Lifelong friends use furry companions to help create storybook on virus for children

Stormie the Portuguese Water Dog and Milou the Maltese are just two of the many dogs out there who are helping calm their humans through the coronavirus pandemic.

But these pups are sharing their experiences in a new storybook for children called “The Tails of DoodleVille: Coping with the Coronavirus: COVID- 19.” It’s available to read online for free.

Ellen Fiedelholtz and Jennifer Warren, of Chicago and Miami Beach, respectively, are two childhood friends who wanted to do something to help children during the pandemic. Their book features their actual dogs, Stormie and Milou.

“During this pandemic we wanted to help, so we decided to write a book for children, parents, teachers and caregivers,” Fiedelholtz said. “We hope that the story will help children get in touch with their feelings and remember that there is always something to be grateful for.”

“We hope that happy colors and graphics will draw people in and spark conversations and sharing of feelings,” Warren said.

The two were already working on a series of stories from their homes when the COVID-19 virus took hold of the world and changed everything. They decided, like so many others, to pivot and write this book.

As the loveable Stormie and Milou discover, they can help each other in this journey, much like Fiedelholtz and Warren have.

“We have been friends for over four decades and working on this project together has given us a way to connect. Talking with each other on a daily basis has helped us deal with our new normal,” Fiedelholtz said.

“The book allows children, and those who care for them, a safe way to explore the pandemic that has hit the world and in this story, “Doodleville.” We wanted to tell preschoolers to try and find joy in the little things and that together we will get through this. After all, we are stronger together,” Warren said.

“It takes a few seconds to download and does not read well on a phone,” Fiedelholtz said. “It was important to us to make sure that the story was available in Spanish, French and Italian.”

“The Tails of DoodleVille: Coping with the Coronavirus: COVID- 19” is available at www.tailsofdoodleville.com and www.stormieandmiloustory.com

Morningside moms collect donations and food

Balanced meals are hard to come by for some in these difficult pandemic times so some Morningside moms decided to do something about it.

The group, spearheaded by Grace Arbulu-Billings and Wendy Elimberg, collected $2,668 from 54 families in the community and used it to purchase meals for essential workers at Ronald McDonald House, Mount Sinai Medical Center and Jackson Memorial Hospital.

Morningside is the historic residential community within the upper east side of Miami from NE 50th Terrace to NE 60th Street. Its civic association is a voluntary residents’ organization with more than 160 members.

“The idea was born from a conversation we had in our WhatsApp Morningside moms’ group. Melissa Shabani, a Morningside resident and co-owner of Rice Mediterranean Kitchen, thanked a neighbor of the group for an order she placed on behalf of doctors in a nearby hospital. And I thought why not do the same to help others,” Arbulu-Billings said.

“It’s a perfect collaboration to support our community and help our friends stay in business while giving back to essential workers and others in need.”

In addition to meals for essential workers, Morningside Civic Association president Rachel Furst organized a nonperishable food drive for those struggling in the Little Haiti community — just west of Morningside.

”It was a big collective effort. Neighbors dropped cans on my doorstep during their exercise walks and kids rode up on bicycles. A food-drive is something in which everyone can participate, whether you have one can to spare or are able to shop and fill up an entire box of donations,” Furst said.

Hundreds of donated items were donated to a food pantry for congregants of Miami Peniel Church Of The Nazarene, and to Gang Alternative, an organization that works with children to prevent violence and delinquency that has been delivering food to the children’s families in Little Haiti.

And recently, the Morningside moms had $506 left from contributions so they purchased 11 50-pound bags of rice and 14 cases of black beans for $506.53. The purchase will benefit Notre Dame D’Haiti, a church on 62nd Street that has been feeding families in Little Haiti.

Meals for Heroes and literacy group feeding first responders

The Everglades Foundation, a leading nonprofit focused on Everglades science, advocacy and education, has partnered with Meals for Heroes Miami, an organization established to feed first responders and help support local restaurants.

Since its inception in April, Meals for Heroes Miami has purchased and delivered more than 6,000 meals to front-line workers at over a dozen hospitals, testing centers, police departments and fire rescues all while contributing to the survival of 15 local restaurants.

In the new partnership, local students can express their gratitude to Miami’s first responders by writing messages of thanks and inspiration to be included in each meal.

“What Meals for Heroes Miami is doing is generous and meaningful during a time of enormous need. Now to accompany meals, we are delivering notes of gratitude from donors and local schoolchildren into the hands of those on the front lines,” Jennifer Diaz, Director of Education for The Everglades Foundation, said.

“Miami is a city built on the hospitality industry, which is being crushed by this pandemic. This is a fight that is going to be won by our healthcare front-line workers, in conjunction with our first responders,” Will Osborne, Philanthropist and Founder of Meals for Heroes, said.

“These three constituencies — hospitality, healthcare and fire/EMS/police — need our support. Purchasing meals with encouraging notes is just a way to show our support and gratitude.”

Students everywhere can submit a note at www.mealsforheroesmiami.org/everglades-foundation-notes-for-heroes.

Each message will be matched with a meal donation that will be delivered to emergency rooms, ICU doctors and nurses, infirmary staff at prisons, firefighters, police officers and EMS departments as well as members of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, among other institutions employing first responders.

Will Osborne, Karen Bechtel and Mac Osborne established the nonprofit, donation-based Meals for Heroes Miami to feed first responders risking their lives daily while helping to keep Miami restaurants and employees afloat during the pandemic.

“It was a pretty simple concept that I brought up to my dad. There are hungry first responders and cooks that need work. I thought we would just do it once to support his favorite restaurant and a local hospital. A week later we had served 1,000 meals from five restaurants and purveyors to six different front-line facilities,” Mac Osborne said.

“How much Netflix binge-watching can one person do? I know that people everywhere are wondering how they can help, and this is what we came up with to provide a vehicle to get contributions to the front line,” Will Osborne said.

In addition to the students, anyone who donates $20 can write a note to accompany a meal. Donations can be made at www.mealsforheroesmiami.org

If you have news for this column, write to ChristinaMMayo@gmail.com.