Cheryl McDaniel Keffer, Neighbor

I grew up in a small town and went to college in an even smaller town, so having a close-knit, involved community is important to me. It definitely was a deciding factor in agreeing, four years ago, to move to Fullerton and to the neighborhood where my husband and both of his parents grew up.

The Linover Improvement Association's monthly newsletter helped ease the transition for this small-town girl -- who had spent the previous three years writing for the Kent County News in Chestertown (Population: 4,500). It wasn't long before I became active within this community as well, writing for the Times-Herald and volunteering with Linover.

What I've learned in this short time is that this area is a small town. For people who have never lived in the Baltimore region it's hard to imagine, but you don't have to live here long to meet someone who grew up in your neighborhood, went to school with your in-laws, or attended a birthday party at your house in the '50s (and still remembers what your basement looks like).

And since I love that feeling of putting down roots, of living on the homestead, of nostalgia, I soak it all in. Thanks to all the people I've met -- in the broadest sense, my neighbors -- I can just about smell the Thursday night special (liver and onions) at Baker's Store, taste the crabcakes at Bromwell's and hear the ladies' chatter over their card game at Brownies.