We all know the best thing about Excelsior Springs are the people living in it! That’s why I would like to take time to feature the families of our hometown community! The first family feature will be the Kilgore Family!
Introduce the members of your family!
Justin, Sr, Samantha, Justin Jr who just turned 10, and Maggie Rose, who is 2.5. We’ve been married over a decade and are lucky enough to still really, genuinely like each other. Justin Jr. is a bright, funny kid who is really into history and takes his role as a big brother VERY seriously. Maggie doesn’t take much seriously except for snacks. We really enjoy spending time together, and make an effort to have dinner at the table every evening. One of our favorite things to do is load everyone up in the truck, grab drinks at Sonic, find some good music on the radio, and go for a drive.
How long have you lived in Excelsior Springs?
6 years
Why does your family love living in Excelsior Springs?
We love the small town feel and the natural beauty of it. Plus, we are still just a 35 minute drive to the city, so it really seems like the best of both worlds.
What is your family’s favorite hometown tradition and why?
We love WaterFest! It’s just a great event for the whole family. There’s nothing more hometown than your hometown’s annual festival, whatever it may be. I think Excelsior definitely does it right, from the live music to the fireworks.
What types of community activities are you involved in?
Recently, we were asked to become parent advocates for local families undergoing the IEP (individual education plan) process for their kids by MPACT, or Missouri Parents Act, a nonprofit funded in part by the Department of Education to help parents navigate the sometimes overwhelming world of special education. Learning about what rights our own child is given and how to even just read an IEP, or understand what an IEP should accomplish, is sometimes a hard lesson that you don’t have to learn until you have to learn, so parents are often uncertain. We are excited about the opportunity to help other parents who find themselves where we were 5 years ago, when our son, who is autistic, began his education career.
Tell us about your pets, if you have any!!
We have 2 big puppy girls – Royal and Ellie
If you have family/friends come visit, what do you like to take them to do?
I love to take them to eat some place unique to us, and there’s plenty to choose from! Waking around and shopping downtown is always fun and what I always hear is, “We has no idea it was so pretty and had so much!” I love showing off our hometown.