Happenings — Issue No. 1
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D E C E M B E R • I S S U E N O . 1 HOME | BUSINESS | WELLNESS | TRAVEL | EVENTS | REAL ESTATE FirstIssue happenings. 370Valley Live. Work. Play.
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St. Charles’s newest coworking space, located in the business district of New Town, features private and shared workspaces for entrepreneurs, professionals, and remote workers. Additionally, meeting and event spaces for two up to 60 people. Member Spotlight 3324 Rue Royale St St. Charles, MO 63301 info@CommonsGroup.CO CommonsGroup.CO 636-493-0307 HT HUB E Join our growing Community Networking & Advertising Group! Don’t need a workspace, but want to be a part of the buzz. Packed with exclusive benefits and opportunities, The HUB membership is designed to empower professionals and help them thrive in a vibrant business community.
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CONTENTS BOATING IN THE HEARTLAND PA G E 4 St. Charles offers some of the most accessible and affordable boating in the region. FEATURED BUSINESS PA G E 8 Hommati helps realtors connect with homeowners to put forth the best value that their homes deserve. WINTER SOUP RECIPE PA G E 1 0 Kimchi is full of probiotics and can make for an excellent main or side dish. KID’S CORNER PA G E 29 Lucy portrays her deathly fear of snakes in the short story, “Lucy & The Terrifying Snake”. NO.1 FRENCHTOWN VISIONS PA G E 19 Frenchtown has always had an historic vision for growth. Those visions are becoming a reality. ORCHARD FARM HIGH SCHOOL PA G E 15 The new, state-of-the-art Orchard Farm High School is taking shape. PA G E 2 | C O N T E N TS
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editor’s letter happenings. M A G A Z I N E PART N ERS E d i tor /Pu b l i sher Z a c M e t c a l f Photogr a p hy & D es ign E l l i e M e t c a l f E d i tor i a l O f f ice 3 324 Rue Roy a l e St e . 206 St . C ha r l e s , M O 6 3 301 6 3 6 - 3 12-0422 Welcome to the first edition of Happenings, a new medium for those that live, work and play in the 370 Valley. The goal of this magazine is to be a community supported advocate for the surrounding neighborhoods and businesses that call this region home. Each edition will feature articles on the home, local businesses, area recreation and health & wellness. A highlight of each monthly issue will be the young writers’ columns, a place where children in the community can express their creativity and unique perceptions of the area in which they live. Developments in the region continue to make this area an inviting place for new residents and an excellent place to raise families and live a healthy work/life balance. We look forward to meeting new folks and hearing new stories. Zac Metcalf Editor/Publisher FIRST ISSUE Submissions: Please submit articles, ideas, photos and developments for consideration to: zacmmetcalf@gmail.com. Partner Inquiries: Please submit interest in becoming a partner to: zacmmetcalf@gmail.com or call: 636-312-0422 PA G E 3 | E D I T O R’S L E T T ER T HHUB E
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Growing up in the St. Charles area, I was always aware of the Mississippi River and the marinas that provide boating access to Pool 26. Yet—other than some family friends owning some boats in the 90s—I never took a serious look at what this waterway has to offer. First, the cost of owning a boat through slip fees, insurance and annual maintenance can be daunting and often times be the one and only decision factor in exploring this hidden gem in America’s Heartland. That is when we came across a membership-based boating club known as Freedom Boat Club. For those that live close to the Mississippi River in St. Charles, this is a great opportunity to explore the Mississippi River and everything that this area has to offer in the form of boating—from dockside restaurants, to skiing and tubing and to motoring out for a quick evening sunset picnic on the water. The club offers up to nine boats that you can reserve on a daily basis. For our first outing, we chose one of the two “deck boats” that offered plenty of space CONTINUED on Page 6 BOATING IN AMERICA’S HEARTLAND PA G E 4 | TRAVE L
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PA G E 5 | TRAVE L
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PA G E F O U R| J O U R N EY PA G E F O U R| J O U R N EY for the kiddos, yet enough engine power to cruise along the channel at an exhilarating speed. We arrived at the boat dock on a perfect fall day around 2 PM. We quickly put on our life jackets, did a quick safety check to see if we had everything we needed and then “hit the road” on our way up to the confluence of the Mississippi and Cuivre Rivers. One aspect of navigating the Mississippi River is the varying depths of the channel, as sand moves and deposits in different areas with the flow of the water. This might give some folks pause on wanting to operate a boat, but a simple depth finding tool displayed through the onboard navigation system gave real time depths in order to navigate safely and confidently. Once we reached our destination, we cut the engine and let the river slowly carry us back in the direction we came from. This portion of the Mississippi has a plethora of islands that provide a safe haven for migrating birds. While we relaxed for a picnic, we took in the vistas of the bluffs on the Illinois side of the river and got to see two full grown bald eagles swoop overhead to their perches at the top of the tree line. “THE COST OF OWNING A BOAT CAN BE DAUNTING...” PA G E 6 | TRAVE L
