By Matthew Nicaise, For The Courier-Herald

Swiss Park is a place where men who are Swiss-related or of Swiss origin can come and experience good old Swiss events.

Swiss Park, off 198th in Bonney Lake, is a sportsman's club for Swiss members. The park was purchased in 1946 as a gun club and then merged with the Schwingers (wrestling) Club in 1958. The park consists of 42 acres, but only about five acres are open for events, the rest is a natural wooded area with trails to enjoy.

"I've grown up my entire life with the park and I love it very much," said Susan Pearson, whose husband Jere Pearson is a member of the Sportsman Club. Her family has been a part of the club and the park for years. Even though it is a male-only club, she likes to help out at some events.

The park has been around for almost 46 years, since the two clubs merged. It has brought many of Swiss heritage to the Bonney Lake area and brought people together.

Visitors are greeted by a large "Swiss Park" sign at the entry and to the left is the Sportsman Lodge. Past that is a pit called "Musikhusli" where they have Swiss wrestling, and next to that is a playground for kids. About 150 yards away is the shooting range, which includes an area for skeet, a .22 range and a rifle range.

Groundskeeper Curt Simmons, in his third year, maintains the park and helps out with events.

To become a member, a man must be at least 18 years old and of Swiss decent or married to a Swiss woman. There is a junior club for those not yet 18.

As of Nov. 30, Swiss Park boasted of 480 members. There is a meeting the third Thursday of every month for all members, where they discuss business, pay bills and plan events.

"I'm proud of what we have and do at the park," Markus Spitzli, president of the club, said.

He was born in Switzerland in 1961 and moved to the United States in 1986. He has been a member for 17 years and is serving the first year of his two-year term as president.

The club exists to make people of Swiss heritage feel like they are back in the homeland, doing things their forefathers did.