Thank You, Massapequa Patch Readers!

Thank you, Massapequa 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 May 26, 2010, Massapequa Patch launched. It was one of the first Patch sites launched, and has come a long way since then. And it has all been thanks to our readers.

In August, Massapequa Patch recorded 82,329 visitors. For a hamlet of 21,685 people, that's a lot of readers! Our visitors hail from Massapequa and Massapequa Park, for sure, but many residents of neighboring towns also land on 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 10 of the most-read articles on the Massapequa Patch in August.

• Long Island Teacher Charged With Having Child Pornography
• Multiple Thefts Reported In Massapequa: Nassau Police
• Adelphi Nursing Professor Taught With Forged License: DA
• Obituary: Gina K. Shevak, of Massapequa Park, Dies At 28
• Shark Encounter at TOBAY Beach
• Person Struck And Killed By Train At Massapequa
• Veteran Administrator To Lead Massapequa High School
• Berner Teacher Named Massapequa Ames Administrator
• Fatal Heroin Overdose Leads To Dealer's Arrest: Nassau Police
• Take A Virtual Legoland Tour Before Park Opens Near NYC

Got a news tip? I'm Alex Costello, your local editor. I've been covering the South Shore of Long Island for years. I love this community and all its unique charm. You may see me at Starbucks, but you'll never see me drinking coffee -- I'm a big fan of tea, and proud of it. Send your tips, ideas and questions my way at massapequa@patch.com.

Our readers also love the Massapequa Patch's calendar of events — more than 820 visits were made to our calendar in August.

If you would like to post on the Massapequa Patch, too, you may easily to sign up for a free user profile. As a Patch user, you can post articles, events, jobs, and announcements. And the "rules of Patch" are easy to follow: "no abusive content, no commercial spam, keep it local, and be awesome."

What else is new? The Massapequa Patch email list continues to grow, and right now there are 3,678 of your neighbors subscribed. If you don't get Patch's daily email, click here and get added to the list. And in addition to emails, nearly 400 new people have joined the Massapequa Patch Facebook page this year. We're almost at 7,000 fans! If you're already on the page, please share with a friend. Reaching 7,000 fans in September would be a huge milestone for us.

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

Here's another fun fact about Patch: Did you know that Patch is among the 100 most trafficked websites in the United States? Patch ranks 91st on the most viewed websites in the country, according to Alexa. The Massapequa Patch is part of a broad network, with nearly 120 Patches in New York and more than 1,200 across the United States. That's a lot of local news!

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 the Massapequa Patch a part of your life. Thank you so much for your support and readership.

Try The Patch App

We've taken the best of Patch and packed it into a lightning fast, super-clean app that is loaded with features users have told us they want. If you haven't tried the app, give it a try. You can get the latest local news sent straight to your iPhone or iPad home screen on the free Patch app for iOS or the Android app.

Photo: Patch