Bridgewater Patch (N.J.) was up, up and away last week at the 30th Annual New Jersey Quickchek Balloon Festival. The turnout topped more than 160,000 people – and 500 of them took a ride in the Patch-branded hot air balloon.
Patch had two booths, constantly filled with people. By the end of the weekend, Patch had more than 1,000 new fans in New Jersey! The turnout alone proves the day a success, but the pictures show it!
Ramona Patch reported that, due to a lack of donations, the town’s Arriba Teen Center was in danger of closing and was seeking help from the public. The nonprofit center serves up to 35 at-risk teens a day, three days a week and was hoping to celebrate its third anniversary in August. After reading the article, Jane Tanaka, a local psychiatrist and Patch user, contacted the center and pledged to her support for the monthly expenses of $250. She also posted her pledge in a comment on Patch and added her support for a paid position that would oversee the Teen Center during operations.Tanaka went on to challenge other local healthcare providers, grant writers and other local organizations to “meet or beat” her pledge. Local Editor Julie Pendray says Tanaka works with many troubled teens and has a big heart. She added, “Keeping the center alive, I felt, is critical to the fabric of this little town.”
The president of the teen center was moved to tears when she got the call from Tanaka - and after reading her comment on Patch. We're proud to have been able to connect this good cause with a great person!
From left to right: Associate Local Editor Rachel Stern, Ad Manager Natalie Majaraj and
Mayra Flores de Marcotte at the Campbell Valentine Fun Run/Walk 5K.
In a heartfelt letter to the editor posted on Campbell Patch, longtime resident Aly Makishima expressed her gratitude to the site’s local editor Mayra Flores de Marcotte. Aly thanked Mayra for all she’s done to make the site “a robust, interactive, informative, and comprehensive hub for all things Campbell.”
Mayra says these letters are most certainly meaningful: “As a local editor, we take to heart our primary job of keeping our communities informed and involved. Receiving letters like this is always a welcomed reminder that our communities have not only noticed but also appreciate our efforts and gives us local editors another reason to forge ahead.”
The letter goes on to say that through Campbell Patch and Mayra’s comprehensive reporting, Aly “learned more in the past year, than in the 28 years I've lived here!”
Oh, hey. Not sure if you heard, but we're kind of a big deal. Patch was a clue on Jeopardy!
With the help of a post from Patch, a lost Monrovia puppy was reunited with his owner. Local Editor Nathan McIntire featured the announcement, which was posted by a Good Samaritan after she found Cocoa. In less than an hour the dog was returned to his home! See this Patch community go to work in the comments below the story.
Golfers in the Southampton Patch area got to “Golf with the Knicks” as part of a scholarship fundraiser for students at the Ross School in East Hampton, NY. Former Knicks all-stars Mel Davis, John Starks, and Larry Johnson hit the green on June 11 at the Bridge Golf Club in Bridgehampton, NY, for this annual event. The players weren’t just supporting a great cause - they also went home with some great Patch gear! Check out the photos and details here.
Never fear, kitty...Patch is here! In Higganum, CT, when a crying cat was found in a tree at more than 50 feet, East Haddam-Haddam Patch was there to save the day. When a Higganum resident posted a frantic call to action on the site, the community came together and brainstormed ways to rescue the distressed cat, and provided phone numbers and hotlines via story comments to retrieve him from the tree. Local Editor Wendy Vincent also contributed to the rescue effort by sending out an alert on Twitter and Facebook. With the help of these compassionate neighbors and the Haddam Volunteer Fire Company, the cat was reunited with his owner, narrowly avoiding catastrophe. (Sorry. Had to do it.)
With the help of an artistic 13-year-old, it looks like Patch will be leaving our mark in Santa Cruz, California. Ruby Carranza, along with other 7th graders from Mission Hill Middle School, painted a themed mosaic along the Soquel Avenue Bridge. To show their appreciation to major sponsors and donors - including Santa Cruz Patch - they incorporated the company names into the foot of the bridge. Local Editor Brad Kava donated to the cause on behalf of Patch after writing about the project’s lack of funds. This sparked many more donations and soon enough the project was well on its way. As if Patch weren’t already a permanent fixture for so many Santa Cruz residents, this officially “cemented” it!
Mauldin Patch Local Editor Shawn Drury helped to bring two missing teens home safely after providing tips to the local police department that came in via Twitter. In a subsequent Facebook update, Mauldin Police recommended that locals sign up for alerts from Mauldin Patch!
“This whole story, from start to finish, lasted less than two hours. It started and ended before any other media outlets covered it,” Shawn said. “It illustrates how critical it is for an editor to be engaged in his or her town both physically and socially.”
Check out this YouTube video a Patch parent put together to get people to vote for this nursery school in our Readers' Choice poll!
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