"A Hometown is . . . " is a small collection of stories I have written for The Express, a weekly newspaper that for more than 35 years has given voice to the happenings in our small town world here in Mechanicville, Stillwater and Northern Halfmoon in Saratoga County, New York. As I embarked on this quest to find the good stories that I knew in my heart were waiting to be told in this community of "neighbors," to tell of the good things they have done and are still doing, I had little trouble finding a topic to write about nearly every week for 470 weeks. I have been blessed to be able to bring to our hometown readers a small sampling of the caring, compassion, courage, doing, endurance and just plain fun that goes on right here.

To Mike Mahoney, who began this hometown newspaper; to Kathy and Gary McNall who continued it; and to Cindy and Tom Mahoney who have their capable fingers on the pulse of our communities today, I thank you for providing this venue.

Sandy McBride

Sandra E. (Sandy) McBride is a native of Mechanicville, New York and grew up in this small town. She and her husband Tom ran the family dairy farm for many years, and reared six children on the farm. They still live in the home that has been in the McBride family for more than a century. After giving up dairying, she worked for the local school district for twenty years.

When her children were grown, educated and having families of their own, Sandy decided to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a writer. She took several courses from the Institute of Children's literature, and achieved moderate success in having her poetry and short stories published in various books and magazines, including Highlights for Children and Magic Lark Journal. She eventually published two books of her own "people poetry," Mist Upon the Pond in 2005 and Meadow Flowers in 2009. Also in 2009, she selfpublished a middle grade novel about families caught up in the Revolutionary War in 1777 called Finding Goliath and Fred.

In 2006, she began writing feature stories for The Express. As Sandy puts it, she was tired of hearing her small town put down and set out to focus on the good happenings and wonderful people that are the heart and soul of her hometown.

Sandy has published more than 700 articles in The Express as she begins her tenth year.