob Anderson said on June 17, 2014
Yes yes it does warm my heart!
Paul van Acker said on June 18, 2014
🙂
Ramon R. Lomeli said on June 17, 2014
Girl power! Keep up the good work, these kids will remember this club for the rest of their lives! 🙂
Paul van Acker said on June 18, 2014
Thank you. I hope they do . 🙂
Craig Abrahamson said on June 17, 2014
5 kits in 3 years...? She's way ahead of a lotta people on here. By the way, isn't that supposed to be "Pooh Bear" and not "Bear Pooh"...? lol
Paul van Acker said on June 18, 2014
Lol. Actually no. I'm a Scout leader too, and she is in that. So she dedicated the kit to me. Her and I kinda thing. My wife and 2 boys are very close friends with her whole family. 🙂
Robert Bausch said on June 17, 2014
Paul,
Great story, and great photo. What a lucky girl to get that kit! I agree with Craig, 5 in 3 is better than I am doing now. I think Ella is someone to look up to! Well done, and keep up the good work, you are growing the hobby.
Paul van Acker said on June 18, 2014
Thank you. 🙂
George Williams said on June 17, 2014
Fantastic, just what the hobby needs!
Paul van Acker said on June 18, 2014
Yeah, and I love it too. We all win. 🙂
Seamus Boughe said on June 18, 2014
Okay, so lets say some of the imodelers here wanted to donate some kits in order to keep children away from TV and video games, where does one send donations to?
Paul van Acker said on June 18, 2014
Mate, that'd be awesome. There may be other people around doing this as well, but for my group, my class would be stoked. Also, I send the donator a pic of the class in action, to show what we do etc,and a thank you from them and I. Any donations can go to my address for me to take them to the kids. 2 Beckford Street Moorooka Brisbane Qld 4105 Australia. Many thanks if you want to help out. 🙂
Paul Wilsford said on June 18, 2014
I have a friend that lives in NSW and he may be up for something like this. Ill give hum a shout
Paul van Acker said on June 18, 2014
Great. 🙂 Thank you.
Simon Whitney said on June 18, 2014
Sweet Paul, her expression says it all.
Paul van Acker said on June 18, 2014
Yeah. 🙂
Rick Wilkes said on June 18, 2014
Paul, is great that you give back to the hobby with such enthusiast results. Your class clearly goes beyond the "make & take" level and I hope joy on Ella's face stays with her always.
Paul van Acker said on June 18, 2014
They are super kids. I hope it stay with her too. 🙂
James Robert Feuilherade said on June 18, 2014
So nice to see a change from kids staring at phone screens!
Paul van Acker said on June 18, 2014
Yeah. I do a lot of things with kids, including my own, and they never involve a screen of any type... Oh, except minecraft sometimes at home. Lol.
Seamus Boughe said on June 18, 2014
I got to hand it to Ella. She is going to build that Lancaster while the same kit sits on my shelf intimidating the hell out of me. Good on you Ella.
Paul van Acker said on June 18, 2014
She's up for it. Quite talented. 🙂
Jim Thanks... said on June 18, 2014
Dude I need to build my Lancaster! Great Picture! Thanks for sharing!
Paul van Acker said on June 18, 2014
Thank you. I'm halfway through one, and will build mine again when she gets to my stage of construction.
Alan Rush said on June 18, 2014
That's a great story Paul. Great way to give back to your community, plus it is fun! Congratulations for the impact you are having on those kids. As others have said, the smile tells the story.
Paul van Acker said on June 18, 2014
Thank you. 🙂 .
Ralph Clements said on June 18, 2014
I have seen some very nice images of very nice subjects here since I joined, but this is the best. Good job, good photo, good story, good for those kids and good for you! - thanks
Paul van Acker said on June 18, 2014
Thank you so much. 🙂
Tom Cleaver said on June 18, 2014
This is the kit where she gets to learn about putty and seam-filling and the use of sanding sticks, right? 🙂
Paul van Acker said on June 18, 2014
Yep. Lol. It'll be a long haul. I have another girl, building a B-24. Doing great. 🙂
Stephen W Towle said on June 18, 2014
At her age doing a Lancaster is like the Nike commercial...just do it.
Paul van Acker said on June 18, 2014
Lol.
Paul van Acker said on June 18, 2014
Thanks so much everyone. It's so nice to see the support. 🙂 I have 9 in my current class. 4 girls. They build better than the boys. Lol. My oldest son is about to start his next his next kit, a 1/48 beaufighter. Im a bit jealous. 🙂 The girls are really into it. Charlotte building her favourite airplane, a Spitfire VB... Tho she prefers the Mk9. She has one after this... Lol. Joss who is building a B24, Rachel, a P-61 and getting to know the joys of nose weights..., Shaun on a Kv-1 tank, Kai on a Corsair, and Stevie Jimmy and Mick on Sherman tanks. Ok, none of them will win any comps just yet, but it's about having fun and learning the ropes. Got a teacher or two keen as well. Lol.
Josh Patterson said on June 20, 2014
She'll have a nifty plane when finished! So many different skills to practice on this one, seam filling/blending, airbrush work, masking. You should get some of her work posted on the site. So far I haven't seen any kids on the site. We have to get them involved to foster the continuation and growth of this hobby. Maybe for the next group build, we should all get one person we know under 18 to join the site and build a model, any model, and let them have it as their own! Video games are fun, but you shouldn't do them all the time. Modeling teaches them patience, perseverance and how to take criticism constructively and learn from it. Also it gets them writing about what they're doing and I'm sure any english teacher would love that!
Paul van Acker said on June 21, 2014
Great idea. I have lots of kids that would like to show their work. My sons are pretty good. The oldest did a very nice 1/48 Spit MkVB at 9 years old. The other kids are going very well also. It's so cool to see, and I become close to them as well, which is very bonding and gratifying for me. We all win.
Seamus Boughe said on June 21, 2014
Josh definitely hits the nail on the head. I recently had to do a drywall job in a room in my house. Mind you, I never hung drywall before in my life so I went on to YouTube and looked at some instructional videos. Well, just like building scale models, get the right tools, follow the instructions, measure twice & cut once, use patience, and in no time at all, I completed a room with professional results. All the time I was involved in this project, I kept commenting to myself that it was just like building a model. If I was not a scale modeler, I wonder if I could have pulled this drywall project off.
Paul van Acker said on June 21, 2014
I wonder if surgery is the same... Let's have a go at that. Lol. Maybe not. 🙂 But you're right. It gives us skills we don't realise, that help us with all areas of life.
Haluk Aygin said on June 22, 2014
You're doing a great job Paul and the smile on the girls face is very heartwarming. I am hoping to introduce my grandson to the hobby too when he is old enough.Keep up the goodwork.
Paul van Acker said on June 28, 2014
Thanks Haluk. 🙂 It's been great fun for me too. Have fun with your grandson when the time comes.