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After wrapping up our packed lunch, we clicked on the engine and headed back down river via the Dardenne Slough—a relatively calm portion of Pool 26 that is perfect for tubing and skiing in the warmer months. At the confluence of the main channel, we motored over to the Boat House—a restaurant just south of the marina that has a courtesy dock for day boaters. We enjoyed an early evening snack as the sun was about to set, along with views of the hills that make up Pierre Marquette State Park on the Illinois side of the river. After about three hours on the waterway, we headed back to the marina to dock the boat. All in all, this was a carefree and simple process that allowed us to maximize our time on the boat and remove the time that is needed with individual boat ownership. The best part is that the club is less than ten minutes away, making these types of daily adventures a frequent affair in our future —all while allowing us to be back for dinner in the comfort of our own home. For more information on joining the freedom boat club and for a map of accessible locations throughout the U.S., visit: www.freeedomboatclub.com PA G E 7 | TRAVE L happenings. T R A V E L
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We sat down with New Town resident Dan Hough. Dan currently operates a local branch of Hommati—a company that provides realtors in the area with innovative marketing and home listing services. Happenings: Hi Dan, thank you for taking the time to meet with us. Tell us a little about your background and how you came to Hommati. Dan: Absolutely. I have been living in New Town since 2017. My prior background is in property management and before that I was in the Coast Guard for 15 years. Happenings: That’s great experience. And, what initially piqued your interest in photography and real estate? Dan: Well, in high school, I was actually into photography. Back then we didn’t have the go-pros and iphones like we have today, so we used photography to capture us kicking around on our skateboards and snowboarding. That, coupled with my experience after the coast guard as a property manager, created a nice synergy to get into the types of services that Hommati provides. Happenings: And, as for Hommati, how did you come to manage your own franchise? Dan: During my experience in property management, including about 150 properties in the St. Louis area, I was in the process of starting my own home inspection service, as well. About three quarters through that process, a friend of mine introduced me to the opportunity to operate a Hommati Franchise. Happenings: And what initially drew you to pursue that opportunity? Dan: Speaking with realtors over the years I saw a real need for agents to have a Q & A WITH DAN AT HOMMATI PA G E 8 | B U SI N ESS F EAT U RE
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consistent, yet affordable suite of marketing services—as most of them were paying out-of-pocket for those services, along with listing platforms taking a fee on top of that and promoting other realtors beyond the main listing agent. When I met with the folks that run Hommati, I immediately loved their energy and their concept—which was to give back to the agents. Happenings: Can you describe a bit further how Hommati helps both the agents and home buyers/sellers? Dan: I help agents generate up to four times more traffic to their listings by adding dynamic visual content, such as 3D tours, aerial/interior video, photography for their clients and much more. If an agent it partnered with Hommati, the home sellers and buyers can rest assured the agent is utilizing that dynamic visual content which can sell homes up to 31 percent faster and increase the selling price by up to 9 percent. This creates a strong value add for agents, home buyers and home sellers. Happenings: Along with the listings, what other marketing services are involved? Dan: We also offer a featured agent program in which agents receive discounts on all Hommati packages and services. This program helps agents win more listings and sell more homes. Secondly, our agent advantage program— one of the most powerful closing tools that easily integrates into their current listing presentation—includes a custom branded pre-listing video and innovative agent magazine. The language in the mediums is presented to home owners and goes over how agents will market their property and get the best sale possible for their homes. It ends up being a one-stop-shop for them and the home owners. Happenings: Thank you for telling us a bit more about Hommati and the services that you provide. It seems like a great program and one that has the best interests of realtors and home owners alike. Final question for today, what do you like about living in the area, especially being in New Town? Dan: I enjoy the work/life balance here. New Town is an extremely walkable community that has a bit of everything. There is also a strong support of each other in the community and word of mouth goes a long way for local, independent business owners. Happenings: We appreciate you joining us today, and we wish you all the best in your future with Hommati. Dan Hough (Hommati Franchise Owner) www.hommati.com/office/221 happenings. B U S I N E S S PA G E 9 | B U SI N ESS F EAT U RE
