FVGLA Update

Spreading the News About Flat Stanley-Whitman's Visit to Boston

2010-06-09T08:47:00.000-07:00

Nickname: The Bay State, but during the eighteenth century became known as the “Cradle of Liberty”
Capital: Boston
Admission to the Union: February 6, 1788

Like so many New England families, Flat Stanley-Whitman's heritage can be traced back to Cambridge, England, Massachusetts Bay Colony, and ultimately the Puritan haven for nobleman, River Colony (known today as the state of Connecticut). Both the Stanley and Whitman families are among the most dignified when ranked by the Farmington church of old. Still, Flat Stanley-Whitman enjoyed exploring Boston in his geneologoical quest.

Built in 1798, the “new” State House is located across from the Boston Common on the top of Beacon Hill. While visiting Boston, he hiked the Freedom Trail, a 2.5 mile red brick walking trail that leads you to 16 nationally signifcant historic sites. Dedicated by the citizens of Boston in 1958, the Freedom Trail is a unique collection of museums, churches, meeting houses, burying grounds, parks, a ship, and historic markers that tell the story of the American Revolution and beyond.

He also enjoyed strolling the Public Garden and riding the Swan Boats.The Public Garden, also known as Boston Public’s Garden, is a large park located in the heart of Boston and adjacent to Boston Common. From the start, the Public Gardne was fancy and flowery and the Common was rustic and practical. The Common Walkways were for crosstown travel, the Public Garden’s paths for strolling. The Common was America’s first park (1634), the Public Garden its first botanical garden. was created in 1837, Boston Common in 1634.

For over 130 years, the Swan Boats have been a part of the Boston experience. Each Spring they come out and grace the waters of the Boston Public Garden. The Swan Boats became famous in the stories Make Way for Ducklings and The Trumpet of the Swan.

The John Hancock Tower was built in 1976 and at 241 meters (790ft), it is still the tallest building in Boston. The construction of the modern 60 story skyscraper at Copley Square, creates a glass curtain wall reflecting the more historic surrounding buildings.

Helping Flat Stanley-Whitman find out about his ancestors was an interesting and educational experience. Now he's heading back home, to Farmington, Connecticut, where he can reflect on the many places he's been.

Kim Pelletreau and Nicole Barbuto

Making Our Way Around the Concrete Jungle - New York City

2010-06-07T12:32:00.000-07:00

About three years ago, when I came to this great nation from India, I had the pleasure of coming to stay in the city commonly known around the world as "the city that never sleeps" - New York City.

New York City has a cool, humid climate since it falls on the North-Eastern Coast of America. On average, it has about 234 days with at least some sunshine annually. Summers are typically hot, with temperatures averaging in the 80s, while winters are quite chilly, with a lot of precipitation. New York City is often called ‘the concrete jungle,' and for good reason. New York consists of several islands, covered with gigantic, high-rise buildings. The city can be best described geographically as an archipelago, with the Hudson and East rivers running through it, and emptying out into the Atlantic Ocean, forming
several natural harbors, and making New York City a primary trade center.

New York’s current culture can best be described as mixed and integrated. It’s a thriving city with over eight million residents from hundreds of different backgrounds, and the city can be compared to a melting pot. Indeed, New York City is the most linguistically diverse city in the world! Other than that, New York is also considered the financial capital of the world, and all kinds of jobs are available. It is a place with abundant well-paying, job opportunities and people come from all over the world in pursuit of money and careers.

Probably the most important tourist attraction of New York is the Statue of Liberty, situated on Ellis Island, just off the coast of the mainland. However, New York is home to several world class museums (MOMA, Museum of Natural History) and the island of Manhattan is frequently enveloped with tourists, who come to New York to witness the man-created wonders of the city. All of New York itself is unique, since it is a city like no other. However, a few distinctively unique events are the U.S. Open, hosted in Flushing Meadows, the New Year's ball-dropping in the electric Times Square, and the world-famous Broadway musicals that have adopted Manhattan as their home.

So there you have it, Flat Stanley-Whitman, New York in a paragraph. There are countless secrets of the place that cannot be described, only be witnessed first-hand. Thanks for coming to New York City with me, a fascinating place that I admire to this day.

Archit Parikh

Exploring the Seacoast Region of Hampton, New Hampshire

2010-06-07T12:06:00.000-07:00

We are happy to have Flat Stanley-Whitman visit us in Hampton, New Hampshire (population 15,000), a town in an area commonly referred to as the Seacoast region. The New Hampshire seacoast borders Massachusetts to our south, and Maine to our north, with the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Interestingly, with only 18 miles of coastline, New Hampshire has the shortest ocean coastline of any U.S. coastal state.

Our town of Hampton is home to Hampton Beach State Park, the state’s largest beach with a huge, long sandy beach, a boardwalk with all kinds of amusements such as arcades, fried dough and lots of T-shirt and gift shops, to name a few. Every Wednesday night during the summer is just like the Fourth of July at Hampton Beach because there are awesome fireworks. And there is a band shell where nightly outdoor concerts are held. Every year in June, there is a sand sculpture contest and in September, the Hampton Beach Seafood Festival is held. There are also eight other beaches and waterfront state parks along the coast.

