<em><strong>Knowing Your Neighborhood:</strong></em><br>BWE Civic Association & The BWE Swim Club: <em>How are they Different?</em>
While we frequently partner on community events, we are completely separate legal and financial entities. Here is a quick guide to understanding who does what:
Ever wonder how our neighborhood stays so vibrant, connected, and beautiful?
It is all thanks to two separate, dedicated organizations working hard behind the scenes. While we frequently partner on community events, we are completely separate legal and financial entities. Here is a quick guide to understanding who does what:
| BWE Civic Association (BWECA) |
BWE Social and Swim Club (BWESC) |
|
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A voluntary neighborhood support and betterment organization—not a deed-restricted HOA. | A private, member-owned community club nestled in our very own neighborhood. |
| The Mission/Perks | To enhance neighbor engagement through events, maintain neighborhood aesthetics, and provide helpful resources to keep BWE a highly sought-after Charlotte community. | A fantastic Z-shaped pool, lap lanes, a shaded baby pool, water basketball/volleyball, a clubhouse with showers, a private picnic shelter, and a competitive youth swim team program. |
| Membership | Voluntary household dues are $75 annually and cover everyone in your home. Visit the link below to pay this year’s dues - It’s not too late! | Private and optional. Membership is not tied to property deeds, nor is it restricted to BWE residents. The waitlist is 1-3 years. |
| Management | Staffed 100% by volunteer residents. View our Board of Directors at our website below. | Member-owned community. View the Swim Club Board of Directors at their website below. |
| Learn More & Get Involved | https://beverlywoodseast.com/ | https://bweswim.com/ |
If you have any questions regarding the differences between the Civic Association and Swim Club. Please contact us via our contact form.
<em>BWE Time Laps</em> <br>Celebrates Another Banner Year
What began in 2017 with a group of BWE friends running at the Whitewater Center became a homegrown tradition in May 2020 when the original race was canceled. Rather than giving up, neighbors brought the 24-hour endurance challenge right into our own backyards, creating a massive local celebration with a deeply impactful mission.
BWE Time Laps is an annual 24-hour community relay and festival dedicated to raising funds and awareness for Camp LUCK, an organization empowering children with congenital heart disease. What began in 2017 with a group of BWE friends running at the Whitewater Center became a homegrown tradition in May 2020 when the original race was canceled. Rather than giving up, neighbors brought the 24-hour endurance challenge right into our own backyards, creating a massive local celebration with a deeply impactful mission.
Held this year from Friday, May 29 to Saturday, May 30, participants gathered at 3800 Highview to run, bike, scoot, and walk in one-hour segments for a collective 24 hours. The weekend kicked off with a Friday night Campfire Social featuring a “S'more-gasbord,” followed by a double-feature Movie Night under the stars with snacks and glow sticks.
Even a Saturday morning monsoon couldn’t stop the crowd from keeping the momentum going. The morning brought an emotional highlight with the Josh Gelinas Memorial Lap, where neighbors gathered to honor a beloved Time Laps fixture and dear friend. Afterward, the festival kept the energy high with breakfast from a local coffee truck, grilled hot dogs, local brews, and Southern comfort food that evening. To close out the weekend, neighbors enjoyed free ice cream alongside live music and a house DJ, providing the perfect soundtrack to the final, high-energy "Hot Laps" relay and the highly coveted raffles.
The community’s generosity was overwhelming. This year, the neighborhood collectively raised over $8,000.
To learn more about the event or to make a contribution, visit https://www.bwetimelaps.com.
<em>In Memoriam:</em><br/>Chris Thomas — Friend, BWE Neighbor, and SouthPark Champion
Chris Thomas, a long-time Maylin Ln. resident, not only loved BWE but was instrumental in the success of our extended neighborhood, SouthPark. He worked tirelessly to ensure that our area remains a great place to live, work, and raise a family. Chris will be missed, but his work will live forever.
BWE lost a great friend and neighbor earlier this year.
Chris Thomas, a long-time Maylin Ln. resident, not only loved BWE but was instrumental in the success of our extended neighborhood, SouthPark. He worked tirelessly to ensure that our area remains a great place to live, work, and raise a family. Chris will be missed, but his work will live forever.
The following is a tribute to Chris — by the Charlotte Ledger — that perfectly captures his story and his legacy.
A native Charlottean and longtime real estate exec, Thomas played a key role in SouthPark’s growth story.
by Ashley Fahey
Chris Thomas, a leader at Charlotte commercial real estate firm Childress Klein who was involved in many community initiatives in Charlotte, passed away on April 29, after a brief battle with liver cancer.
Thomas headed up Childress Klein’s retail development, marketing and leasing practice. He had been at Childress Klein since 1998, starting as a senior marketing principal, then becoming a retail partner in 2004. Before his time at Childress Klein, Thomas worked in Belk’s real estate department.
He had numerous affiliations with nonprofits, organizations and business groups, having served at various times on the boards of TreesCharlotte, The Sharon at SouthPark, the YMCA of Greater Charlotte, the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School Alumni Council, NAIOP Charlotte, the Catawba Lands Conservancy and the Real Estate and Building Industry Coalition (REBIC).
Thomas was also a co-founder and board chair of SouthPark Community Partners, an economic development group formed in 2022 to manage SouthPark’s Municipal Service District.
In fact, SouthPark was a core part of Thomas’ professional and personal identity, having grown up in the Montclaire neighborhood not far from SouthPark, according to a 2024 story in SouthPark Magazine. Apex SouthPark, the redevelopment of the “ski slope” Sharon United Methodist Church on Sharon Road, was one of the major projects Thomas led during his time at Childress Klein. He was also intimately involved in planning out the growth and development of The Sharon retirement community.