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PA G E F O U R| J O U R N EY FOOD & DRINK Winter Soup Season - Kimchi Chigae Recipe Ingre d ient s : 2 cups of w e l l - f e rment ed k imchi , chopped into bi t e - s i z ed pi e c e s 1 /2 pound (225g) of por k shoulde r or be l l y , thinl y s l i c ed 1 sma l l onion, thinl y s l i c ed 3 - 4 c lov e s of ga r l i c , minc ed 1 t e a spoon of ginge r , minc ed 2 cups of k imchi jui c e ( f rom the j a r of k imchi ) 4 cups of w a t e r or lo w - sodium chi c k en broth 1 -2 t abl e spoons of gochuga ru (Kor e an r ed peppe r f l a k e s ) , adjus t to your spi c e pr e f e r enc e 1 t abl e spoon of v ege t abl e oi l 2 t e a spoons of soy s auc e 1 bloc k of sof t or s i l k en tofu, cut into cube s 2 gr e en onions , chopped Sa l t and peppe r to t a s t e O pt iona l toppings : s e s ame s e eds , s e s ame oi l , or a c r a c k ed egg for e a ch s e r v ing Ins t ruct ions : P r epa r e the Ingr edi ent s : St a r t by pr epa r ing a l l the ingr edi ent s . C hop the k imchi into bi t e - s i z ed pi e c e s , thinl y s l i c e the por k , minc e the ga r l i c and ginge r , and chop the onion and gr e en onions . Saut é the Aroma t i c s : H e a t the v ege t abl e oi l in a l a rge pot ov e r medium he a t . Add the minc ed ga r l i c and ginge r and s aut é for a minut e unt i l f r agr ant . Add Por k and Kimchi : Add the s l i c ed por k and cook unt i l i t ' s no longe r pink and s l ight l y c a r ame l i z ed. Thi s should t a k e about 5 - 7 minut e s . Add Kimchi and O nions : Add the chopped k imchi and s l i c ed onions to the pot . C ook for anothe r 5 - 7 minut e s unt i l the k imchi and onions be come sof t and t r ans luc ent . PA G E 10 | F O O D & D RI N K
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Ins t ruct ions (cont inue d ) : Se a son the Soup: St i r in the gochuga ru and soy s auc e . M i x w e l l to combine w i th the othe r ingr edi ent s . I f you pr e f e r a spi c i e r soup, you c an add mor e gochuga ru. Add Kimchi Jui c e and Wa t e r : Pour in the k imchi jui c e f rom the j a r and the w a t e r or chi c k en broth. Br ing the soup to a boi l , then r educ e the he a t to a s imme r . Al lo w i t to s imme r for about 1 5 -20 minut e s to l e t the f l a vor s me ld toge the r . Add Tofu: G ent l y add the cubed tofu to the soup and l e t i t s imme r for an addi t iona l 5 minut e s . Adjus t Se a soning: T a s t e the soup and adjus t the s e a soning w i th s a l t and peppe r i f ne c e s s a r y . Kimchi c an v a r y in s a l t ine s s , so be c aut ious w i th the s a l t . Se r v e : L adl e the hot k imchi soup into bo w l s and ga rni sh w i th chopped gr e en onions . You c an a l so dr i z z l e a l i t t l e s e s ame oi l , spr ink l e s e s ame s e eds , or c r a c k an egg into the hot soup jus t be for e s e r v ing for e x t r a r i chne s s . Kimchi is a known source of probiotics and makes for an excellent addition to meals or as a standalone side dish. 김치찌개 F u n F a c t: T h e w r itt e n f o r m o f K o r e a n ( s h o w n a b o v e a s k i m c h i s o u p ) w a s d e s i g n e d i n t h e J o s e o n D y n a s t y a n d i s c o n s i d e r e d o n e o f t h e m o s t s c i e n tifi c l a n g u a g e s i n t h e w o r l d . PA G E 11 | F O O D & D RI N K happenings. F O O D & D R I N K C O O KI N G C LASSES| C AT ERI N G | M EAL P LA N S 6 3 6 - 3 12-0909
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January 26, 2024 3324 Rue Royale, New Town
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THE N EW O RCHAR D FARM HI G H SCH O O L The new, state-of-the-art Orchard Farm High School is set to open its doors to students, teachers and faculty on January 16, 2024. The demand for such a facility has been in the works for a while now—spurred on by the exponential growth of the neighborhoods in the area. The updated space plans to have an enrollment of close to 700 students in the coming year—with room to accommodate forecasted growth in enrollment numbers. In the past three years, the number of students in attendance has grown by 17%. The boundary map will remain the same, and the old High School will transition to a Junior High, serving grades 7 & 8 at the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year. Along with the new build comes upgraded facilities—including a new Peforming Arts Theater and Science & Academic Classrooms that will feature the latest technology. In conjunction with the indoor facilities, the school will have an outdoor “Common Area” known as the Nancy Goeke Plaza. Here, students can gather to socialize and study in an alternative setting to the classroom. The setup helps to encourage a learning environment both inside and outside of the school’s walls. In addition to upgraded education facilities, the athletic areas include state-of-the-art lighting, video boards and a turf stadium—as a seamless extension of the aforementioned Nancy Goeke Plaza. The sports facilities will host District events and the gyms will be accessible to area youth sports teams. For anyone that is interested in a preview of the new school, they will be hosting an open house and ribbon cutting ceremony on January 13 from 12-6 pm. Student Ambassadors will be on hand to help the public navigate the new facility. PA G E 1 5 | D EVE L O P M E N TS