Our climate in Hampton is much like your climate in Farmington. The summer is warm and humid and the winter is cold, snowy and wet. Usually, it is cooler along the coast than it is inland. For example, yesterday it was 52 degrees in Hampton, but it was 80 degrees in Manchester, New Hampshire’s
largest town, which is about 30 miles inland.

The Seacoast region of New Hampshire is just one part of our large state. There is also the Lakes region, the White Mountains region and the North Country, to name a few. So much to explore and do! Did you know that New Hampshire was the ninth of the original thirteen colonies? And New Hampshire has the coolest state motto in the whole United States, if I do say so myself: "Live Free or Die."

The Anastasia family, Hampton, New Hampshire, (Aunt, Uncle and cousins of Erik I.)

Experiencing Oregon with Alex A.!

2010-06-07T07:03:00.000-07:00

Thank you for sending me Flat Stanley-Whitman. I had so much fun taking him around. I first started at the Oregon Vortex. It is a mystical place that makes everything appear different than it really is. www.oregonvortex.com

Next we headed to the coast. One side of Oregon is met by the Pacific Ocean. The water is cold and the beach has big rocks to climb on. We stayed the night and made a big fire by the beach. I found this cool starfish during low tide in the morning. http://www.brookingsor.com/ I then drove down to California to the Redwood Forest. We saw trees that were over 300 feet tall and 1000 years old. http://www.treesofmystery.net/

The places I went are all close to the town I live in called Medford, Oregon. http://www.city-data.com/city/Medford-Oregon.html I really like it here. It is pretty nice weather most of the year. It does not rain too
much. We go on lots of hikes. This weekend I am going to a cool place called Crater Lake.

Thanks again for the letter. I hope you are all doing well. I miss you
all. Alex A.- former Noah Wallace School student

Visiting Brooklyn, New York: A Kaleidoscope of Languages and Cultures

2010-06-07T06:28:00.000-07:00

Your friend, Flat Stanley-Whitman, came to visit me. I met him in Northport Village, across Long Island Sound from Norwalk, Connecticut. Did he sail across or did he row across the Sound? Either way he was tired after such a long journey – it was about 20 miles!

Northport Village is located in Suffolk County Long Island. Did you know that Long Island is the longest and largest island in the contiguous United States? It is 118 miles long and 23 miles wide at its widest point.

The next day Stanley and I drove to Brooklyn where I work. Technically, Brooklyn is considered to be part of Long Island, but today it is one of the five boroughs that make up New York City. We drove through many different neighborhoods, a kaleidoscope of languages and cultures: Caribbean, Spanish, Italian, Arabic, Chinese and Orthodox Jewish; each with their own style of dress and customs! Stanley was surprised to see so many different people living close together. How different this was from his home in Farmington, Connecticut!

I work near the Brooklyn Bridge, one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. It was completed in 1883 and has a pedestrian walkway that allows people to walk or cycle across the bridge, high above the East River, from Brooklyn to Manhattan. Walking along the Promenade, we marveled at the Statue of Liberty and the tall buildings on the other side of the river that makeup the beautiful Manhattan skyline. We also sadly remembered the Twin Towers that no longer rise majestically across the way.

Soon it was time to return home. On the way back to East Northport, we stopped by to visit the home of another Whitman: Walt Whitman, the famous American poet who was born on Long Island and wrote poems about the beauty of nature. I wonder if they are somehow related? Perhaps a distant cousin decided to seek his fortune in New York and settled in the west hills of Suffolk County Long Island? Walt Whitman also traveled to Brooklyn and settled there. In fact, he was living in Brooklyn when the Brooklyn Bridge was built! Brooklyn was very different then, mostly farms and orchards.

Stanley was amazed at how the world has changed. And yet, some of the simple pleasures that Stanley, and then Walt Whitman, enjoyed we also enjoy: walking in the woods, listening to the birds, watching the waves along the shore. These are life’s simple pleasures that give us peace and joy. Walt Whitman captured these images beautifully.

Stanley is on his way home now. I hope he enjoyed his visit. I certainly enjoyed showing him where I live and work!
Submitted by Mimi, friend of Adria

Finding Finance and Fun in Chicago!

2010-06-07T06:18:00.000-07:00

Chicago is located in northeastern Illinois at the southwestern tip of Lake Michigan. Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Lake Michigan is the only one of the Great Lakes wholly within the borders of the United States; the others are shared with Canada. The city’s lakefront allure and socially-active arena attracts residents and tourists alike.

Chicago is also a major world financial center, with the second largest central business district in the United States. Manufacturing, printing, publishing and food processing also plays major roles in the city’s economy.

