Bookmark Buddies Archives - The Inside Press

Bookmark Buddies Helps Honor the Memory of Chappaqua Resident and Empowers Kids to Make a Difference

PHOTO BY CAROLYN SIMPSON, DOUBLEVISION PHOTOGRAPHERS

Regardless of our age, we have the power to make a difference. Six-year-old Lanie Feig proves just that. A kind little girl with a gentle disposition, Lanie began a charity called Bookmark Buddies with the help of her family and members of our community. The premise of Bookmark Buddies is simple: blank bookmarks are provided for children to decorate and then sold for charity. Although Lanie loves to read, her inspiration for starting this organization was not merely her love for books–it was her love for a friend.

A Mutual Love of Books

Last year, when Lanie was in Kindergarten, she met a 3rd grader in school named Scarlett. Feeling an instant connection with Scarlett, Lanie asked her teacher if they could be reading buddies for the year and was granted her request. Their friendship grew over books, and a deep bond quickly formed between the girls. However, Lanie didn’t know that Scarlett was battling cancer. Even as Scarlett’s condition worsened, she continued reading to Lanie, with both girls treasuring their time together. “The most remarkable thing about all of it–besides Lanie’s love for Scarlett–is that Lanie never knew Scarlett was different or sick. To know that Scarlett was looked at as special, but not different, was incredible, and it just shows the power of kindness and inclusion that should be an example for all,” said Robin Chwatko, Scarlett’s mom.

Heartbreakingly this Marc, Scarlett passed away. In an effort to help Lanie cope with this devastating loss, her mother, Heather went to Scattered Books to find a book that could help Lanie through this emotional time. While there, Heather came up with the concept for Bookmark Buddies, thinking that Lanie could make and sell bookmarks with her friends and use charity work as a means of processing Scarlett’s passing.

PHOTO BY HEATHER FEIG

A Charity is Born

“Lanie was saying to me, ‘Mommy, I’m just so sad. Have you ever seen me so sad? I don’t understand how something like this can happen’” said Heather. “And she just asked tons of questions about how a child could die, so I decided I wasn’t waiting to bring up the bookmark idea.” The next day, with the help of Laura from Scattered Books, Bookmark Buddies had its inaugural event, with members of the community coming together to decorate bookmarks, raising $300 in the process. But the event was deemed to be a success for more reasons than just the money it raised, as it also provided Scarlett’s friends and members of the community with an opportunity to channel their energy into something positive in honor of Scarlett.

Although Lanie is only six-years-old, she has a profound sense of empathy, a deep passion for helping others, and a maturity beyond her years. “The goal of Bookmark Buddies is to empower children,” stated Lanie. “We want kids to know that they can make a difference in the world. Kids think that they can’t do some things that adults do, but anybody can do this, even little kids like me. All you have to do is color a bookmark and it helps others.” After that first event, Bookmark Buddies started getting more and more requests, hosting events at Scarlett’s Bunny Garden, Temple Beth El of Northern Westchester’s Mitzvah Day, and the Sleepy Hollow Literature Fair, among many others. Although the money raised by Bookmark Buddies is going to three different charities (Make-A-Wish, the Ronald McDonald House, and the SPCA in honor of Scarlett’s charity, Draw for Paws – see story on page 30), Lanie has a particular goal in mind. After hearing about how Scarlett’s wish to swim with the dolphins at Disney was granted, Lanie hopes to raise $10,000 for Make-A-Wish so that she can grant a wish for another child and give them hope.

Robin Chwatko is blown away by Lanie’s dedication to Bookmark Buddies. “The fact that she is honoring Scarlett’s memory over something they bonded so closely over– it leaves me speechless,” stated Robin.

Photo by Heather Feig

A Growing Non-Profit

But what started as a singular event is growing rapidly into a national organization. Lanie has even been selected to send in the inaugural video to Wonderama’s new online series, Helping Hands, which aims to inspire kids to volunteer in their own communities. ”With Bookmark Buddies we hope to raise awareness and spread kindness,” said Heather. “This whole thing happened so organically– the response we have gotten from people has made me feel like I want to do more to inspire others to do good on their own, at any age.”

