If one Fort Benning woman gets her way, Taylor Swift will have a new guy to sing about this week.
Flat Stanley.
The Flat Stanley Project involves a paper doll -- Flat Stanley -- that students send to various locations with a journal. Jo Crawford, 46, of Fort Benning has a Flat Stanley doll.
And she’s bringing him to the CMA Awards in Nashville.
“How many Flat Stanleys get to go to the CMAs?” Crawford said in a recent phone interview. The ultimate goal is to get Flat Stanley to meet Taylor Swift. Crawford’s niece in Kansas -- the one conducting the Flat Stanley project -- is a fan of the country music singer.
“I would just really, really love to get the Taylor Swift thing for my niece,” Crawford said.
The CMA Awards air 8 p.m. Wednesday on ABC. Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley will host. Crawford will see the excitement in person.
Her awards show journey started with a truck.
While serving with the military in Afghanistan, her son, Michael Rasmusson, ordered a truck from a Chevrolet dealership in Nashville. He came home to Fort Campbell in August and immediately went to pick up his new truck.
Crawford and her husband Paul, who is stationed with the military at Fort Benning, came with him to the dealership.
While they were there, an employee at the dealership told Michael they often invite people to the CMA Awards.
He extended an invitation -- presumably to just Michael and his girlfriend. But Michael jokingly asked for four tickets. Crawford’s husband jokingly made a similar request. Soon, their comments went from humor to reality.
Their group of four -- Crawford and her husband, Michael and his girlfriend -- will be in the audience at Wednesday’s CMA Awards.
“It’s going to be fun, but it’s going to be quick,” Crawford said.
She and her husband are driving to Nashville and expect to leave tonight or Wednesday morning. They plan to come home Thursday.
Crawford hopes to attend the red carpet and after-party scene. Flat Stanley’s celebrity encounter is a priority, but Crawford wouldn’t mind meeting another star, too.
“I love Blake Shelton. I adore him,” she said. What would she do upon meeting the country singer? “I would probably just look at him,” she said, laughing.
Sonya Sorich, reporter, can be reached at ssorich@ledger-enquirer.com or 706-571-8516. Visit ledger-enquirer.com/blogs to read her Walk of Shame dating blog.