Chicago city lies within the humid continental climate zone, and experiences four distinct seasons. Summers are warm and humid with average daytime high temperatures of 80 to 85 degrees Farenheit and nighttime lows of 61 to 66 degrees Farenheit. Winters are cold, snowy, and windy, with some sunny days, and with temperatures (particularly at night) below freezing. Spring and fall are mild seasons with low humidity.

When Chicago was incorporated in 1837, it chose the motto "Urbs in Horto," a Latin phrase which translates into English as "City in a Garden." Today, the Chicago Park District consists of 552 parks with over 7,300 acres of municipal parkland. There are 33 sand Chicago beaches, a plethora of museums, two world-class conservatories, 16 historic lagoons, and 10 bird and wildlife gardens.

Karthi Narayanaswami & Kalpana Muthusamy, friends of Afzal A.

Vacationing in San Diego from Tampa

2010-06-03T14:15:00.000-07:00

Flat Stanley-Whitman joined the Monteiro family (Jack P's aunts and cousins) on a fun trip from Tampa to San Diego. From the pictures you will see that he visited Petco Park (home of the San Diego Padres) where he saw a great baseball game, the San Diego Zoo, home to hundreds of plants and animals, and the Maritime Museum, where he learned about ships and submarines!

The zoo was a lot of fun - the pandas, the koalas and the elephants were the highlights. San Diego Zoo is a "retirement home" for elephants - they have nine elephants ranging in ages from 33 to 56.
The Padres lost to the St. Louis Cardinals at Petco Park, but it was fun visiting another baseball field - the Tampa Bay Rays indoor, domed stadium - where it was nice to be outside in the sunshine for a game.

The Maritime Museum was also very interesting. We toured ships that had crossed the Atlantic, along with two submarines, one Russian sub and one American sub. I don't think that any of us would have liked living in those cramped quarters.

San Diego has wonderful weather, with an average temperature of 71 degrees, and less then 10 inches of rainfall a year, making it a desert climate. The sun was out (after a little morning fog) every day we were in San Diego, but with a strong breeze from the water, it was a bit chilly every day. We tried to go in the ocean, but the water temperature was only about 62 degrees, which was WAY too cold. We are used to a water temperature of closer to 80 degrees at home at the beaches along Tampa Bay!

We hope that you have enjoyed Flat Stanley Whitman's journey with us.

Aunt Barbara, Aunt Laurie, Nick and Kayla

Spending a Day at the Beach in San Diego, California

2010-06-02T13:11:00.000-07:00

San Diego is the 2nd largest city in California and the 8th largest in the United States. It has a citywide population of nearly 1.3 million residents and more than 3 million residents countywide. Its area is 4200 sq. miles.

San Diego is known for its wonderful climate which averages 70 degrees. It has a great variety of geography. It has 70 miles of beautiful beaches on the west coast.

In San Diego’s East County, the terrain varies from gentle foothills to mile-high mountains. About 2 hours from the city is the Anzo Borrego Desert State Park. Some of the most popular tourist attractions are the San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park, Sea World, and Legoland.

Spending Quiet Time in Giles County, Virginia

2010-06-02T12:55:00.000-07:00

Stanley-Stanley! Wake up! How did you sleep last night now that you’re in Giles County, Virginia? Did the trains wake you during the night? There are tracks on both sides of the river and trains run from the two Lime plants to the coalfields of West Virginia all during the day and night.

It was a little chilly, about sixty degrees, but it will warm up today to about eighty-four. If it gets really hot, we’ll ride out of the valley into the mountains. It’s always five to eight degrees cooler up there. If we go all the way to the top, it will be close to 4,000 feet, so it’s always cooler up there.

What would you like for breakfast? ”Shoney’s?” We don’t have a Shoney’s here. This is a small county, only about seventeen thousand people. Our biggest town only has around two thousand people. Heck, some high schools in other areas have that many kids in one school so the closest we come to Shoney’s is Burger King, Dairy Queen or Hardees.

What’s that? Of course we have a Wal-Mart, but even it’s a small one. It isn’t brick like most others, it’s a sheet metal building. Come on, put on some clothes and we’ll ride to Glen Lyn, a small town on one end of our county next to the West Virginia border. Glen Lyn had one of the top employers in the area—American Electric Power—but sadly it is closing down due to the economy. We will pass Celanese—the largest employer in our county. At one time it employed almost four thousand people, but now it’s down to 1,000-1,500. It produces cigarette filters and textiles.

You see the horses over in the field? Yes, we have horses and cows in this area although we don’t have any huge horse farms like maybe northern Virginia or Kentucky. Do you see that mountain to your right? No, your other right! That’s called Butt Mountain, no really—Butt Mountain. We will get on the one of two highways that crosses our county, Route 460 (the other is Route 100). Route 100 will take you to Radford University and Rte. 460 will take you to Virginia Tech. How long, did you ask? It’s west about twenty to thirty minutes away.

