Couple finds multiple benefits to supporting Children's Health

Within minutes of meeting retired primary schoolteacher Natalie Findlay and "semi"-retired physician Bob Findlay, you'll understand how much they care for their community.

Bob and Natalie were married in 1974 and spent many years moving around the country because of Bob's service in the military. They chose to settle down in University Place, WA, in the early 1990s. They've become pillars of this community ever since.

Bob was one of the founders of Cascade Eye and Skin Centers and remains involved to this day. Natalie has a passion for supporting organizations that provide her community with invaluable resources, from the Humane Society to the Pierce County Library System.

But there's one cause that is particularly important to both Bob and Natalie: children's health.

"Children are very close to our heart. When we moved here, everyone spoke about how great (MultiCare) Mary Bridge Children's Hospital was — how they treat and care for the whole family, so of course I got involved," Natalie explains.

Natalie decided to join the Chambers Creek Guild of the Mary Bridge Brigade (known then as the Tacoma Orthopedic Association). Her first volunteer assignment involved pushing a coffee cart up and down the halls of Mary Bridge.

"I learned so much about Mary Bridge by simply being in the hospital," Natalie says.

Natalie became even more involved in giving back to Mary Bridge when she was elected to serve as chair of Festival of Trees in 1997, an annual holiday event that supports the hospital.

"Festival is a way to really interact with the community," she explains. "It is a feel-good event for Mary Bridge, a place where volunteers and special groups donate their time and where people can give back significantly to the families and patients of Mary Bridge."

Both Bob and Natalie credit their community service and giving to growing up in very small towns. "Growing up in a tiny town of about 300 people, it took everyone participating to get things done. That sense of community was something I grew up with, it was just part of life. You gave back to your community through time, talent and finances," Natalie explains.

This community-focused way of life has translated into the Findlays' decision to leave a legacy gift to Mary Bridge. They named Mary Bridge a beneficiary in their will as part of the Mary Bridge Legacy Campaign, an initiative led by the Mary Bridge Brigade to build a $10 million fund to support care for kids.

"Giving a legacy gift is helpful for the organization you are supporting, but it's also practical. There are personal advantages to planned giving. A lot of people don't realize that there are mechanisms that are mutually beneficial," Bob explains.

"We give because it's our life philosophy; we have a responsibility to give back. We are investing in our home."

More About Legacy Giving

Making a legacy gift is an affordable way to provide meaningful support to a cause that is close to your heart and, like the Findlays, close to home.

Regardless of your income or estate size, you can make a significant investment in healing and a healthy future for your community. There may also be tax benefits.

Support What Matters to You Most

Contact our gift planning team at 253-403-1264 or plannedgiving@multicare.org to discuss making a charitable gift that best meets your family's needs and supports our patients for years to come.