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RIGHT: Photo renderings of the proposed school entrance and the commons area. BOTTOM: Photo rendering of the outdoor plaza (a shared space for students to socialize, collaborate and study outdoors). The plaza is dedicated to Orchard Farm alumni and board member Nancy Goeke who passed away. “THE NEW SCHOOL IS IN AN EXCELLENT POSITION TO MEET CURRENT ENROLLMENT, WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY PREPARING FOR THE ADDITION OF FUTURE STUDENTS.” PA G E 1 6 | D EVE L O P M E N TS
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NEW TOWN PHASE THREE New Town has had consistent growth the past ten years. The latest phase of growth includes the phase 3 development just south of the Beach District. This development will include an additional lake and run along the east side of the Boschert Greenway to the Charlestowne boundary. This phase will bring the total home count to well over 2,000. Along with the consistent growth, New Town is starting to see a resurgence in their business and restaurant district—including increased attendance to the many perennial events that take place. That, coupled with the expansion of Charlestowne, the new High School and additional, nearby commercial developments further identifies this area as a sought after community—one that is not only walkable but also an area that has a “lifestyle” feature when described by residents. This lifestyle is one that has extended to the nearby Charlestowne neighborhoods, as well. With that proximity, residents in the surrounding neighborhoods are able to enjoy a lot that New Town has to offer—such as the annual Fishing Tournament, a quick meal at the nearby restaurants or the seasonal events at Glen Mark Farms. The shared boundaries with Orchard Farm Elementary School and Orchard Farm High School, also create a relationship between the families in both communities and an overall appreciation for the facilities, including Marsala’s Market, that New Town provides. As phase 3 nears completion, that connection between neighborhoods will become even PA G E 1 7 | D EVE L O P M E N TS
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“WITH THAT PROXIMITY, RESIDENTS IN THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS ARE ABLE TO ENJOY A LOT THAT NEW TOWN HAS TO OFFER.” more prevalent and add even more value to the businesses and homes that are in the region. With the new builds in both neighborhoods nearing completion, additional connectors and access points are also part of the next phase. This includes a new connection from Charlestowne Landing to New Town near the southeast corner of the largest lake. This connection will not only allow for easier access to New Town facilities, but it will also allow for the school buses in the area to have closer pickup points and thru-ways for new students in the area. As New Town continues to grow, it is steadily solidifying itself as a model for a sustainable, yet all-inclusive community when it comes to the surrounding areas. An additional 800 homes is a big step to this next phase, and at the end of the day, provides 800 new residents the opportunity to have access to that vision. Below: the new street currently under construction to connect Charlestowne Landing and the southeast portion of New Town. PA G E 1 8 | D EVE L O P M E N TS
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F R E N CHT OWN VISI O N S Frenchtown has always had an historic vision for the future. The unique location and architecture has been home to wellestablished businesses over the years. The potential to add to that stability—through new business and recreation—is something that has been on the radar for the community for a some time. That vision for growth—while maintaining that historic charm and independence—is now becoming a reality. In 2020, the City of St. Charles released a masterplan for the area. This plan included making use of the old rail line that once catered to the rail car manufacturer in one of the brick warehouses along the riverfront. The idea was to have a connector—via this portion of the former industrial park—from the south end of main street to the north end of Frenchtown. With that plan now approved, businesses in Frenchtown are looking forward to that growth. In the past three years, a number of new businesses have opened and resident growth in the area is once again on the rise. With the addition of new greenspaces, recreation areas cafes and shops, the location is being sought after as a neighborhood with a high walkability factor. Beyond the infrastructure catering to pedestrians, Frenchtown is making a concentrated effort to encourage people from surrounding areas to visit via car with new offstreet public parking areas and charging stations. Along with new pedestrian pathways and offstreet parking, the plan looks to focus on improvements to the nearby riverfront which contains the only public boat ramp with access to Missouri River between Highway 70 and Highway 370. PA G E 1 9 | D EVE L O P M E N TS