Buckle up! Here we go! Oh you’re funny—yes this is a car and not a horse and buggy although in one part of our county, the Amish still ride that way. Why yes, we did cross a river, that’s the New River, the second oldest river in the world and only one of a handful that flow north. It crosses thirty-seven miles of our county. It is a slow moving river but is about a hundred yards across pretty much all the way. Why yes, you are right that’s the width of a football field.

How many schools? There are two high schools—Giles (700 kids) and Narrows High (about 350), and three elementary schools (Macy, Eastern, and Narrows). Stanley, what is your favorite subject? "Lunch?” Ha ha.

Any questions about this area? Anyone famous ever been here? Well yes, if you count Patrick Swayze. They filmed the movie “Dirty Dancing” at Mountain Lake Hotel. It’s a resort at the top of Salt Pond Mountain with a natural formed lake. That lake all but dried up to a mud puddle last year, but when it’s full covers about 50 acres and is around a 100 feet deep at some points. Because of the way it sets on a fault line, it sometimes drains low but eventually fills back up, although not completely.

A little known fact-it is one of only two naturally formed fresh water lakes in Virginia. The other one is Lake Drummond in the Dismal Swamp.

What do people do for fun here? We are pretty relaxed, we have numerous creeks and mountain trails, The Appalachian Trail cuts through our county and we get hikers from as far away as England and all parts of the United States. We don’t have a movie theater. You have to go about 30 minutes away for that. Lot of folks set on their porches or campgrounds by the river and just enjoy the quite evenings and relaxing atmosphere. We have a fair amount of tourists.

Did you know that of the nine covered bridges in Virginia and three of them are in Giles County? Fishing is popular, and we have two golf courses and several parks.

We are also quite proud of our new hospital, Giles Memorial, which replaced the original one built in 1960. The new one’s a state-of-the-art, $50 million facility with a great view of Angels Rest: one of the three largest mountains in the county--Angels Rest, Butt Mountain and Peter’s Mountain.

Are you ready to call it a day? Maybe we will go up to the top of Butt Mountain to an old Forestry service fire tower. Before technology with radar and satellites, rangers sat in those towers watching for signs of forest fires. There are a couple left standing, although not in use anymore and they offer great views of the county. Oh, don’t be a scaredy-cat. Yes, we have black bears, deer, raccoons and other small animals, but we will be fine. No? Ok! I enjoyed having you along, Mr. Flat Stanley-Whitman.

Lori Wilburn, Giles County, Virginia

Visiting Atlanta with Flat Stanley-Whitman

2010-06-02T08:05:00.001-07:00

According to census estimates, Metropolitan Atlanta is the fastest growing area in the nation since 2000. Maybe half of the population here is “born and raised” Southerners, the rest are transplants—mostly from the North. Weather and jobs are big lures. Several Fortune 500 companies are based in the metro area. As you can imagine, the huge influx of people have created traffic and infrastructure problems. Every “Atlantan” dreads the major highways—175, I85, GA 400, US 285—during peak times, and there is always lots of construction going on.

The weather here is much warmer than in Connecticut. Average afternoon temperatures in June are close to 90 degrees. In December the average high is about 55. We see very little snow, and if any does fall, it usually melts within a day. Also, schools get closed for even the slightest bit of snow. Don't get me wrong, we get the bitter 20-30 degree weather for a short time every year, but we also can have those wonderful, crazy 70 degree days in the winter. We typically see the most rain in January and in July. The January rain makes the temperature feel much colder than it really is. The July rain steams everything up. And everyone here has air conditioning!

Atlanta is located in northern Georgia, at the base of a mountain ridge. Many people vacation in the mountains because of the close proximity to the city. Atlantans also like the beach, but the nearest ones are a 5-6 hour drive away. The Gulf Coast of Florida, Alabama, and southern coastlines of Georgia and South Carolina are popular destinations. Lake Lanier is a man-made lake just outside the city and encompasses 38,000 acres! It's used largely for recreation purposes and is the source of Atlanta's drinking water. Urban legend has it that in the deepest parts of the lake live 5 foot long catfish, however I don't know that anyone has ever caught one before!

Atlanta has many cool places to visit including the aquarium, zoo, Olympic Park, High Museum, and other attractions. College football is practically a religion here. We also have four professional sports teams—the Braves, Falcons, Thrashers, and Hawks. There is a festival, sports event, or function happening every weekend so you can always find something fun to do. We're also lucky to have lots of different ethnic foods and a ton of great restaurants.
J. Ward, Marietta, Georgia

Spending the Day in Miami with Flat Stanley-Whitman

2010-05-25T13:10:00.000-07:00

Flat
Stanley-Whitman had an interesting day with me in Miami. We went to the Viceroy Hotel via the Miami River Bridge, which you can see in this picture.
He joined us at the swimming pool where he grabbed a quick game of chess on the hotel's pool deck and enjoyed the sunny weather.
The Viceroy Hotel is in downtown Miami and it can very hot here -- 86 degrees today. That made it very, very hot for Flat Stanley-Whitman in his colonial garments!

