Tami Bridges was inspired by the selflessness of her younger sister.
“She told me that she didn’t want any presents for Christmas this year,” Bridges recalled. “She wanted us to get presents for a family that she adopted.”
Bridges, a 2007 Tahoma High graduate, decided to do something similar.
A junior at Central Washington University in the paramedic program, she enlisted the help of her fellow students, then sought out an organization which needed donations.
“I wanted to do that,” Bridges said. “I thought that was so awesome. I asked the paramedic program students and the EMTs (emergency medical technicians) if they all wanted to pitch in… to give a family that’s less fortunate a great Christmas. We all have helping hearts, that’s why we’re in medic school, because we want to help people.”
In addition to the help from the 29 medic students in the program now, Bridges said, the EMS Club at Central donated $100, “which helped a lot.”
Once Bridges decided to do the project and started raising money, she got online and looked up the nearest Salvation Army, which is in Yakima. She asked if it was still possible to adopt a family.
When she got the go ahead, Bridges said, the group raised $400 for the family — a single father with five children.
“I spent a little over $200 on presents and stocking stuffers,” she said. “I got them all gift cards for Walmart. They didn’t really tell us what they needed or wanted… so they could get things that maybe they need or really want (with the gift cards). We got each of the kids toys and games and coloring books.”
In addition, they got a gift card for a grocery store which offers pre-made holiday dinners with the idea Bridges said, that it would be easier for the dad to do for Christmas.
All this cheer while the medic students are working hard doing internships, Bridges said, as they get closer to earning their certification in June. They don’t get much time off and will be able to spend just Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with their families. Then it will be back to their internships.
Bridges will graduate from Central with her degree in June 2012 but she’ll already have a year of job experience under her belt.
But, she also hopes to leave the university’s medic program with more than just a degree, but with a new annual project.
“I absolutely would want to do it again,” she said. “I’m sure that next year I’ll have a career so maybe I’ll have money to do it on my own. I was thinking about coming back to Central and getting them to do it again, maybe making it a tradition for the medic program.”
