Turning 60 can be rather unsettling for some folks. But for a club designed for socialization and recreation, a 60thanniversary suggests a celebration with fun and fanfare. People have enjoyed good times for six decades and it’s fitting to mark the occasion, celebrating what was, still is, and what’s planned for years ahead!
Timberlake Club, located at 5501 W. Farmington Road in Peoria, is celebrating 60 years of providing swimming, golfing, camping, fishing, food, and fun sitting in the sun. On Sunday, June 1st, an Open House and Reunion will begin at 10:00 a.m. and continue until 5:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome, and party planners are hoping former members will return for a reunion, and those unfamiliar with the Club will come and tour. It has been said that Timberlake is “the best kept secret in town,” and members are hoping to change that image.
Food and beverages will be available throughout the day, with brunch served from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The grill will also be fired up for great sandwiches. Folks are invited to bring their clubs and play a round of golf.
Timberlake enjoys a rich history of recreational activities, but they didn’t happen all at once. “It started out as a swimming club,” explains Howard Roeder, of Peoria, a member with his family since 1971. “Six hundred members paid $25 annually.” In 1963 construction of the golf course began. The nine-hole course is a popular place, and even boasts that it’s possible to play golf there on January 1st each year. “It’s the Snowbird Classic,” says Kim Slover, Club Manager and member. There is also a golf clinic in the summer for youngsters.
In addition to golfing, Timberlake offers fishing, camping with its 59 campsites, food services, monthly chicken and fish fry, and swimming. “It’s a social club with all these other aspects,” says Kim enthusiastically. This year swimming will be enhanced through professional services contracted to revitalize and renovate the lake area.
Changes are inevitable during a 60-year time span, and Timberlake has experienced some, including a slight variation in their name. When brothers Bill and Dave Gibbons introduced a recreation area in Limestone Township featuring a lake for swimming and fishing, they called it Timber Lake. In 1974 the members purchased the club, and Timberlake Club of Peoria was chartered. It’s a semi-private club owned by the membership. Kim says, “It is all centered around a huge social life.” There is no initiation fee and no invitation from a current member is necessary to join. Currently there are 129 memberships, including family ones. The Club is proud and grateful for the many members who volunteer to help maintain facilities.
Timberlake is located in a wooded setting overlooking two lakes. It offers a clubhouse which can accommodate parties from 20 to 250. A full catering menu and beverage service are offered. For more information on memberships and amenities, please call 309.674.2171 or email info@timberlakeclub.com
Timberlake Club is also on Facebook.