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TOP: The new parking area next to Good News Brewing provides patrons to the surrounding businesses access to convenient, off-street public parking. The riverfront improvements include a proposed nature park and additional bike paths directly along the waterway. This, coupled with the the existing Boschert Greenway, would make Frenchtown one of the few destinations in the area that is accessible by designated routes via car, on foot, by bike or by boat. For more information on the current state of the project, visit: https://www.stcharlescitymo.gov/929/Frencht own-Great-Streets-Project happenings. D E V E L O P M E N T S PA G E 20 | D EVE L O P M E N TS
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TOP: New parking areas have combined additional space for vehicles, charging stations and greenspaces that enhance the overall curb appeal for surrounding businesses. Sidewalk extensions contain additional seating for pedestrians and residents to utilize—adding to the walkability factor of the area. BOTTOM: Photo rendering of the focused areas of development in Frenchtown. The goal is to maintain existing structures while expanding business opportunity in conjunction with areas for recreation. PA G E 21 | D EVE L O P M E N TS
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B O SCHE R T OWN R O AD EXPA N SI O N The expansion of Boschertown Road from the Fire Station to Hwy B is nearing completion. Overall, the expansion will help facilitate increased traffic flow—due to the growth of Charlestowne Landing and the addition of the new High School. The wider road and direct connection slightly West of Hwy 94 will also help to create a safer turn point from Hwy B— eliminating the bottleneck and blind spot where the former Boschertown Road and Hwy 94 intersected. Other benefits include better water drainage in the area—a problem that persisted after heavy rains on either side of the road— along with better access points in and out of high traffic areas such as the Orchard Farm ELC, Charlestowne Place and the Stable Ridge neighborhood. The expansion is part of a broader plan to connect Little Hills Expressway to the proposed 100 acre park that will occupy land adjacent to the High School. Overall, the plan was 66.7% funded through federal FTP-S and St. Charles County applications. For more information on future projects, visit: https://www.stcharlescitymo.gov/659/Projects PA G E 22 | D EVE L O P M E N TS
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MILO THE CORGI P E T S Corgis, especially the Pembroke Welsh Corgi and the Cardigan Welsh Corgi, are enchanting and distinctive breeds. Originating from Wales, these small dogs have gained immense popularity not only for their intelligence and agility but also for their charming appearance. Corgis were originally bred as herding dogs, nipping at the heels of cattle to drive them forward. This herding instinct remains ingrained in their behavior, making them lively, alert, and responsive companions. Despite their relatively small size, Corgis are robust and can keep up with the best of them. Milo is a Pembroke Welsh Corgi and was adopted by Cliff and Beth, New Town Residents, this past summer. Milo has taken to his new surroundings well—including his first-ever swim in one of the New Town lakes! He is highly energetic and loves to jump up with two paws high in the air to give his human companions a double high five. To assist the humans that live in his house, he has agreed to undergo some sort of training and is currently enrolled in Ultimate K9 Training, owned and operated by Thaer Karim. He loves when he gets to play with the smaller humans too. PA G E 23 | P E TS
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AGE: 8 months BREED: Corgi NEIGHBORHOOD: New Town (Beach District) FAVORITE FOOD: Anything & everything FAVORITE TOY: I like squeaky sounds FAVORITE HUMAN: I follow my human in the house everywhere FAVORITE PARK: Lakeside 370 and the park with the big turtles AGE: 8 months BREED: Corgi NEIGHBORHOOD: New Town (Beach District) FAVORITE FOOD: Anything & everything FAVORITE TOY: I like squeaky sounds FAVORITE HUMAN: I follow my human in the house everywhere FAVORITE PARK: Lakeside 370 and the park with the big turtles Interested in having your pet featured? Please submit pet photos and bios to: zacmmetcalf@gmail.com Interested in having your pet featured? Please submit pet photos and bios to: zacmmetcalf@gmail.com happenings. P E T S PA G E 24 | P E TS
