I met Ray McNeill in my early 20s. We had mutual friends and we often found our selves sitting at one of the long tables at McNeill's Brewery talking about music, history, literature, or one of the many other topics we enjoyed.
For years, I only knew him as Ray, the guy who was always at the bar. It wasn't until one day during a casual conversation that I realized that Ray was the owner of the brewery and pub that bore his name. Perhaps he assumed that I knew, but it always struck me that he never mentioned it.
That's what McNeill's became to me and so many others: a place where it didn't matter who you were or what you did. If you were at McNeill's, you were accepted as family.
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If you were lucky, you had at least one teacher who opened your eyes, pulled you out of your shell, or saw something in you that no one, perhaps not even yourself, had recognized. I was fortunate enough to have five. Any of these teachers would tell you that...
Brattleboro is my home. I was born at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital in 1973, and I've lived here for the great majority of my nearly 38 years. I attended Brattleboro schools, played for its sports teams, been involved in its arts, and have remained an active member of the community.