A Tosa State of Mind

A grateful community speaks

Posted by Dennis McBride on Aug. 23, 2011

Tonight, the Wauwatosa High School Class of 1951 is gathering for its 60-year reunion at the TOSA Pool at Hoyt Park.  The new pool could not have been built without the generous financial support of John and Tashia Morgridge, faithful members of that reunion class.

When they arrive, the Morgridges will receive a special scrapbook compiled by the Friends of Hoyt Park & Pool, Inc., the community group which built and operates the pool.  In the scrapbook will be thank-you notes from adults and children in the Milwaukee area who wanted to express their gratitude to the Morgridges for bringing a community asset back to joyful life.

Here is the letter I wrote to the Morgridges for inclusion in the scrapbook:

Dear John and Tashia:

I’m writing this in three capacities:  board member of the Friends of Hoyt Park & Pool (FOHPP), City of Wauwatosa alderman, and lifelong Wauwatosa resident.  Mostly, I’m just writing from the bottom of my heart to thank you for what you have done for OUR hometown.

As I said when I served as master of ceremonies for the pool opening, a lot of people in the Milwaukee area didn’t believe that we could ever get the pool built.  Because of you, and because you believed in the efforts of Wauwatosa’s moms and dads, we got it built.

Ever since the new pool opened, the entire Milwaukee area has been singing the praises of Hoyt Park.  No longer is the park an eyesore.  No longer do we have to be ashamed of the neglect of an important community asset.  Now, the new pool is regularly mentioned as an example of the great things we can accomplish working together.  Now, Wauwatosa is again being viewed as a “can-do” community.  We owe this to you.

On a personal note, I had been looking for ways to encourage my 13 year-old son to be more active.  Unlike his father, my son doesn’t like running much, and he isn’t big enough or talented enough to play on the basketball and soccer teams.  But he agreed to go to the pool every day with me this summer, and just about every day we have been swimming laps.  From this he has learned the joy of daily exercise and has acquired the willpower to get up early on summer mornings to work out.  He has enjoyed this so much that he is already making plans to swim with me again next summer in our special pool.  Best of all, our daily swimming has been another way for a father to bond with his son.  We’ve had a summer we’ll never forget.

We owe that to you and your love for your hometown.  Thank you, on behalf of the community I represent.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart.