Bless His Cardboard Heart; He’s Here To Help

Poor Flat Stanley. He may have thought he was preparing for a cruise, so how did he end up tornado-devastated Tennessee?

It’s all because of Beverly Thomson, a resident of Lebanon, Mo., who for the past seven years has been a dedicated volunteer with the American Red Cross – both at her home chapter and at more than 20 national disaster responses. By coincidence, Beverly was called by Red Cross to give assistance to those affected by the recent tornadoes at the same time she was helping a granddaughter prepare a class project. And that’s where Flat Stanley’s fate took a dramatic turn.

As the name implies Stanley is as flat as a layer of wallpaper, but his boyish cardboard figure doesn’t seem to mind. He just goes with the flow. He doesn’t even mind being called a “learning tool” by Mrs. Tyre, who assigned her third-grade class to make replicas of Flat Stanley and send them on an imaginary journey – properly dressed and properly equipped.

The goal: to give the youngsters an opportunity to learn about how other people live, dress, eat, entertain themselves and, in general, survive. Beverly and 9-yeaar-old Kelsey Winsfrey intended to send their cardboard character on a cruise, with casual wear, swim suit, snorkeling equipment and a hearty appetite from cruisedon’s infamous “eat ‘til it hurts” regime. Just as in real life, Stanley’s plans changed when Beverly learned she was needed in Tennessee. In the limited time she had to prepare for travel, Beverly enlisted her granddaughter to plan, design and conjure a new wardrobe for the ever-ready Flat Stanley.

Wearing an improvised Red Cross hat and vest complete with I.D. badge, Stanley accompanied Beverly to the American Red Cross temporary disaster headquarters in Gallatin and from there to a Service Center in LaFayette, where he will sit in on interviews conducted by Beverly to determine client needs.

His revised assignment may not carry the glamour of a sea cruise, but the rewards are greater. Instead of indulging himself, he’s vicariously serving the needs of people whose lives were disrupted quickly and violently. He’ll have plenty to report when he gets back – about the way Red Cross opened shelters to provide a safe haven for those displaced through no fault of their own, about the thousands of meals provided by Red Cross, about the health and mental health services provided through this humanitarian organization, about further help they can expect in re-starting their lives. He’ll tell them about the many other services provided mostly by volunteers like Beverly Thomson and paid for by people across America, who donate to help those unfortunate enough to be in the path of an angry Mother Nature.

And, who knows? Maybe some of those third-graders at Lebanon’s Joel E Barber School will come away with a greater appreciation for what they have and a stronger desire to help those not so lucky.

Call 1-800-REDCROSS to learn how you can join Flat Stanley’s Help Team.

Story was written by Ellen Scarborough a retired newspaper reporter and volunteer from the Greater Carolinas Chapter. Ellen lives in Charlotte, NC.