HISTORICAL INSPIRATION credit: Wikipedia, February 26, 2018
Flat Stanley
In 1995, a Canadian school teacher started a project beloved by parents and children today. The project, The Flat Stanley Project, based on a book 31 years after its original publication, was designed to facilitate letter-writing by schoolchildren to each other. Students begin by reading the book and becoming acquainted with the story. They create paper "Flat Stanleys" (representative drawings of the Stanley Lambchop character) and keep a journal for a few days, documenting the places and activities in which Flat Stanley is involved. Each student's Flat Stanley and its respective journal are mailed to other people who are asked to treat the figure as a visiting guest and add to his journal, then return them both after a period of time. The project has many similarities to the travelling gnome prank.
(The Travelling Gnome Prank is a lighter running prank has been enjoyed since the mid eighties! People steal a garden gnome from an unknowing person's lawn and then send the owner photos and messages from the gnome as a practical joke before returning it.)
2D-Dougie, the Flat Doug Project
Two years later it is still hard to think of Doug being gone. His gentle nature, his joy in every adventure, his willingness to always be a part of whats next. His energy was palpable, and his smile infectious. There wasn’t a good time he wasn’t up for and every stranger was at least, in the moment, a friend.
For us, everything was a little lighter, a little brighter and a little righter when Doug was around.
And with his passing, we have all reflected a little more. Life is short, the cliché goes. Anything can happen, and when it does, because it will, what kind of life do you want to have led. Did you seize the day, did you live the dream, did you relish the moments?
Is that even realistic? Or is it more realistic to have a few perfect moments. For each day to embrace a piece of that day for the joy it brings in that moment.
And that’s what Doug did.
So this year we are introducing our own version of Flat Stanley Traveling Gnome.
It's Flat Doug, 2DimensionalDougie, Have a Day with Doug, the Cardboard Cutout That Keeps You Company. We invite you this year to take Flat Doug with you. To work, to school, in your car, on a plane, take him sailing, skydiving or sleeping in. Take him to a wedding, a graduation or a bat mitzvah. Bring him to dinner or to the shore or the country music festival or a ball game. Because wherever you went, he would have loved to be with you or share a part of your life. And wherever you go from here, we’d love to know about. Please spread some joy by living in the moment with us on this journey!
What do you do?
When it's your turn to spend time with Flat Doug you will receive an envelope containing bracelets, Flat Doug and directions. Take a bracelet, enjoy your time together and take pictures and videos! Come back to this site and fill out the Share your Experience form so we know where he's off to next.
Post your pics to Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/flatdougusseglio/
or
on Instagram #flatdoug
Safely place Flat Doug in an envelope and send him off to the next person. Not sure where to send him? Just get in touch with us and we can tell you who's waiting for him! Follow his travels from here on out!