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PHOTOS: Penticton residents weigh in on where Flat Stanley should go next

The paper cutout has so far visited the SS Sicamous, the Channel and the Peach to name a few spots

Flat Stanley has come all the way from Surrey, B.C. to get to know Penticton and what makes it so unique.

A Grade 2 class from Surrey sent the City of Penticton a Flat Stanley (the coloured paper cutout), as one of the nine communities across Canada they are interested in learning about. The students asked that Stanley visit some of Penticton’s famous sites.

So far, Flat Stanley had coffee with the mayor, visited the iconic Peach, walked the KVR trail towards Naramata, visited the SS Sicamous and the Channel, but he didn’t go for a float.

When the city asked Pentictonites what sites Flat Stanley might like to see, there were a few locations that stood out.

The top answer was Munson Mountain and the Penticton sign. The Japanese Gardens and a Vees Game were close seconds.

There were other mentions too, like the Leir House, Art Gallery, the Museum, Skaha Bluffs, Skaha Lake, Tickleberry’s, Apex Mountain, LocoLanding, a vineyard and even over to Summerland to ride the steam train.

One suggestion seemed very apropos, that Flat Stanley visit a Grade 2 Penticton classroom.

Flat Stanley doesn’t go home until next week, which is plenty of time to accommodate more sightseeing. When he gets home to Surrey, he is said to be “excited to share his adventures with his students.”

According to Wikipedia, Flat Stanley, written by Jeff Brown in 1964, recounts the adventures of Stanley Lambchop after he is squashed flat by a bulletin board while sleeping. He survives and decides to make the best of being flat. Soon, he discovers that he is able to enter locked rooms by sliding under the door. Another special advantage of being flat is that Flat Stanley can visit his friends in California by mailing himself in an envelope.

The Flat Stanley Project began in 1995 under the direction of Dale Hubert, a third grade school teacher in London, Ont. Students begin by reading the book and becoming familiar with Flat Stanley’s story. Then, they create paper “Flat Stanleys” and connect with other schools in communities around Canada they are interested in learning about.

In 2008, more than 6,000 classes from 47 countries took part in the Flat Stanley Project.

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Monique Tamminga

About the Author: Monique Tamminga

Monique brings 20 years of award-winning journalism experience to the role of editor at the Penticton Western News. Of those years, 17 were spent working as a senior reporter and acting editor with the Langley Advance Times.
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