Carolyn Keating, Tampa, Florida
Nick's Aunt

Enjoying Adventure Island with Nick and Flat Stanley-Whitman

2010-05-24T05:14:00.000-07:00

Flat Stanley-Whitman went with us today to Adventure Island, one of 10 theme parks owned by The Blackstone Group (formerly the parks were owned by Anheuser-Busch). The family of parks includes all of the Seaworld locations, Busch Gardens and Discovery Cove in Orlando, among others.

Adventure Island is a water park – there are rides, a giant wave pool and a lazy river that keep you entertained all day. Adventure Island is in Tampa – it was about 87 degrees today, pretty typical for Tampa in the summertime. The afternoon thunderstorms started at about 3:30, again, very normal for Tampa.

There are tons of beaches, sports teams (including the Tampa Bay Buccaneers football, Tampa Bay Lightning hockey, and the Tampa Bay Rays baseball teams) and a great zoo, Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) and an aquarium to visit.

Unfortunately, there are no mountains in Florida or snow so in the winter, so there isn’t much else to do.

Nicholas Monteiro, Cousin of Noah Wallace School student, Jack P.

Traveling to the 2010 Olympic Games Vancouver/Whistler, British Columbia, Canada

2010-04-20T07:38:00.000-07:00

After visiting Calgary, Canada, home of the 1988 Winter Olympic games with Mike Clark (Otis Elevator team), I headed out to the 2010 Winter Olympic games to watch Erin Pac, former Farmington student (FHS class of 1999, IAR Middle School, and Union Elementary) compete in the Olympic competition as the USA2 bobsled team. Erin is 29 years old and excelled in track, gymnastics and swimming at the high school. She went on to star in track at Springfield College graduating in 2003. Now a world class bobsled driver, she is in the Olympics.

The competition begins at 5 pm on Tuesday, February 23. We arrived on Tuesday at 2:15 am. There isn’t much time to sleep, find out where to go, how to get there, best time to beat the crowds, and all the other things we need to know so we don’t miss out on what we came to see. By mid morning our plans are set. We even have time to get our picture taken in the official Olympic bobsled.

The security gate opens at 2 pm, so we get in line at 12:30 pm so we can be up front during the race. The entry is easy; the climb up the mountain to the bobsled start is a bit harder. It’s like trying to climb the hill from the lower playground at Noah Wallace School to the upper field for 45 straight minutes with NO REST! We had to follow every curve of the fastest, steepest sliding track in the world.

Now we have 2 hours and 15 minutes to wait before the start of the 5pm race and the excitement is building. Erin’s sled, USA2, is the sixth sled to start on the first run because they go by the current world rankings. In the second run they go in reverse order determined by the first run’s time, best time goes last. So Erin is next to the last since her team has the 2nd best time. At the conclusion of day one, Erin and her partner, Elana Meyers from Georgia, are in medal contention holding onto second place.

The next day we get up early and purchase tickets to the giant slalom event for the morning session. We want to be back in line by 12:30 pm to get through the security checkpoint at 2 pm to get back to the bobsled start and be up front to see Erin and Elana prepare for the start of the third run. In this run (#3) they will start second determined by the previous day’s results. After Erin and Elana prepared their sled, Erin come by our stands and we all wished her good luck.

Erin’s third run was again excellent and the second best time once again thus holding onto 2nd place overall. This means for the fourth and final run USA2 runs second to last remaining in medal contention.

We leave our spot at the start and go to the finish line to watch the results. The place is packed with spectators so we can’t get near the rail where the sleds stop after their run. So we watch the race on the huge television monitor—but no big deal—being here in just great.

With two sleds to go, one being USA2, Erin and Elana are in 3rd place and still in medal contention. With a good last run they are guaranteed a medal. Everyone is glued to the monitor watching USA2 on their last run. They come in with a time that earns them a spot on the podium! USA2, Erin Pac and Elana Meyers, earn the bronze medal.

What an outstanding ending to a childhood dream for Erin. What’s better than being in the Olympics? Winning a medal for your country…precious.

What a celebration we had after the flower ceremony with Erin’s family and fans routing her on for this fabulous achievement.

Next for us? Back to the room, sleep, pack, take a bus to Vancouver airport where we watch the medal ceremony on TV (Erin and Elana receive their bronze medals), and then fly all night arriving home in Connecticut on Friday morning.

What a fabulous time we had and to witness Erin’s victory first hand is something to talk about forever.

John M. Grocki, Noah Wallace School, ‘56

Retired Physical Education, Mathematics Teacher and Middle School Athletic Director

Farmington, CT

Discovering Canada with Otis Elevator Audit Team

2009-11-24T07:22:00.000-08:00

Flat Stanley-Whitman joined our "audit" team that was sent from the World Headquarters of Otis Elevator, which is located here in Farmington, Conn. Otis is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation. Otis Elevator Company is the world's leading manufacturer, installer and maintainer of elevators, escalators and moving walkways. Elisha Otis invented the elevator more than 150 years ago, which allowed for buildings to be built going up, as in skyscrapers, and gave rise to our modern citites. Otis Elevator Compnay currently is located in over 200 countries and employs more than 61,000 people.

