Happy Birthday Burlingame Patch!

Today is Burlingame Patch’s one-year anniversary. A lot has happened since the site became live in the early morning hours of Sept. 17, 2010. I have so much enjoyed getting to know the people and places of Burlingame and, most importantly, the stories they have to tell.

From my first Burlingame Pet Parade (the next one is Saturday, September 24) to the High Speed Rail rally highly attended despite the rain, to following the ups and downs of the Burlingame Elementary School budget to the cell phone tower moratorium, I have had a great time covering the events and issues important to Burlingame.

In honor of our first birthday, I wanted to take this opportunity to remind Burlingame Patch readers that Patch is more than just a place to get the news. It’s a place to interact with the community. Below you’ll find 10 ways you can interact with Patch and take ownership of your Burlingame Patch experience.

Thank you all for your support and readership throughout this past year. Here’s to another great year of Burlingame Patch!

1. Comment on an Article

We want the site to be a forum for discussion. We want to start community conversations. You can begin that conversation by commenting directly below each story. Share your thoughts and reactions—don’t be shy! 

2. Post an Event 

We want to make Patch a one-stop shop for all things Burlingame. So, if you or your organization has a great event going on, make sure to add it to our calendar if it’s not already there. Add events under the Events tab at http://burlingame.patch.com/events/new. 

3. Post an Announcement

Post births, engagements and wedding announcements. Tell us who made the honor roll or earned sports achievements. Post an announcement here: http://burlingame.patch.com/announcements/new

4. Ask a Question

Don’t forget about Patch's Q&A section. It’s where you can ask questions and get them answered by other members of the Burlingame Patch community. Where is the best coffee in town? Where can you get an affordable massage? These are just a couple examples of questions in our Q&A section (found along the top blue navigation bar along with, News, Events, etc.) waiting to be answered. Visit http://burlingame.patch.com/questions and ask a question, or answer someone else's.

5. Send a News Tip

At the bottom of the homepage to the far right under “Contribute” there's a link that says, "Send Us News Tips." Tell us about stories we should cover. Your tip will be sent straight to me, Miriam Finder, the Burlingame Patch editor.

6. Sign Up for Newsletters

The daily Burlingame Patch newsletter brings you all articles and announcements that have been posted in the last 24 hours. It goes straight to your e-mail inbox every morning. You can also sign up for the weekly newsletter. Look for the Follow Us drop-down menu in the upper right hand corner to get the Newsletter.

7. Claim Your Directory Listing 

Have you browsed through our directory? Before we launched, our team of researchers hit the streets of Burlingame, visiting businesses, schools, parks, libraries and more, taking photos and collecting information such as business hours and products. You can also use our directory to review restaurants. Just click under "Places" to find what you're looking for. If you own or manage a business or organization in our directory, claim it at http://burlingame.patch.com/search/listings.

8. Upload Your Photos and Video 

We’re always eager to see the stories of Burlingame through your eyes. And you know what they say—a picture’s worth a thousand words. Upload your photos and videos from local festivals, sporting events and more.

9. Social Media Engagement

You can "like" us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BurlingamePatch and follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/BurlingamePatch. Social media is a great way to keep up-to-date with what’s going on in Burlingame!

10. Send a Letter to the Editor

We are always welcome to receiving your thoughts, ideas and concerns regarding Burlingame Patch stories or other community issues. Express your thoughts or concerns about anything that might be stirring up conversation around town, and we'll post it. Any letters can be sent to miriam@patch.com. And of course, feel free to use this e-mail address with any questions, concerns or ideas you have about Patch. I’d love to hear from you.