Buying Gifts for a Cause: Twig Affair Benefits Local EMS

The Twig of Westchester County held its annual Holiday Fair at the  on Saturday to raise money for local EMS organizations. Approximately 50 vendors displayed their home goods, jewelry, clothing, vintage collectibles and specialty items to customers.

Harrison resident Elizabeth Phillips—along with her children—got two blue, hand-blown glass bowls from Europe.

“Aren’t they beautiful?” she asked this reporter. “I bought these special gifts for my sister.”

Originally part of United Hospital, Twig became a 503c organization in 2005. Since then, the 600-member women’s group works year-round to make each Holiday Fair a success, as a portion of vendor profits are donated to local EMS and healthcare groups.

“We support healthcare for women and children,” said copresident Mauren Gomez. “We raised $40,000 last year. Money supports EMS groups of Port Chester, Rye and Rye Brook as well as Harrison VAC.”

Over the lifetime of the event, Twig has donated over $600,000 to the EMS groups, she said. In addition to money raised by vendor sales, the Holiday Fair offers a “Giving Tree” whereby members of the public can view and purchase items that are specifically requested by the EMS groups.

Last year, Harrison EMS received turnout gear. The gear is used when emergency workers are on major roadways or in situations where scrap metal and other objects can scrape or injure them. This year, Harrison EMS was looking to upgrade their 12-year-old defibrillators on their five trucks.

“An event like this that allows us to continue to operate is so essential right now,” said field paramedic Wolfgang Lawton. Lawton, although living in Mahopac, is a member of Harrison EMS, Montefiore and Westchester EMS.

“It is a great job but a horrible career,” he said, explaining that unlike police and fire members, EMS members make little pay and have little or no benefits. Since they are not civil servants they are not protected, and make on average $10-20 per hour, he added.

Field paramedics are licensed to administer medications and to start the treatment of patients, he explained. “We bring the emergency room to you.”

“The Town of Harrison gives us a small stipend, but everything else that we need is paid for with donations,” he said.

As a major donor to local EMS organizations, Twig of Westchester County is focusing on the increased strain on these services. Harrison EMS reports that as budgets get reduced, call volume over the past few years has increased: in part due to heavier traffic on the roads and more people on the streets. Colleges, airport terminals and runways as well as residential and commercial buildings are serviced.

In addition to donating locally, customers who purchased items were buying locally. In selling her handmade jewelry, Rye resident Melinda White said that people should buy local because “it is convenient and oftentimes less expensive.” As owner of Samantha Designs, she guarantees her work, and would fix her pieces if there were any problems.

Adult women of Westchester, Fairfield and New York counties are welcome to join Twig of Westchester County. Please email thetwiginc@optonline.net for information.