Palos Patch Readers: Thank You For Helping Us Grow

Thank you, Palos Patch readers, for taking time in your busy days to spend a few moments with Patch. We appreciate your visits and contributions, and we want you to know we take nothing for granted here. Thank you for helping us to grow and thrive this year.

Eight years ago, on Aug. 20, 2010, Palos Patch launched. We've come a long way, and you're a big reason why.

In August, Palos Patch recorded 44,557 visitors. Our visitors hail from Palos Park, Palos Hills and Palos Heights for sure, but many residents of neighboring towns also land on Palos Patch from time to time, too. That figure — compiled and verified through Google Analytics — includes readers on desktop, laptop, tablet, mobile and our app, and our visitors often access Patch on several devices over the month.

Here are some of the most-read articles on Palos Patch in August.

• Local Veteran Celebrated on Honor Fight
• Palos Park Cop Shares 5 Classic Cons
• Twin Brothers Accused of Beating Man With Golf Club
• Sharon's Not Carin' For Neo-Nazi Arthur Jones' Support
• Motorcyclist Gets DUI In Accident That 'Disfigured' Passenger
• Palos Park Police Ticket 5 Drivers For Passing School Buses
• Trinity Christian College Named Best College By US News

Got a news tip? I'm Lorraine Swanson, your local editor. I love the natural beauty of the Palos area, the historical homes and the genteel festivals. One of my favorite places is Moraine Valley Community College’s Fine and Performing Arts Center. What has impressed me most is the pride and caring of the residents in Palos Hills, Heights and Park. Residents here care about their neighbors and their families. Send your tips, ideas and questions my way at palos@patch.com.

Speaking of awesome, a new bright spot at Palos Patch is our Patch Mayor, Nicholas Baker. He is very involved in the community, with a strong interest in public safety. As a Patch Mayor, Nicholas helps keep Palos Patch a friendly local spot. Here's Nicholas's most recent article: Smart Neighborhood Watch App Now Available For Free In Palos.

Our readers also love Palos Patch's calendar of events — more than 1,963 visits were made to our calendar in August. Coming up soon on the calendar are the Palos Fine Arts Film Festival, Stylish Pumpkins at the Green Oaks Library, and Fall Fest at the Children’s Farm. Sounds like a lot of fun in Palos this month!

More than 7,500 Palos Patch lovers now like our Facebook page. If you haven't liked our page yet, please give it a try. If you're already on the page, please share with a friend. Reaching 8,000 fans in September would be a huge milestone for us.

If you own a local business and are interested in getting your message on Palos Patch or our nearby Patches, please visit the page and tell us what you need. One of our sales reps will be in touch.

Many news websites are limiting access to free articles, but Patch articles and events by our journalists and our users are always free to view.

We're thrilled you've made Palos Patch a part of your life. Thank you so much for your support and readership.