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Before you settle in for a “long winter’s nap,” be sure to think about the following tips for winterizing your home garden. Following these guidelines will help you save money in the spring—reducing repairs, the need for replacing plants and purchasing new equipment. 1. Be sure there is enough moisture around the plants to help the roots systems stay active and pliable. Before the ground freezes over, give your plants a drink of water to sustain them over the winter months. If your ground is frozen, just pile some snow around the base to melt off during the winter. 2. Remove any crop debris such as wilted tomato vines, old pumpkins and vines, peas and vines, beans and vines and be sure to discard or burn any diseased plants. 3. Mulch your garden with leaves, straw, pine straw or other materials to keep water pockets from forming. 4. Take care of your water features. Remove pumps and drain the water. For bird baths, turn the vessels upside down so water can’t collect and possibly freeze. 5. Prepare your herbs. Plants like thyme and sage that are planted in the ground do not need any special treatment. If you have large rosemary plants, cover them or if possible, bring indoors. Tender herbs like basil and oregano should be covered with mulch or straw. 6. Winterize your watering system and remove hoses from the spigots. 7. Clean and oil your good garden tools. This will protect them over the winter. In the spring, given them a good wipe down and you are ready to start digging! 8. Don’t forget to feed the birds! Most birds like suet and oily seeds like black oil sunflower seeds. Place a heavy duty tarp or shower curtain under the bird feeder to catch stray seeds and reduce the amount of weeding you will need to do in the spring. WINTERIZING YOUR GARDEN For more information, contact Terri Steffes at terristeffes1117@gmail.com PA G E 25 | H O M E
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BUSINESS TIPS KNOW YOUR DEMOGRAPHIC This seems obvious, but understanding your customer is the first step in successful branding using any tool, video content included! Identify the age, interests and preferences of your audience. Understanding who you're making videos for can significantly influence the type of content you produce. YOUTUBE MASTERY FOR BUSINESS GROWTH BE PREPARED FOR ANY QUESTION Brought to you this issue by 28k and UNDERSTAND YOUR AUDIENCE Whatever your product or service is, there will always be questions about it! Identify 10-12 frequently asked questions, and simply film yourself answering them. The title of the video can literally be the question itself. HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE? HERE'S A QUICK GUIDE ON HOW TO FIND VIDEO IDEAS FOR YOUTUBE: T HHUB E Powered by Community & Business Association
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STAY UP-TO-DATE Stay updated with current trends using tools like Google Trends or YouTube's Trending page. Creating content that aligns with what's popular can increase your visibility. Social Media Insights: Platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok can be excellent sources for trending topics and ideas. DRAW FROM LIFE & EXPERIENCE KNOW THE TRENDS Your own experiences, challenges and successes can be compelling content. Personal stories often resonate well with viewers. Behind the Scenes: Showcasing the process behind your videos or sharing your YouTube journey can create a more personal connection with your audience. YOUR STORY MATTERS FOLLOW THESE STRATEGIES Take a look at other content creators that also happen to sell your (or similar) product or service. What sorts of questions are being asked in their comments? Make a list of 10-12 questions you see (whether the other creator is answering them or not!) and film yourself answering them. Alternatively, you can put your product or service’s keywords into google and type each letter of the alphabet; google’s autocomplete function will show you a list of things that people are actively searching for. Repeat this for every letter of the alphabet! YOU WILL HAVE MANY QUESTIONS NOT QUITE AN EXPERT? If you’re brand-new to your product or service, you yourself will have questions about the product or service. Every plumber uses YouTube to search for how-to videos, even if they’ve been on the job for years. Every time you have to look up an answer to a question, imagine that there are thousands of other people who’ve had to look up that same question! These are all GREAT video ideas. JUST STARTING OUT? If you’re not quite sure what questions are the most important, there are a couple strategies you can try.
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Try New Formats: Don't be afraid to experiment with different video formats like vlogs, tutorials, challenges or documentaries. Creative Brainstorming: Regularly set aside time for brainstorming sessions. Use mind maps, storyboards or brainstorming tools to spark new ideas. Follow Your Interests: Ultimately, the best content comes from what you are passionate about. Stay true to what excites you, as this enthusiasm translates to your audience. Growth and Evolution: Allow your content to evolve with your interests. Your audience will appreciate your authenticity and growth. Create a weekly or monthly series on a particular topic. This not only gives you a content framework but also something your audience can look forward to. Themed Content: Align your content with upcoming holidays, seasons, or events for timely and relevant videos. Remember, the key to a successful YouTube channel is not just the number of ideas you have, but the quality and consistency of the content you produce. Keep experimenting, learning, and evolving, and your channel will grow and thrive. EXPERIMENT & FOLLOW YOUR INTERESTS “STAY TRUE TO YOUR PASSION” CONTENT & HAVE A REGULAR SERIES THEMES Finding video ideas for YouTube is a dynamic and ongoing process. It requires understanding your audience.
