March 14, 2016 – TACOMA, WA – When you’re a kid in the hospital, how do you have some fun? The Transportation Club of Tacoma (TCT) thinks as Play-Doh, crayons, and coloring books.
That’s why the club put the call out to its 500+ members to bring in more than a thousand of those items for the club’s annual drive that supports Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital. The items were collected at the club’s monthly meeting March 15 at La Quinta in Fife.
Christina Turner (Community Development Coordinator, Foundations of MultiCare) said, “Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital, Clinics and Foundation are grateful to the Transportation Club of Tacoma for their years of support through their annual drive to support our patients. This organization fully embraces the idea that children still should be able to feel like children, even while receiving care at the hospital or clinic. Items such as Play-Doh, crayons and coloring books help create a better experience and environment for our patients and families.”
For ten years, TCT has dedicated its March General Meeting to collecting and donating items that Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital is unable to procure directly. The Club started by collecting kid-themed bandages. Mary Bridge procures only standard bandages. The kid-themed bandages proved a welcome alternative to the children at Mary Bridge. The event is named in memory of Carla Martin, one of the Club’s biggest supporters of Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital, who tragically lost her life in 2011. In addition to the annual Carla Martin/Mary Bridge event, TCT donates $7,500 each year to the Mary Bridge Foundation from the proceeds generated by its Spring Open Golf Tournament.
Mark Miller (TCT’s Chairperson for Carla Martin/Mary Bridge Support Drive) observed, “We had outstanding participation from our TCT members and associated companies and businesses again this year. Christina indicated there were plenty of kid-themed bandages left from the tremendous donation made in 2014 and indicated a need for other items. Based on her guidance, we switched gears this year and collected Play-Doh, crayons, and coloring books for the children at Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital. Hundreds of each item were collected. The generosity of our members was truly heartwarming!”
Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital was established in 1955, through the perseverance of the dedicated women of the Tacoma Orthopedic Association (now the Mary Bridge Brigade). They were convinced of the need for a specialized health care center in Tacoma to serve the children of the South Puget Sound region. Today, Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital is the only pediatric hospital in the South Sound dedicated to caring for the special health needs of the children. From open-heart surgery to asthma treatment, cancer care to diabetes, Mary Bridge specializes in advanced care for children. Mary Bridge offers specialized pediatric care, equipment and facilities that aren’t available in most communities. With its family-centered care philosophy, Mary Bridge provides services and accommodations for families in a child-friendly environment — a place where kids get better quicker.
The Transportation Club of Tacoma is a non-profit organization with over 500 members. TCT is made up of transportation professionals as well as people who have an interest in local and global transportation and logistics. Since 1926, the Transportation Club of Tacoma has focused on building bridges within the transportation industry,
while at the same time serving Tacoma and Pierce County communities through its charitable work. Membership encompasses diverse companies – large and small – including: railroads, steamship lines, trucking companies, warehousing and distribution, cold storage, coffee roasters, paper manufacturers, confectioners, freight forwarders, commercial real estate, banking, consulting, and education.
Media Contact: Gary Gieser
tctacoma@comcast.net
206-295-8834