Operation: “Flat Kerrsen”

What began as a grade two school project later became a colossal endeavor, bringing hundreds of people together, including current and past Olympic gold medalists, rock stars and hockey legends, to share in the true spirit of the Olympics.

It all started with a single note and a picture that was sent by Margo Johnston, Olympic organizer, to her friends and colleagues:

I have been asked by a friend to help her grandson with a Flat Stanley project. Kerrsen is 7 years old and lost his father to cancer last year. He has mailed us his little flat self to explore British Columbia…and we are taking him to the Olympics! Your mission, should you accept, is to contribute to Flat Kerrsen’s school project by making his trip to the Olympics unforgettable!”

And unforgettable it was! There wasn’t a more traveled person, albeit flat person, at the Olympics. Not even the press would have seen the events that he saw, nor met the number of people both behind the scenes and in front of the cameras that Flat Kerrsen met. This project brought out the true spirit of sharing of the Olympics, as dozens of individuals who didn’t know Kerrsen, but were touched by his story, went out of their way to make his project special. According to Margo,

When the pictures started coming in after the event, I was overwhelmed and so thrilled for Kerrsen. What a marvellous cross-section of the Olympics! No one person could have possibly been or seen all that Flat Kerrsen saw. This project gave me an incredible insight into the games that I would never have accomplished on my own. Flat Kerrsen was a common thread to lots of people throughout the event from workers to volunteers to fans from around the world. Although this was only a piece of paper it took on a life of its own and somehow the experiences of Kerrsen’s little flat self feel very real and very good. Best of all I realized that in doing something special for someone else – I did something special for myself.

About Flat Stanley Project

The central character in a series of children’s books dating back to 1964, Flat Stanley has a second career as a globetrotting educational tool, thanks to the Internet’s Flat Stanley Project. In the original book, by writer Jeff Brown and illustrator Tomi Ungerer, Stanley Lambchop wakes up one morning flattened by his bulletin board. His positive attitude helps him cope with the physical disadvantage and propels him into a series of adventures.

Inspired by Flat Stanley’s trip to California inside an envelope, Canadian educator Dale Hubert created the Flat Stanley Project for his grade three students and in 1995 put it on the Web. Classrooms around the world exchange cut-out Flat Stanleys and keep journals as a way for kids to learn about other parts of the world. Over the years Flat Stanley has become a pop culture phenomenon as well as an educational tool. He has “met” world leaders such as Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, made appearances on television shows such as The West Wing and Jeopardy!, been aboard the U.S. space shuttle Discovery and made trips all over the globe, including to Mt. Everest and the Taj Mahal. This year, Flat Kerrsen would receive the distinction of the most ubiquitous person at the Olympics!

Flat Kerrsen at the Vancouver, 2010 Olympics

(Click on the images below to link to photo gallery)

Flat Kerrsen at the 2010 Olympics

Gold Medalist Jon Montgomery & Flat Kerrsen

Gold Medal Ice Dancers Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir

Comments from “Project Kerrsen” Participants

The Olympics were not only an exciting time but a very concentrated 17 days for people like myself who worked on a major pavilion. With things changing constantly and the pressure on, there was a tendency to become absorbed in the immediate details and forget that a tremendous event was going on everywhere in the Lower Mainland and Whistler. “Operation Flat Kerrsen” was a breath of fresh air and a connection to the bigger picture. It was also a great icebreaker and people everywhere, whether they knew about the program or not, were fascinated when they learned what this little flat image represented. Pulling Flat Kerrsen out of your pocket always prompted a smile. Margo

It is amazing how many people knew all about Flat Stanley and would ask us questions. Others asked questions to find out what we were doing. Lee

Children were always pleased to hold him! Sue

During the 2 days we were in Vancouver Kerrsen got to experience more than most.  Sandii & Jeff

When we were taking his picture at the flame a lady stopped and asked if it was Flat Stanley. She was a retired teacher and had done the project with her class. She was thrilled when we told her the story how he was attending the Olympics. The hockey players were standing outside Sears for photo ops. There was a manager controlling the cameras and would use your camera to take shots for you. He too loved Flat Kerrsen.  Sherry

Good luck putting these photos all together. Lots of love being send to Kerrsen from many people…performers were more than happy to have their picture taken with Kerrsen. I was involved with the wardrobe and costumes for opening and closing. Spent many hours sewing and altering and sewing lights into costumes. We have worked since November. It was a fabulous experience and I was happy to be a part of it all and especially for flat Kerrsen.  Judy

Flat Kerrsen and Kerrsen Reunited

Flat Kerrsen really saw a lot. I think it’s cool that he met Sidney Crosby! I was proud to show his pictures to my class. It made me feel special. Even though you are sad some things can give you joy.  Kerrsen