They say that time flies when you're having fun, and here at Southeast-Brewster Patch, we couldn't agree more.
Today, Dec. 28, 2011, marks exactly one year since Southeast-Brewster Patch launched. In the last 365 days, we've gotten to know so many community members — and which aspects of local life matter most to them.
From education to crime to government, we've written more than 2,800 stories about the happenings that occur along Main Street in Brewster, Routes 22 and 312 in Southeast, and everything in-between.
We've covered plenty of meetings, sports events and community gatherings, but the types of stories that proved most popular on the site varied. In July, tons of folks clicked on and his battle with an aggressive form of cancer. Later on in the summer, received tons of attention.
A few other feel-good stories topped our list, too: A post on , a on Live with Regis and Kelly and who made it to the final four on Hell's Kitchen.
In police news, a had people talking. A story about and a post about did, too. Hundreds of users also found interesting.
Honorable mention goes to the following issues: election news, a in Southeast and after the 2011-2012 school year.
We couldn't have published those stories without your help — the news tips, comments, blogs, photos and questions you provided were key in shaping our coverage. We're confident that those correspondences will keep coming as we enter 2012, so that Southeast-Brewster Patch continues to develop into the ultimate one-stop location for conversation and news.
If there's one thing we want to stress going into the new year, it's that Patch is a platform for you to share news with your fellow residents — and it only takes a few clicks. So if you're looking for a New Year's resolution, consider a vow to boost your activity on Patch. Not only is it simple, but it's the perfect way to make the most out of local life.
Here are some instructions on how to get involved in the conversation:
Comment on articles: We love discussion and smart debate. We welcome reader comments about small issues we may have missed. Tell us about new initiatives, school accomplishments, neighborhood issues and more. Don't like our coverage? Tell us. (No cursing.)
Add photos: We want your best shots. Add them to our gallery. You can also add photos to articles by clicking "Upload" near the photos we have featured.
Sign up for newsletters: Get a daily summary of Southeast-Brewster-specific news delivered directly to your inbox daily or once a week. The site is updated multiple times each day, so news is always fresh. Scroll to the bottom of the home page and click on "Newsletters."
Post events to the Calendar: Get the word out about your events by adding them to our calendar. Or use the calendar to find out what's going on around town.
Become a blogger: Community members and experts blog weekly on the site. Have a subject area of expertise? Send me an email and apply to be a blogger.
Rate local businesses in the Directory: The Places tab features nearly every business, school and organization in town. Use the section to find phone numbers, addresses and hours, and don't forget to rate the establishment!
Make announcements: Need volunteers? Get married? Lose a pet? Announce it in our announcements section so the community knows.