The audit team from Farmington consisted of 5 individuals (and Flat Stanley-Whitman). We traveled from Bradley Airport in Windsor Locks, Conn. and flew to Minneapolis, Minnesota. This flight took 2-1/2 hours. We expected the next flight to be shorter but our knowlede of the location in Calgary was faulty, and we had another 2-1/2 hour flilght from Minneapolis to Calgary!

Calgary is a city of 1 million residents and is located in the high plains of Canada. From the city center you can see the snow-capped Canadian Rocky Mountains, which are located about 80 miles to the west. In 1988, Calgary hosted the Winter Olympics and the ski competitions took place on these beautiful mountains and ski slopes.

The major industry in Calgary is the oil and gas business. They are also proud of their hockey team--the Calgary Flames! We went to see a game and the stadium was a sea of red Flames' jerseys. Here's a picture of the players on the ice.

Michael J. Clark

Otis Elevator World Headquarters

A Day in the Life of Flat Stanley-Whitman with UConn Medical Student

2009-11-17T14:41:00.000-08:00

This week, I went to medical school with a first year student, Lindsay. She goes to the University of Connecticut Medical School right here in Farmington, Connecticut. The school is connected to the UConn Health Center and John Dempsey Hospital, so there is a lot going on in addition to the medical school. The medical students are learning and studying to become physicians one day. There are many different kinds of doctors to choose from including a pediatrician, surgeon, dermatologist (skin doctor), cardiologist (heart doctor) and many more.

In this picture I am standing on the keyboard of Lindsay's laptop listening to a lecture from one of the immunology professors. Immunology involves studying our immune system which is the body’s built-in defense system to help protect us from disease. Every day I listened to a new topic; there was a lot of information to learn! After class we had to go back to Lindsay’s apartment or the library to study what we had learned from that day in lecture to help reinforce all the material.

In addition to studying immunology, the medical students have to learn the anatomy of the body which includes the bones, muscles, nerves, arteries and other aspects. The human body is a fascinating and complicating thing. In the picture with the book, above, I am studying the hand and the humerus (bone in the upper part of your arm) and looking at pictures of them from an anatomy book. Lindsay taught me a mnemonic to help remember the bones in the wrist. A mnemonic is a strategy to assist in memorizing something. For the wrist or carpal bones it is “Sally Likes To Play The Tiny Chrome Harmonica,” where the first letter in each word refers to one of the bones in the wrist. Sally stands for Scaphoid, Likes = Lunate, To = Triquetrium, Play = Pisiform, The = Trapezium, Tiny = Trapezoid, Chrome = Capitate, and Harmonica = Hamate. There are 206 bones in the human body, and medical students have to learn them all! There were too many for me to learn in just one week.

Besides learning the anatomy, medical students have to learn how to become a doctor. A physician must have many important qualities such as compassion, patience, professionalism and respect. Therefore, we got to shadow the doctor for the day and help him and watch him treat his patients. Lindsay does this every week for three years while in medical school. The students also take a class called Principles of Clinical Medicine which helps teach them different aspects of practicing medicine. So far they have already learned how to take a full medical history of a patient, which is when the doctor asks various questions to help get a better idea of why the person is visiting the doctor.

That ends my week at the medical school. We did a lot of studying and learning! Off to my next journey.

Sincerely,

Flat Stanley-Whitman

Flat Stanley-Whitman Visits Denmark

2009-10-19T06:18:00.000-07:00

GOD MORGAN (Good morning in Danish, pronounced as “Hood Mohrgen”),
We are visiting Copenhagen, which is the capitol of Denmark. Everyone here bicycles (!) and all the streets have bicycle lanes; you can even get free bicycles to ride and return them at the end of the day. The people are very friendly and all of them speak English as well as Danish. This is a small country and everyone is expected to obey the rules-such as no jaywalking and stamping your ticket before you get on the metro (subway)- but no one “checks” to make sure you have a ticket. It is an “honor” system and everyone just follows the rules.

Denmark was the home of the “Vikings” who ruled much of Europe hundreds of years ago, and Copenhagen is surrounded by water. One section of the city has canals, and we went on a boat ride and spent time at Nyhavn (New Harbour). This is where Denmark’s most famous landmark, “The Little Mermaid,” is found. The little statue sits on a rock in the harbor and is based on a story by Denmark’s most famous writer-Hans Christian Andersen. (You may know the story of “The Ugly Duckling,” which he also wrote.)

Copenhagen has a wonderful amusement park called “Tivoli” and this delightful park reportedly was what inspired Walt Disney to build Disneyland! This park was built in 1843 when the promoter urged the King to give the people some amusement to keep their minds off politics. Right now it’s decorated for Halloween, and it’s full of pumpkins and orange lights. Yes, everyone here celebrates Halloween too and the shops are full of witches, black cats and pumpkins.

