Often we encounter people in our community day to day without knowing much about them. Maybe its the clerk at a local grocery store, the waitress at your favorite coffee shop or the gentleman who greets you with a smile at a local hardware store.

While we may talk with these people often, in the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, we may not have the opportunity to get to know them.

The Sun recently started a new weekly feature to help community members get to know one another a little better.

“Meet Your Neighbor” will publish each Tuesday as a brief opportunity to get to know more about the people you see living, working and playing in Winchester but haven’t had the opportunity to meet.

Last week we introduced you to Sarah Chamberlain, who offers tours of a local gem. As a marketing assistant for Ale-8-One Bottling Company, Chamberlain welcomes visitors to the plant on Carol Road for guided tours. She told us about how she found the job, what a typical day looks like for her and how she enjoys the community on her days off.

Tuesday, readers had the chance to learn more about a man who has been a friendly face at the local hardware store for more than two decades. Greg McGuire worked at Bridges and Lane Hardware for 21 years and for the new owners of D&S Hardware for two years. He shared why he loves his job and the hardware business, what it has been like transitioning from one owner to another and what it’s like to be semi-retired.

American author Robert Fulghum once said, “And good neighbors make a huge difference in the quality of life.”

That is why it is our mission to introduce you to those good neighbors each week with these small but meaningful glimpses into their lives. Knowing your neighbors improves your sense of belonging, safety and community-mindedness. By knowing one another better and understanding what brought us each where we are, we can continue to strengthen our community. This weekly feature aims to help us find our similarities and celebrate our differences as we learn what makes our neighbors tick.

Do you know someone who others should “meet?” Send us your suggestions for “Meet Your Neighbor” subjects to news@winchestersun.com.