In my interactions with Thomas over the years, he was always upbeat — you might say that’s fairly typical for a CRE leader, but Thomas always had a sunny disposition and demeanor.
Thomas’ age at the time of his death could not be immediately confirmed.
A spokesperson for Childress Klein submitted the following about Thomas, saying he leaves behind an “incredible legacy”:
Chris was an integral part of CK for the past 28 years, starting as a marketing principal in the Retail Division and achieving partnership status shortly thereafter. Chris was a key member of the development teams for notable projects such as Waverly, RiverGate, Afton Ridge and Apex Southpark just to name a few.
More importantly, Chris’s positive attitude and focus on relationship building touched every member of this company and the local real estate community. He was deeply committed to mentoring the younger generation of real estate leaders. He was actively involved in the leadership of ICSC, NAOIP, Sharon Towers, the Harris YMCA, SouthPark Community Partners and Carmel Baptist Church.
As a native Charlottean, he also was committed to supporting political leaders that focused on making our City a better place to live and conduct business. Chris will be deeply, deeply missed.
During the pandemic, Thomas taught neighborhood kids civics lessons on his back porch, according to the SouthPark Magazine story.
Patrick Baker, the former Charlotte city attorney and the 2025-2026 president of the Rotary Club of Charlotte, also late Wednesday sent a message about Thomas’ passing:
It is with great sadness that I share that Chris Thomas passed away earlier today after a brief battle with cancer.
Chris has been an active member of the Rotary Club of Charlotte since 2003. He was an incoming member of the Board & in charge of the Head Table for each meeting. He represented our Club well in all that he did in his work, church, & broader community. He exemplified the Rotary motto of "Service Above Self."
Please keep his wife, Jane, & his entire family in your thoughts and prayers.
<em>“What’s the Craic?”</em><br/>A New Eatery Joins The Neighborhood
There is an exciting new reason to stay close to home for dinner!
The Craic has officially opened its doors in the SouthPark area, with a special BWE connection.
One of our own BWE neighbors, Chris Healy (Bellechasse), is a partner in this new venture, making it a true community-driven addition to our dining options.
A new Irish-inspired gastropub, with a BWE connection, opened on April 15.
There is an exciting new reason to stay close to home for dinner!
The Craic has officially opened its doors in the SouthPark area, with a special BWE connection.
One of our own BWE neighbors, Chris Healy (Bellechasse), is a partner in this new venture, making it a true community-driven addition to our dining options.
Located less than a mile away at 4810 Ashley Park Lane, The Craic is the perfect destination for a night out without the commute. Whether you want to take a quick three-minute drive, enjoy a leisurely bike ride, or take a stroll over, it’s closer than ever to grab a great meal.
The restaurant’s name is a nod to a Gaelic term for "good times" and "genuine connection," which is exactly the atmosphere The Craic has created. The menu offers a great mix for any occasion—whether you’re looking for a hearty plate of pot roast and salmon or just want to share some wings and oven-fired pizzas with the family.
The space is designed to be versatile, featuring a welcoming patio and a bar program with over 30 taps and unique wine dispensers. It’s the kind of spot that works just as well for a casual family dinner as it does for a late-night catch-up with friends.
Be sure to stop by soon to support one of our own and enjoy our newest local hangout!
For more details, check out their website: thecraicclt.com.
Event Recap:<br/>2026 Easter Egg Hunt &<br/> Spring Pop-Up Market
We enjoyed time together in the warm sun as we watched the kids fill their baskets, followed by high-fives, hugs, and photos with the Easter Bunny.
Spring arrived early enough for a beautiful day of fun and community in Beverly Woods East.
A group of 4-7 year-olds races to find as many eggs as they can while hunting for that elusive Golden Egg.
While it wasn’t the earliest of Easter Egg Hunts from years past, it was certainly much earlier than last year. But the weather showed out, and so did our BWE neighbors! We enjoyed time together in the warm sun as we watched the kids fill their baskets, followed by high-fives, hugs, and photos with the Easter Bunny.
We had some new special guests at the Hunt this year… Live Bunnies!
Thanks to our friends at Hoppy Parties of Davidson, there were lots of soft, furry bunnies for the kids — and adults! — to pet and snuggle with.
Also new this year was our first-ever Spring Pop-up Market!
Eight of our talented and crafty BWE Friends & Neighbors brought their Handmade & Homegrown items to sell. There was everything from freshly baked & decorated cookies to fresh eggs, from 3-printed toys and mahjong accessories to hand-poured candles and sea-inspired gifts.
Thank you to our inaugural Pop-up Market Vendors!
If you couldn’t make it out to the market, please make sure you connect with our local purveyors to find that next gift, special treat, or service.
2026 Spring Pop-up Market Vendors
Mold-poured Candles, Slow-stitch & Embroidery Gifts
Christine Padgett — cetaylo1@gmail.com
Hopper Bakes — Decorated Sugar Cookies
Maribeth Hopper — maribethhopper@gmail.com
Fresh Breads, Cookies, Etc.
Tracey Donovan — tearly10@gmail.com
Mahjong Sets & Mahjong Accessories
Skidmark Novelties — skidmarknovelties.com
City Girl Eggs
Rachel Tenny — 540 830-6731
Shell Art and Accessories
Heather Vaartjes — 704 701-1083
Max Sucks Car Detailing
Max Hopkins — 704 779 - 7287 (Mom’s Cell)
H & H Printing — 3D Printed Toys
Henry Dorton & Hopkins Gray — rachel.dorton@gmail.com
BWE Women’s Club
Angie Beard, President — angierbeard@gmail.com
We love that we have so many neighbors with their special gifts and interests to share with others. We look forward to the next one!