AS REMEMBERED BY SHIRLEY MCGREW

Written by Shirley McGrew

    TOS Resident from 1968 to 1995

    Ladies' Golf Captain Two Years

    TAMS Officer or Committee Member Every Year

    Recreation Committee

GOLF

Golf was everything!  There were tournaments for everything and awards ceremonies for everything.  The largest event was the Men's Invitational.  The Men's Club put on a very successful tournament every year.  The women took care of the food, parties, scoring for the players and many other jobs.  Because the clubhouse was short on refrigeration, the Men's Club rented a truck each year for the beer, etc.  I don't think a year went by that it was not 'ripped off' of a few cases of beer by naughty teenagers.

JUNIOR GOLF

Junior golf was initiated and handled on a grand scale by several very dedicated mothers, some of whom did not even play golf.  We used an adding machine to add up the score cards, someone counted the pennies for the entrance fee, and many volunteers helped to qualify the juniors so they could play golf unaccompanied by adults.  We had tournaments, fund raisers and many events.  Many dedicated dads helped out when we had car washes or pancake breakfasts.  Parents took the kids on golf outings to other courses, even taking a ferry.  I remember being on deck with them hitting golf balls into the sound.  I guess we were a little lenient.

Many of these kids ended up in the golf business, played on tour, and most of the Interlake High School golf team was made up of kids from the original junior program.

SWIM TEAM

Swimming was another big deal.  Parents organized and ran a terrific swim team program, all done with parent volunteers.  There were big banquets and awards ceremonies.

BENNETT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Bennett was a new school and most of us served as room mother or helper at one time or another.  TOS and Brettonwood moms were very active.  Mert McGrew and some of the dads built the first goal posts at Bennett and formed a soccer team they named the "Bennett Bulldogs."  Soccer was fairly new in early TOS days.

Bennett was the TOS precinct for voting.  Many of us worked as election officials for a lot of years - at every election all day long.  As many mothers did not work outside the home or worked part-time, we were always involved with our children, but we were also very into our social life.  Most of us met through school, golf, or our kids.

Bennett was a gathering place for kids playing after school and provided a spot for the adult athletics, which were really popular. Co-ed volleyball was big, as was a bowling league and basketball.  The men who played were all very competitive and someone was always limping around with a bad ankle or a black eye.  There was even a womens' basketball contest with two teams from TOS.  The men were coaches and even part of the cheerleading team.  Needless to say, we were our own best entertainment.

TENNIS COURTS

As many of us played tennis at the old bubble on Northup and 148th (Bellevue Racquets Club), we were very persistent in getting the courts built in TOS.  I won't provide details, but we kept at it until we got it passed.  We finally succeeded by calling every resident to see if they were for or against and managed to take the vote to a quorum that voted for proceeding.

COMMITTEES

In all my years as a TOS member, there were always committees or boards needing help.  I remember the recreation committee hosting teenage dances on occasion.  Parents were at the door checking purses, etc. and dads in the parking lot keeping order; there were many chaperones inside for pop and food.  'Rail,' a well-known band in the area made its debut here and thanked us for giving them a start.

MEDIC ONE

Medic One was founded in 1970.  Around that time a young man suffered a heart attack while attending a TOS party.  Medic One did not originally serve all local areas, and TOS was perhaps the first community to organize a fundraiser golf tournament.  In the beginning, Bellevue was in the service area, but not Redmond.  The emcee at this event made mention of this fact, urging any Redmond resident needing Medic One service to drag himself into Bellevue, where he could be helped.

MEMORIALS

Throughout the early years several TOS young people died and the community started a memorial garden on the golf course to remember them.  The memorials continued on for others who had suffered the loss of a loved one to remember and honor them for their contributions to the community.

DOGS

TOS has always been a 'dog place.'  Even though a leash law was in force, there were many violations.  The 'dog catcher' was here many times, but he liked lunch in the clubhouse.  Many of our dogs were arrested and had records.  There was a secret society that belonged to the 'night dogs.'  We would spring them at night and let them have their way with the community.  If our dogs were ever accused of misdoings, we would fib and tell the complainer that it could not have been our dog as we had recently dyed its hair and given it a permanent.  Many litters born at that time looked a lot like one particular dog.  We spent much of our time trying to find homes for 'non-thoroughbreds,'

KIDS AND MOTHERS

One thing about TOS' early days was the fact that kids had so much freedom.  We did not worry much about where they were playing.  They had forts in the woods and rode their bikes all over the place.  As we did not watch them constantly, we had plenty of time to pursue golf, bridge, scrabble or whatever as we ran back and forth in our bathrobes for coffee and a quick game.  We had a couple of ambitious women who started an exercise class at the clubhouse.  I forget it's name, but we all took a pole (not the kind you think) or a broom for some kind of aerobic exercise.  I don't think there were many workout facilities at that time