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happenings. K I D ’ S C O R N E R S T O R Y B Y L U C Y R O S E MI L L E R I L L U S T R A T I O N S B Y Z O E D A Y
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I’ve always been afraid of snakes, and l mean deathly afraid. I completely freak out if I see one. About four years ago, my parents told my younger sister, Ruby, and me that they were going to take us on a float trip. My parents loved traveling with us. Ruby of course was very excited, but on the other hand, I was not looking forward to it. My mom said, "Ok let's all go get in the car." "Don't we need to pack clothes?" I asked in a wondering tone. She responded. "Good news, we packed this morning before you woke up. Now we can leave early." We drove about an hour to Meramec Caverns so we could have our float trip on The Meramec River. This is so boring, I thought to myself, we have been in the car forever. It had only been thirty minutes since we left, but I was so bored because I could not talk to Ruby. All she wanted to do was sleep. Since there was nothing else to do, I just went to sleep too. When we were about five minutes away from Meramec Caverns, my mom said, "Girls. wake up, we are almost there!" I woke up as soon as she said that. Ruby did not wake up right away. We pulled up to a modem-day log cabin where we would be staying for the weekend. We all went into the cabin, except Ruby, who was still sleeping. After we got to the cabin, we unpacked. Ruby finally woke up—she slept like a bear in hibernation. Ruby and I were amazed when we walked in because the cabin was huge, it was like a castle. Ruby ran towards the ladder to get up to the loft where the bunk beds were. Ruby exclaimed, "I call top bunk!" She is only five and she has only been on a ladder once, plus this one is very steep. There is no way she will make it up by herself. THE TERRIFYING SNAKE Story by Lucy Rose Miller, Age 12 Illustrations by Zoe Day, Age 5 PA G E 30 | KI D ’S C O R N ER
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I was right, she could not make it up the steep ladder. I got the top bunk! As I was unpacking, I heard my mom and dad talking. "Because it is a nice day, I think it is best to do the float trip today," my mom and dad both agreed. "Plus, tomorrow is supposed to heavy rain," my mom added. It is a nice day. I thought. But I wished it would rain the whole weekend, so we did not have to go on the float trip. I was so distracted by what bed I wanted to sleep in, that I completely forgot about the float trip. When my mom brought it up, I became worried again because I was terrified of seeing a snake. "Girls, go put on your swimsuits," My mom said. I was not looking forward to this float trip. After we put on our swimsuits, we walked down to the river. Because they were all out of canoes, we used a large raft, and it was blue. Blue is my favorite color, so I guess that makes this a little better. As we got on the raft. I was very cautious. I kept looking in the clear water making sure nothing was there. About 30 minutes later, we saw people jumping off a 40-foot cliff into the water. My mom declared, "I want to jump off the high cliff, does anyone want to do it with me?" Ruby mumbled, "It's too high." My mom added, "There is a ten-foot cliff too, if you would rather jump off that one?'' Ruby answered, "Ok, I" II jump off that one, but only if Lucy does it with me."' I quickly looked up at her and said, "Ruby, I really want to do it, but I do NOT want to get into the water."' "Please, your sister really wants you to do this with her," my mom begged. "Fine, but I will not like it," I said with a wavering tone. My parents videoed us jumping off the cliff. As I jumped into the air, I looked down. In the clear water beneath me, I saw something that looked like a snake. I started to scream. As a result of me seeing the possible snake, as soon as I hit the water, I swam as fast as I could to the shore. Looking into the water I realized that the snake I thought I saw was just a stick. I felt better once I knew that it was not a snake, but I was still scared because somewhere in that river, there would be snakes. I scurried over to the shore and hopped onto the raft. Later, as we continued to go down the river, we came across a tiny little cave. PA G E 3 1 | KI D ’S C O R N ER
