Barely 30-something, husband, father, and New Holland borough council member Bryant Glick sat down a while ago to talk about what he loves about the town he serves. Glick, who moved to the area from Gordonville in 2000, talked about the activities he would include if a friend from out of the area came to spend a day with him in New Holland.

"I would start with the Kauffman Building and a visit to Lickity Split," said Glick, noting that he would begin his friend's tour of downtown with a short discussion of the historical aspects of the building. From there, Glick would take his friend on a short walk across Main Street to the Tannery Antiques, where he would introduce his friend to owners Linda Dibartolo and Bill Heagy. "It's more than a flea market," shared Glick, explaining that the couple buys and sells a variety of items that they ship countrywide. Glick pointed out the history of the building on the corner of Main and Railroad, stating that it was once the home of Rubinson's Department Store. "That building is part of the history of our community," he said.

Moving away from Main Street, Glick said the New Holland Community Memorial Park would be featured on his tour. "I would show (my friend) how big it is," he said, adding that the playgrounds and the pitch and putt golf course would be highlights. "We would maybe play golf," he noted.

Back on Main Street and just around the corner from the park, Glick said he would take his friend to enjoy a cup at The Coffee Co., which was once Squireside and housed several businesses before that. As with the Kauffman and Rubinson's buildings, Glick pointed out that the facilities are older, but have been revitalized and reused to create new businesses. "Businesses come and go, but these are people choosing to invest in New Holland," he said.

Glick said he would finish the day with a pie at Palermos Pizza and Italian Restaurant, which is found going west on Main Street. "Palermo's pizza is made with tender loving care," said Glick. "It's a family-owned business."

That New Holland boasts a number of small businesses where the owner is regularly present means something to Glick. "When you go into businesses (in New Holland), you can feel the warmth," he said. "It's not corporate America. (Rather,) it's a small town where the owner works behind the counter and you get one-on-one face time with them."

Glick was 11 when he and his family moved to The Willows development, but New Holland is where Glick feels most at home. "I love this town. This is my hometown," said Glick, who believes his feelings are shared by many other area residents. "I know a lot of people who care about the community," he said.

Listing attributes of the borough comes easily to Glick. "We have a rich history and tradition in New Holland," he said. "New Holland is a great place to live, work, and raise a family," he said. "It was a great childhood (home) for me, and I want to continue to give that to my children."

New Holland has retained a feeling of yesteryear, according to Glick. "The uniqueness of New Holland is that it still has that small-town feel in the 21st century," he said. "There's a friendliness (because) we are a community of neighbors. We know each other, and people look out for each other."