Love Where You Live- The Residents’ Club Makes It Easy

First-Class Fun, a Differential Advantage 

Back in 1973, when the visionary founders of East West Communities blazed the trail for resort-style residential neighborhood design, they’d challenged the status quo: Why not build first-class vacation-type amenities, such as luxurious pools, water parks, golf courses, club houses, waterfront amphitheaters and nature trails, to enrich the everyday experience for individuals and growing families right at home? Why not provide opportunities for neighbors to build relationships through a diverse array of shared interests ranging from peaceful reflection to sports and physical activity to playtime and celebratory parties throughout the year? 

What a concept. But the inanimate settings were just the start. It’s the people — residents and staff alike — who bring them to life. And at Founders Pointe, it’s up to Lexi Snodgrass, Residents’ Club coordinator, to stir up the action. Astute, intuitive, creative and caring, she’s a natural fit. 

“Founders Pointe is such a unique neighborhood, full of great relationships, fun memories and a neighborly spirit that’s rare to find,” Lexi said. “And the clubhouse is the central meeting place for a lot of the events and member-led clubs that take place among the residents. It’s a staple in the unique experience of living in Founders Pointe,” she explained. “My goal is to get everyone involved.” 

This summer embodied the spirit, Lexi recalled. Friends and neighbors gathered for swimming, music, cookouts, games and more in celebration of Memorial, Independence and Labor days. Four day-camp programs engaged scores of kids in Nerf wars, scavenger hunts, video gaming, gymnastics, art, candy making and other cool ventures during creatively themed “Mission Madness,” “Artistic Adventures and Delicious Discoveries,” “Olympic Tumblers” and “Minecraft” weeks.  Local businesses helped steer the fun; they included Williamsburg Chocolatier, GamerBus and Triple T Sports Center. 

“Summer’s a really cool time for staff to bond with the kids,” Lexi noted. Lifeguards and camp counselors built “incredible relationships” with residents this year while providing a safe and fun environment, she said, and the kids got to hang out with neighborhood friends.

Parents appreciate what Founders Pointe affords their growing children. The Residents’ Club’s after-school program provides supervised homework, snack and play times for elementary-school students, and monthly Kids-Night-Out events buzz with entertainment.

“This neighborhood is, literally, like ‘the good old days’ when we were kids,” resident Lisa Richardson-Smith said. She and her husband, Jody, and their son, Cooper, moved to Founders Pointe from the Washington, D.C., area in 2012.

“The kids can ride their bikes, skateboard, and play outside year-‘round, and we feel safe letting them do so,” she noted. “It’s a community, where we all know one another and our kids play together while we enjoy our time together.” The hidden gem is Lexi, she added. “We couldn’t do what we do without her.”

The year’s winding toward winter, and “December’s always a lot of fun,” Lexi said. This season Founders Pointe has bustled with the club’s Dec. 5 Santa’s Secret Brews, an adults-only game of exchanging and “stealing” wrapped specialty craft beers, and the Dec. 13 Holiday Open House, featured photos with Santa, Christmas carols, snacks and festivities for all ages. The pool to reopened for New Year’s Day’s Polar Plunge, when hot chocolate was all the rage for chilled participants.

Business is pleasure, Lexi concluded. “I love having the opportunity to coordinate events that bring the residents together, giving them a chance to bond with neighbors living a couple streets away, to have a chance to unwind from their busy lives, and to enjoy the sense of community that fills a room.”

By Nora Firestone