Template.personaDetailsDialog.helpers({ char: function() { return Characters.findOne( this._id, {fields: {name: 1, alignment: 1, gender: 1, race: 1, picture: 1}} ); } }); inputHandler = (field) => _.debounce(function(event){ var input = event.currentTarget.value; Characters.update(this._id, { $set: {[field]: input} }, { removeEmptyStrings: false, trimStrings: false, }); }, 300); Template.personaDetailsEdit.events({ "input #nameInput, change #nameInput": inputHandler("name"), "input #alignmentInput, change #alignmentInput": inputHandler("alignment"), "input #genderInput, change #genderInput": inputHandler("gender"), "input #raceInput, change #raceInput": inputHandler("race"), "input #pictureInput, change #pictureInput": inputHandler("picture"), });