PHOTO BY CAROLYN SIMPSON, DOUBLEVISION PHOTOGRAPHERS

Seeing how powerful Bookmark Buddies has been in helping Lanie process Scarlett’s passing and put her emotions toward positivity, Heather has decided that the organization can help kids anywhere. “Any kid who wants to raise money for a cause they are passionate about can now become a Bookmark Buddy. There is a list of things they can do to become a Bookmark Buddy, and then they can use our concept to raise money for their own charity and be featured on our website.” For anyone who wants more to make a donation or learn more about Bookmark Buddies, visit bookmarkbuddies.org.

When I first began chatting with Lanie, she spoke of her love for reading. But she qualified that she only likes happy stories, commenting: “Why are there even sad stories? Every story should have a happy ending.” And through Bookmark Buddies, Lanie is taking a sad story and making it a bit happier; indeed, in Lanie’s eyes, anyone who buys, or makes and donates, a bookmark is spreading happiness. “We are turning sadness into happiness, and happiness is contagious,” said Lanie. By creating and growing Bookmark Buddies, Lanie is proving that spreading happiness and kindness, that making a difference, is something that we are all capable of. And best of all, she is doing it all in honor of a friend.

“The Scarly Squad in Scarlett’s Garden shot on location at the Chwatko residence”. (L-R): Grace Frieder, Annabelle Fisher and Tate Shalov with Chwatko’s pets Ollie (dog) and Winnie (cat). PHOTO BY CAROLYN SIMPSON, DOUBLEVISION PHOTOGRAPHERS

Besides Scarlett Chwatko’s love of reading (see Bookmark Buddies story on page 27), she had a passion for art and animals. In fact, she often said “If I could, I would adopt every animal in the world I would”. Scarlett grew up with rescue animals and most recently had a beloved dog named Ollie and cat named Winnie.

Her love of animals and the SPCA of Westchester was set an early age. In fact, for her fourth birthday, she wanted an animal party and her mother, Robin Chwatko, inquired if the SPCA of Westchester in Briarcliff Manor could help with that request. Sure enough, they did and several rescue puppies and kittens were brought to the party so that her friends could play with them. Instead of gifts, Scarlett asked all guests to make a donation to the SPCA of Westchester.

Scarlett’s relationship with the local SPCA only deepened over time. She often served as a cage captain during adoption events held throughout the year at the shelter. Cage captains accompany the pets in their cages during adoption events and help keep them calm and comforted.

Scarlett with her dog, Ollie
PHOTO COURTESY OF ROBIN CHWATKO

Draw for Paws: Scarlett’s Idea

“Scarlett loved art and drawing and animals more than anything,” explains Robin. Scarlett came up with the idea of Draw for Paws. She was hoping that people would donate $20 to this SPCA of Westchester and in return she would draw their pets or favorite animal with the proceeds going directly to the organization. She created the original sketches, the concept, the Draw for Paws logo and the color scheme. She also wrote the mission statement for the organization at a “business meeting” with her mother at Starbucks.

Turning a Dream into Reality

For the holidays this past winter, Robin bought Scarlett the domain name for the website, drawforpaws.org and hired a graphic designer to help finetune her Draw for Paws logo sketch. “We have tried really hard to keep everything as close to her vision as possible,” said Robin.

Naming the Transport & Adoption Events

The SPCA of Westchester has a special relationship with an organization based in Mississippi called Homeward Bound. The SPCA works with them to transport hundreds of puppies a year from high kill shelters in the South to bring them to the SPCA here in Westchester to find their forever homes. These puppy adoption events held several times a year at the SPCA are hugely popular with many successful adoptions taking place but they are costly-roughly $50,000 a year to rescue, spay/neuter, transport and adopt out 300-400 puppies.

