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Mary Bridge Orthopedic Does It Again
by
Dixie A. Walter Once again Eatonville’s Mary Bridge Orthopedic held a successful Christmas Bazaar enabling the group to donate about $1000 to nationally recognized Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital in Tacoma. The Eatonville orthopedic group received their Charter in 1947. President Bobbi Allison said the hospital is named after a former Eatonville doctor’s mother. The History of Tacoma Eastern Area by Jeannette Hlavin and Pearl Engle reports, “In 1909 young Dr. A. W. Bridge came riding into town, on a bicycle it is said, carrying all his earthly belongings with him.” Bobbi notes, “He liked it so much he started a practice in the white house next to the vet [Four Winds Clinic] where the Butler’s lived for years.” *Dr. Bridge was the third doctor in Eatonville. In 1915 Dr. Bridge built what is now Kirk’s Pharmacy. He operated the Bridge Clinic, also called Eatonville Hospital, on the top floor of the building for decades. Dr. Bridge stayed in Eatonville until 1932 when he moved to Tacoma. Bobbi points out, “He never married.” The Christmas Bazaar is one of two fundraisers the orthopedic holds each year. “Around Mother’s Day we have a Spring Luncheon and we donate money from the luncheon to the hospital as well,” Bobbi explained. There are fourteen members of the group. According to Bobbi, “We can go into a hall and set up the bazaar in four to five hours. That’s starting from nothing and having all the crafts inventoried from the crafters, put on display and ready to open the doors in the morning. You should see them work…it’s like everyone knows what each other is going to do. They are amazing to watch.”
Marlayne Elliff, Project Coordinator for the Eatonville Mary Bridge Orthopedic Christmas Bazaar, puts finishing touches on one of the decorated trees. The annual event was a great success again this year. Money raised is donated to Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital in Tacoma where it will help fund numerous programs helping children in various ways. (photo by Dixie A. Walter) Bobbi also mentioned, “The Cottage Merchants built their event around our Bazaar because we are such a draw for the town on that weekend.” She added, “Our Bazaar is known throughout Tacoma, Puyallup, Sumner, Olympia, Lakewood and University Place areas. We have over 35 artists who bring their crafts and they wouldn’t miss coming.” Karen
Swanson has been an active member the longest,
since the 1960s. Current officers are President
Bobbi Allison, Vice-President LaVerne Nelson,
Secretary Sandy Walch, and Treasurer Kathy Mettler.
Marlayne (Allison) Elliff was Project Coordinator
for this year’s Bazaar.
*According to the Hlavin-Engle history book
Dr. O. A. Martiny was the town’s first doctor. He
was followed by Dr. Tanner, Dr. Bridge, Dr. C. E.
Wiseman, Dr. G. A. Delaney, Dr. D. M. Nevitt and Dr.
Tom Van Eaton. The history book mentions a side note
about a Dr. J. Ellery Fales whom the writers
discovered had in 1916, “An office and residence
in the Rainier Hospital, so evidently Eatonville
once had two doctors and two hospitals.” The
historians recorded that the “Dispatch for several
weeks ran half a column of or reports on the health
situation of patients in this hospital.” However,
the “editor” E. R. Vaughn, suddenly had a
“tantrum over Dr. Fales” accusing the doctor of
using him for publicity. This “editor” said he
would never mention Dr. Fales again. “He never
did, and neither did anyone else, so we don’t know
what became of Dr. J. Ellery Fales.”
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"Pity
the poor kids who grow up in a big city. They miss the little things that
made growing up in a small town, ah, so wonderful." |
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