Template.characterList.helpers({ characterDetails: function(){ var char = Characters.findOne(this._id, {fields: {name: 1, gender: 1, alignment: 1, race:1, color: 1}}) char.title = char.name; char.field = "base" char.class = "characterCard" return char; } }); Template.characterList.events({ "tap .characterCard": function(event, instance){ console.log(this); Router.go("characterSheet", {_id: this._id}); }, "tap #addCharacter": function (event, template) { Characters.insert({owner: Meteor.userId()}); }, "tap #deleteChar": function(event, template){ console.log("deleting", this); Characters.remove(this._id); } });