“When we knew Scarlett wasn’t doing well, I knew that people in the community would want to honor her. Although there are wonderful organizations that help kids with cancer, I knew that she would not want that to be her legacy,” explains Robin.

As Scarlett’s condition worsened, Robin reached out to the SPCA. Together they thought that naming the transport/adoption events in her honor would be an ideal way for the community to help an organization that Scarlett loved and was truly passionate about. Scarlett was always thinking about how she could help the animals at the SPCA. “She would donate all the blankets she received during hospital stays to the animals,” Robin recalls.

Cage captains, (L-R) Bryce Gell, Annabelle Fisher and Maddie Weiser at the inaugural Scarlett’s Rainbow Rescue event
Photo courtesy of Robin Chwatko

Brainstorming A Name for the Transports

When Robin and Scarlett first conceptualized Draw for Paws, Scarlett said she wanted to create every picture on her own. Robin suggested that Scarlett “employ” a few of her friends to help with the artwork. So she asked three of her friends, Annabelle Fisher, Grace Frieder and Tate Shalov (all rising fourth graders) to join her on this endeavor. These girls are all founding friends listed on the drawforpaws.org website.

After Scarlett’s passing, her friends came up with the name “Scarlett’s Rainbow Rescue” for the transports and decided to call themselves the Scarly Squad, but their involvement didn’t stop there. The Scarly Squad looked through Scarlett’s artwork and chose pieces that appear on the Draw for Paws website. They, along with Scarlett’s friends, family, and teachers also helped serve as cage captains at the inaugural Draw for Paws/Scarlett’s Rainbow Rescue adoption event held this past June at the SPCA in Briarcliff, which helped to raise more than $25,000 with funds that the community made in her honor at spca914.org/Scarlett and from contributions made on drawforpaws.org since the program launched. At this time, all contributions made on the Draw for Paws website will directly fund Scarlett’s Rainbow Rescue transport/adoption events.

Anyone Can Be an Artist

“We knew Draw for Paws was a way to directly involve Scarlett’s friends and family,” explains Robin. Robin admits that she was a bit hesitant initially and was worried that the people would not like the portraits drawn by the child artists but the response has been overwhelmingly positive from both the artists and the recipients of the artwork.

In order to become a Draw for Paws artist, an artist profile is needed. Artists are required to fill in an outline of a bunny that Scarlett drew named the Scarly Bunny and add a few details about themselves on the website. “Her friends are literally drawing WITH Scarlett- immersing themselves in her art by filling in this sketch. It is such a beautiful and special way to support her, remember her, and connect to her. It is also very therapeutic for so many of these kids who are feeling her loss.”

What’s Next for Draw for Paws

Robin hopes to expand the reach of Draw for Paws. Right now, the majority of the artists are local but they have had requests for portraits from Texas, New Jersey, Florida and California. “While our campaign will continue to fund Scarlett’s Rainbow Rescue, we encourage kids anywhere to start a Draw for Paws Campaign to help animals. For example, if an artist based in Florida wants to protect sea turtles, we will promote their campaign on our site and help them get up and running,” explained Robin.

Beyond Puppy Portraits

“The portraits are really incredible. People love them and want multiple drawings by different artists to collect them.” And the artists aren’t only drawing dogs, they’ve made portraits of cats, chickens, hamsters and dophins.

Currently, the artist is chosen randomly. “You can get a 5-year-old or a teen drawing your portrait,” said Robin but she is working to get celebrities and well-established artists on board in the future. “My favorite day of the week is sending out the orders – I feel Scarlett every time I send a portrait to a recipient. It is amazing to be able to honor her vision and spirit exactly as she wished.”

Draw for Paws at the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival

Draw for Paws will have a special presence at this year’s Chappaqua Childrens Book Festival. Several illustrators will raffle original art as well as hold live “how to draw” demonstrations at the Draw for Paws booth.