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Out of nowhere, my sister randomly said, "Can we go explore that small cave?" My parents better not say yes to going into the creepy dark cave. They said yes, but I begged them not to go in because by the entrance there were many tall, green weedy plants. I know that snakes love to hang out in tall plants. I did not like passing by the tall weeds, I was so nervous to see a snake. I hope a snake does not come out of the plants. We looked inside, and it was not very interesting, but I was too focused on looking out for snakes that I did not even really see much in the cave. As we passed by the plants exiting the cave, I looked down at the water, and at first, I did not see it but then I noticed dark black beady eye staring up at me. It was a snake! I screamed so loud that it scared the snake away. I was still terrified, even though it had already left, my mom tried to comfort me. I told my parents that I wanted to leave the river as soon as possible. My dad said, "As soon as we get to the end of the river, you can go back to the cabin." I yelled, "But I want to leave now!" My dad responded, "We can’t leave until we reach the end of the river." I answered. "Ok, just by to go fast." “Ok," he said. We made it down the rest of the river faster because there were no obstacles. After we got to the end of the river, I jumped off the raft and bolted back to the log cabin. Once my parents and sister caught up, I told them that I never wanted to go on a float trip ever again. My mom said, "Ok, do you want to go look al the little shops here?" I replied, "not really." My dad added, "There's an ice cream shop." "Well, what are we waiting for, let's go!" I said jumping out of my chair. PA G E 32 | KI D ’S C O R N ER
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We all walked down to the shops and got ice cream. After that, there was a huge cave that we walked through. I am ok with this cave because this one is not under water, so there will be no water snakes and there is a tour guide to make sure everybody is safe. Of course, I was still scared that land snakes could be in there, but there were many people, so snakes would be afraid to come near all the people. The cave was amazing, it was huge and they lit up sections of walls to make it look cool. But when they turned the lights off, I was surprised at how dark it really was in there. After we left the cave, we went back to the cabin to relax. The next day, we went to the gift shop. Ruby found stuffed animal snake and snuck up on me with it. I jumped and screamed so loud that everyone in the shop turned and looked at me. Lucy, seriously, it is not even real. The snake that Ruby scared you with was just stuffed. You do not need to be afraid of a stuffed snake. I told her to put it back because I did not want to remember the time that I saw the snake. Little sisters can be so annoying. After we picked out our souvenirs, we all went back to the cabin to pack up. It was time to head back home. I was very happy that we were leaving. Ever since I saw the snake in the river, all I wanted to do was leave. We drove back home, and I felt much better knowing that I was away from the snakes. But every time I thought about the snake, I was still traumatized. I never want to see another snake again! Lucy Miller is a St. Charles native. She is in seventh grade at the Academy of the Sacred Heart. This story was a school assignment and portrays her deathly fear of snakes. PA G E 3 3 | KI D ’S C O R N ER
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PA G E F O U R| J O U R N EY EVENTS & CLUBS Clubs Family Other HOLIDAY GOLFGANZA TOUR 12/17, 2 - 5 p.m. New Town CHRISTMAS EVE JINGLE PARTY 12/23, 7 - 10 p.m. New Town, GlenMark Farms NEW TOWN NEW YEAR RENEWAL 12/27, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. New Town, The Commons https://fb.me/e/48RoqywdB THE NUTCRACKER 12/16, 2 & 5 p.m. Lindenwood Performing Arts Theater, by The New Town Dance Academy F3 FITNESSS CLUB www.f3thechuck.com NEW TOWN YOGA Weekly meetings GARDEN CLUB 3rd Thursday of the month Spring through Fall https://www.facebook.com/groups/364 944010221011 CYCLING Weekly rides http://www.stlbiking.com/mondaygroup-rides.html THE OTHER BOOK CLUB Monthly meeting https://www.facebook.com/groups/648 406315791231 Event Postings: To list your event, please send event details to: zacmmetcalf@gmail.com or call: 636- 312-0422 Club listings: To list your club please send club details and frequency to: zacmmetcalf@gmail.com or call: 636- 312-0422 WOMEN’S CLUB Monthly meeting MEN’S CLUB Weekly meeting at The Commons BOCCE BALL Annual Leagues https://www.ntga.net/bocce-ballleague-rules/ PICKLEBALL Tandem and Mixed Leagues www.newtownpickleball.com ORCHARD FARM HIGH SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE 1/16, 11 - 12 p.m. Orchard Farm High School, Hwy B LINE DANCING Monthly ST. CHARLES FIRE SANTA STOP 2/16, 5 - 8 p.m. New Town/Charlestowne SPONSORED BY: happenings. E V E N T S REIKI CIRCLE Monthly ACADEMY OF THE SACRED HEART EARLY CHILDHOOD OPEN HOUSE 1/24, 7 p.m. Academy of the Sacred Heart, 619 N. Second St. POLAR PLUNGE 1/1 New Town PA G E 3 4 | EVE N TS
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January 26, 2024 3324 Rue Royale, New Town