Today we are going to visit Rosenborg Slot (Castle) where the Kings of Denmark once lived and where the Royal Jewels are kept. This is our final day in Denmark and then we will be flying home to Connecticut. I have enjoyed my holiday very much and hope you’ve enjoyed my pictures.
Farvel (Goodbye),
Flat Stanley Whitman

Bon Jour from Paris: A Day in the Life of Flat Stanley-Whitman

2009-10-15T09:45:00.000-07:00

Bonjour, I have been vacationing with my friends, Jane and Jag Dalal, in Paris where we have visited many sights. I am sending you some pictures, so you can see of the places we’ve been.

Paris is a beautiful city—the capitol of France—and it’s divided in the middle by the Seine River. The first day we walked down the famous street called Champs-Elysees which is full of shops and little cafes where people stop and have coffee in the afternoon. This street takes you to “L’arc de Triomphe” which is a huge arch built by Napoleon to celebrate his military successes. Unfortunately for Napoleon, it was not finished until 1836, long after his rule of France ended.

We also saw the Eiffel Tower, and did you know that the elevators for this giant steel structure were built by Otis Elevator in Farmington? The Eiffel Tower is the symbol of Paris, but when it was built for the World’s Fair in 1889, Parisians hated it and thought it was ugly.

We spent half a day at the Louvre Museum and got to see the “Mona Lisa” and some beautiful paintings and sculptures. My favorite section was the antiquities area where we saw writing and sculptures from 3,000 years ago done by the Egyptians! The museum is so big that people get lost in it.

Have you heard of Notre Dame Cathedral? This huge church dates back some 800 years and has wonderful large gargoyles on the top. (They look like a cross between an animal and the devil with a horn!) We visited Notre Dame on Sunday, so we got to participate in the church service and heard the organ played. Our last day we decided to take the train out of Paris (people take subways and trains everywhere) to the town of Versailles and visit the Versailles Palace which was the home for France’s Kings and the nobility. It is a huge estate with several gardens, a lake, pastures for sheep and horses, and the palace itself is splendid with paintings and sculptures of Roman gods throughout. The palace was really a city where the French court and all the families lived, so it was a busy, busy place.

Well we are ending our trip to France, and I think Flat Stanley is no longer so flat! We enjoyed wonderful food, wine, breads and cheeses, and of course, French pastries!

We are going to Copenhagen in Denmark next, so for now I will say goodbye as the French do.
Au revoir,
Flat Stanley-Whitman (FSW)

Thank You, Alma Bailey Taylor King

2009-10-13T10:14:00.000-07:00

Alma Bailey Taylor King. That’s a long name. When she died last year at the age of 94, she left a long legacy.

Mrs. King was a Farmington resident and retired teacher who had outlived both of her husbands and two sons. Having no one to leave her money to, she bequeathed $1.6 million to the Farmington school district and to the Farmington Village Green and Library Association, a nonprofit corporation that owns and manages the Farmington and Barney Libraries, Stanley-Whitman House museum, Memento Mori Cemetery and the Village Green.

It’s important to note that the gift was not donated directly to the FVGLA or the school district. It will be kept in two separate trusts and administered according to the terms in her will—for the FVGLA through a board of trustees; for the school district, possibly another board—who will make recommendations to the trustees.

As a result, this money is not directly available to the FVGLA or its endowment fund, from which Stanley-Whitman House, the libraries, and several other entities receive direct support.

If you are considering including a bequest in your will to a charitable organization, such as the FVGLA—designating a percentage or amount that directly benefits that entity is a way of showing your true love for that unique organization, giving back to your community, and sets an example for others.

Please use the bequest wording below for Stanley-Whitman House, or change it to reflect the Farmington or Barney Libraries, the cemetery or Village green according to your desires:

"I give, devise and bequeath to Stanley-Whitman House, a part of the Farmington Village Green and Library Association, Farmington, Connecticut, USA, a nonprofit corporation existing under the laws of the State of Connecticut, ____percent (%) of my residuary estate, OR the sum of $__________, OR all the rest, residue and remainder of my estate, to be used for its general objectives and purposes."

Thank you in advance for your consideration.
Trustees of the FVGLA

Why Farmington Village Heard Tap, Tap, Tapping

2009-09-22T08:54:00.000-07:00

The sound of tap, tap, tap was heard last week in Farmington Village as the historic Stanley-Whitman House museum got a new, yet historically-correct, cedar-shake roof.

The house, which will celebrate its 290th birthday next year, was the first in Connecticut on the National Register of Historic Places. Consequently, the materials used for the roof replacement and its construction was done in a historically-correct way to maintain and preserve the house’s integrity.

Construction was expected to begin next fall as fundraising for the roof had only recently begun. But Sanford & Hawley, a Unionville building-supplies company, stepped up and donated materials. And then Ace Roofing of Indian Orchard, Mass., which has worked on other historic buildings in Connecticut and Massachusetts, agreed to reduce the cost if they could begin the project immediately.

