The Ripple Effect . . .

Editor's Note: Those members of the Thousand Islands community who know this editor, will know that I spent over three decades raising philanthropy for schools, hospitals, and university programs. I was a senior development officer responsible for raising major gifts. Of course, I miss my work, my donors, I miss my professors, and the students, so when I heard about Paul Reichert's book, I had to get it for my library. I was certainly not disappointed.

Last week I sent a message to Paul asking about the book and I want to share his answers with you.

Was there a specific moment or experience that told you that this story would make a difference?

I started to think about writing and illustrating a children's book when my two daughters were preschool age and we were reading many children's books together. I thought it might be a fun new outlet for my interests in drawing and writing. At the same time, my wife and I were both very involved with the Foundation for Community Betterment, a charitable foundation that my wife and her brother and sister and several of their friends began in 2000 to encourage young professionals to be philanthropic while doing so in a fun and social way.

They promoted their work as a social network for a social cause, with the hope that their generosity in providing an immediate impact to someone in need would create a ripple through the actions of the recipients in their communities.

Ten years after its start, many of the Foundation's members were starting families and thinking about ways to introduce children to the concepts of philanthropy, charity, and community, with the goal of instilling lifelong active community involvement.

At the same time I was thinking about creating a children's book, and the two interests happily collided. The story came first, but the images developed quickly as I worked on the story.

The main character, Caroline, is named after my eldest daughter, and my other daughter Catherine is also a character in the story (and somewhat miffed that I haven't written another children's book yet with a Catherine lead character).

Proceeds from book sales go to the Foundation for Community Betterment, which has used the story to attract children and families to the idea of philanthropy. I think I knew that the book I had written was working to make a difference when I saw the Foundation's chapters around the country promoting lemonade stands – a central feature of the story – and other activities to involve kids in charitable works. I was also fortunate to do author visits and readings at elementary schools, where I felt the kids' enthusiasm for the message of the book and its use in many classrooms was making a difference.

Did the Story evolve from your original idea? Did the Ripples in the River work as inspiration? (It did for me)

Once I knew I wanted to write and illustrate a children's book that centered on philanthropy, I knew it had to be based on the St. Lawrence River and emphasize the concept of a ripple. One of the Foundation's premier fundraising events since it began has been the Community Betterment Paddle that is held in Alexandria Bay every July.

My mother-in-law, Carolyn Curley, was one of the organizers and leaders of the Paddle since its inception, helping to recruit volunteers, plan the route, promote the event, and identify fundraising recipients in the community. The grandmother character in my book is also modelled on her.

2026 will be the 25th year of the Paddle, which has expanded into a weekend-long event that also includes a golf tournament and tennis tournament, as well as the traditional paddle down the St. Lawrence River. The Paddle is such a fun and uniquely Thousand Islands event that I knew kids would find it interesting, so I wanted to incorporate it into the story and it ended up becoming the story's grand finale.

The story itself is a ripple, starting with one girl's lemonade stand which grows into larger, more inclusive charitable events until they culminate in the paddle. The ripple is also the logo for the Foundation, echoing its philosophy (and the message of my book) that one small act of kindness can lead to much larger, unanticipated impacts on a broader community. So the ripple in the river was certainly an inspiration on many levels.

Of course when I looked up the organization you credit in the book I realized that it really is our River story - not just random! How did you get involved?

I got involved through my wife Jennifer's family. Her mother Carolyn Garlock Curley grew up in Alex Bay, and Jennifer would spend summers at the River with her family. I grew up in Buffalo and had never been to the Thousand Islands until Jennifer and I started dating in the early 2000s, but we've become true River people. We own a home next to Jennifer's family home, and along a row of her extended Garlock aunts, uncles, and cousins on the banks of the River in Alex Bay.

We've spent part of every summer in the Thousand Islands, along with our daughters, who have grown to love it as much as we do. Our daughter Caroline even worked this past summer as a tour guide on one of the boat lines. My wife and her family were all involved in starting the Foundation and organizing the Paddle in Alex Bay every July, and they remain deeply committed to it as a way to support this fantastic Thousand Islands community.

Are there projects coming up for this year, and what names should I add to the story?

Are there projects coming up for this year, and what names should I add to the story?

The Foundation's 25th annual Community Betterment weekend in Alex Bay is July 10-11, 2026, featuring a golf tournament, tennis tournament, and the paddle on the St. Lawrence River, with a Poker Run and raffles. It gets bigger and better every year, and each year it provides funding for multiple recipients in the Thousand Islands community with immediate needs.

My wife's parents, Carolyn and Pat Curley, were two of the driving forces behind this event. While they have both now passed away, they were able to inspire numerous other volunteers who have built on the momentum that they helped to start. Here is a link to the Alex Bay chapter's webpage with more information and registration details for the weekend:

https://www.communitybetterment.org/alexandriabay.html

By Paul Reichert

Paul Reichert began his professional career as a lawyer in Washington, DC, a graduate of Hamilton College, where his interests expanded to being an author and a cartoonist. In fact, he now provides a smile each month for TI Life.

His book "The Lemonade Ripple" is available to purchase online through Amazon (US) and (Canada), he also has signed copies for sale in Clayton, NY, his pop-up gallery inside Artisans & Delicacies, 307 Riverside Drive, where prints and other merchandise with his Thousand Islands cartoons are also available.