This page is just a little introduction about us and why this website was created for the town of Hamilton Missouri. My name is Kimberley Lowe and my husband is Michael Lowe.
We are in our fifties and we were looking for our forever home. Neither one of us wanted to live out the second half of our lives in a big city. I raised my 4 children back in Canada in a small town with a modest home and huge yard with a big garden. Michael was living in Kansas city in a townhouse and honestly we were just tired of traffic and noise and sirens so we made the decision to start looking for our forever home.
During this process we had a Kansas City real estate agent and initially started our search going around the perimeter of the city gradually moving farther and farther away. The scenery out highway 35 was so peaceful that my husband felt the drive to city would be tolerable because it was so pretty.
I kept seeing the word 'sanctuary' in my head and told him that was what we were looking for. Several bids fell through and on a Saturday, Hamilton Missouri became our last stop. As we drove down the street of the property we were going to see, we passed an old church, and on the outside wall it said 'Sanctuary'. I knew we were home before we even saw the house.
At this point we didn't know anything at all about the town other than the safety map said it was safe and that was important to us. We made the offer and bought the house. And then the searching began.
We couldn't find anything anywhere online about Hamilton. Each day we went out we would take a different street and see what was there. We had no idea that we had moved to the quilting capital of the world, nor how many services and businesses this small town had to offer. We heard racing in the summertime and had no idea that was the Steam and Engine grounds. We didn't know there was an outdoor swimming pool here, or a lake and a golf course. Little by little we learned more and met more people over the last couple of years.
I joined the meeting for the Hamilton Farmers Market that summer in hopes of meeting people and getting to know my new community better. I kept asking myself what I was supposed to be doing at this stage in my life because I was going through the immigration process and wasn't allowed to work during that time.
What I saw was a huge gap information and lot of reliance on using Facebook as a way to communicate community events, fundraisers etc. I learned that the idea of creating a website for the town as a whole had been attempted twice in the past and didn't work out. I have years of experience working online and have built several large websites in the past and I knew that I could do this.
I have had many conversations with locals , business owners, quilters, hunters and tourists through the farmers market as well as my part- time job at Pasta Villa restaurant. I've been asked what is there to do here, is there anywhere to stay here, are their any properties available, when is this or that festival happening etc, etc. The consensus of all of these conversations was that there was no central source of accurate and updated information for this town.
When a website is built correctly for the search engines and not just to look pretty, it becomes the answer that people land on when they are looking for information online.
After presenting my idea to both the Hamilton Community Alliance and to the Chamber of Commerce, it was agreed that this is a great idea and that I would take this project on as someone who loves and appreciates this town. The hope is to bring the community, the businesses, the independent contractors, the non-profits, churches, services and schools all under one umbrella site that is not on social media but on a static website, and put this little town on the internet.
Many businesses here have no online presence or are utilizing Facebook to try and market themselves and while this can work to a point, even if you have thousands of followers, the algorithm will only show your posts to around 10% of them.
Visitors who are planning on visiting this town are really not going to be able to find the addresses, hours of business and contact information in that manner.
There are some phenomenal ideas for the future of this town and those need to be communicated to the people and to those who may be want be a part of these projects. However, up until now there has not been somewhere to go online where you could find all of the things they may be looking for.
I am excited to propose the creation of a comprehensive website for Hamilton, Missouri, to serve as a central hub for both residents and visitors. Currently, Hamilton relies on disjointed websites, Facebook pages, and groups, which can make accessing vital information challenging and inefficient.
A cohesive, professionally designed website would unify these resources, showcasing the charm and opportunities of Hamilton while enhancing accessibility and communication for both locals and tourists.
As an experienced professional in social media management, website design, search engine optimization (SEO), and graphic design, I am confident that I can deliver a website that meets
the needs of our community and attracts tourists and potential investors.
Since moving to Hamilton 2 years ago with my husband I have tried to get to know the community through joining and helping to organize the Hamilton Farmers Market and I currently work part- time at Pasta Villa Restaurant where I have met many of you.
Additionally, my background includes being an online personal trainer with a website at www.alphafemaletraining.com, a digital product seller on Etsy at SheShinesSanctuary by Kimberley Lowe, and the social media manager for Pasta Villa Restaurant here in Hamilton.
I have developed many websites and strategies for small business success and I am very fluent in graphic design and SEO. These roles have equipped me with the skills, creativity, and local insight necessary to make this project a success.
1. Centralized Information: Provide a one-stop resource for residents and visitors to find information about local businesses, events, schools, churches, and community services.
2. Enhanced Tourism: Promote Hamilton as a desirable destination with high-quality visuals, event calendars, and at tractions tailored to tourists.
3. Visitor Engagement: Create visitor-related content pages where users can upload reviews and photos to share their experiences, further promoting the town’s charm.
4. Highlighting Community and Growth: Feature a section for “New and Exciting” developments, showcasing upcoming projects, events, and opportunities.
5. Community Engagement: Strengthen the sense of community by offering resources for residents, such as event listings, public notices, and other relevant information.
6. Economic Growth: Attract potential investors by presenting a polished, professional image of Hamilton.
1. Improved Access to Information: Residents and tourists c an quickly find accurate and up-to-date information.
2. Economic Growth: Local businesses benefit from increased exposure and ease of access for potential customers.
3. Community Branding: Showcase Hamilton as a vibrant, welcoming place to live, work, and visit.
4. Cost-Effective Solution: The nominal fee of $25 a month ensures affordability for businesses while covering operational expenses.
5. Support for Future Growth: A polished online presence can attract new residents, investors, and businesses.
I look forward to designing and maintaining a beautiful and up to date website showcasing all that Hamilton has to offer.
You're welcome to contact me directly with questions, comments, updated information and advertising opportunities.
Thank you for reading about me.
Sincerely,
Kimberley Lowe