“We expected to begin next fall as we weren’t sure how well we’d do with raising the needed funds in this economy,” said house and museum director, Lisa Johnson. “We’re thrilled to have it done now, especially with winter coming.”

The roof was completed on September 18, but the fundraising continues as the campaign also includes a Historic Preservation Fund to support future restoration and maintainance needs.

Stanley-Whitman House, circa 1720 and located in the historic village of Farmington, is a living history center. It runs educational programs for Farmington and area schools districts and hosts community programs throughout the year.

Visitors immerse themselves in history by doing, acting, questioning and engaging in Colonial life through programs, events, classes, exhibits and lectures. They learn about the ideas that formed the foundation of that culture, and the history and dynamic of early Farmington are brought to life.

Two of the public service areas of the museum--a bright, modern classroom and a period Tavern Room--are modern and bright and for a small fee are available to host meetings and gatherings. Surrounding the house are period raised-bed gardens, an apple orchard, and heritage trees and stone walls.

The house and museum, at 37 High Street, Farmington, also manages Memento Mori, Farmington’s ancient cemetery on Main Street, and the Village Green at the intersection of Rtes. 4 and 10. Each are owned and supported by the Farmington Village Green and Library Association (http://www.the-FVGLA.org), which also owns and manages the Farmington and Barney Libraries.

Donations to the SWH Historic Restoration Fund can be sent to: Stanley-Whitman House, 37 High St, Farmington, CT 06032. Online at http://www.Stanley-Whitman.org.

Launching the FVGLA After 108 Years

2009-09-03T09:27:00.000-07:00

(Farmington, CT) The Farmington Village Green and Library Association, or FVGLA, has been around for 108 years in Farmington, but ask the typical person on the street if they know about it and they’ll shake theirs heads, “No.” The reason? The association has fulfilled its charge and mission effectively, yet quietly.

The FVGLA has had a hand in nearly every book, historical building and street that is lived and traveled on in the Farmington/Unionville communities. It owns, operates and provides funding for Farmington’s Main Library, the Barney Library branch, Stanley-Whitman House museum, Memento Mori Cemetery and the Farmington Village Green.

These entities are significant resources for this area of Connecticut and the association has supported, operated and maintained them for more than a century.

The FVGLA owns both the Farmington and Barney Library buildings and provides:
o Nearly 10% of the Farmington and Barney Libraries budgets, and works with the the town
to fund the remainder,
o 25% of funding for Stanley-Whitman House museum,
o 100% of funding to manage Memento Mori Cemetery,
o 100% of the Village Green maintenance budget, and it
o Oversees the Scott Swamp Cemetery.

The association began in 1898 with a bequest from Sarah Porter, also the founder of Porter’s School. She donated land, funds for its maintenance, and then appointed seven trustees to create a tax-exempt association that would own the land, called the “Village Green,” and maintain it as a public park.

Over time, the association expanded. More properties were added to its holdings. And more Farmington and Unionville residents became involved and offered support.

Today, nearly 40 trustees oversee the association and serve as its ambassadors. The board of trustees prudently manage the entities and funds assigned to them. As the economy waxed and waned over that century and now, their donations of time, talent and treasure ensured that the wishes of its benefactors were carried out effectively.

Today, being visionaries for the future, they recognize the importance of sharing the unique role they have as stewards of these entities with those who most appreciate and use them—the residents of Farmington and area towns.

As a result, they hired a development director last September, Via Garafola, who has developed a plan that includes communications, outreach and events. A historic day arrived with the recent launch of its Web site (http://www.the-FVGLA.org) and a fun and educational event is planned with area school children in the fall.

With funding down among the nonprofit sector, being in the throws of an economic downturn, launching a fundraising campaign to renovate the Barney Library, and raising $100,000 to replace the cedar roof on the Stanley-Whitman House museum and create a preservation fund, FVGLA volunteers have been particularly challenged and busy.

“The individuals and families who have supported the work of caring for these entities this past century did so without fanfare,” said Garafola. “It may be a tough time to share the FVGLA’s message with the public, but it’s such a great story. These Farmington pioneers had a vision for their community and preserving it. Now we need everyone who enjoys the resources these places offer—historical relevance, beauty, great spaces and programs they love—to help spread the word and share the passion they have for them.”

It may be 108 years old, but the FVGLA is in its infancy in shaping the face and voice it shares with the world. You can help. Spread the word about our mission:
To enhance the quality of life and preserve the cultural history of Farmington through the financial support and operation of the Farmington and Barney Libraries, Stanley-Whitman House museum, the Village Green and Memento Mori Cemetery.

Direct your neighbors, family and friends to the FVGLA website. Invite the FVGLA to speak at your club or civic organization. Submit a story or memorable experience you’ve had at the Farmington or Barney libraries, Stanley-Whitman House or the Village Green.

Contact: Via Garafola, Development Director
e FVGLA@farmingtonlibct.org p 860-673-6791, x 214