Happy Birthday, Lemont Patch!

What a difference a year makes.

On Sept. 10, 2010, I spent most of the day battling nerves, stress and adrenaline as Lemont Patch went live to the world. It was something I had been waiting for all summer, but when it finally came I wondered if anyone would actually visit and if the hard work would pay off.

Thankfully, people came. And the hard work? I can only hope it's made as much of a difference to you as it has to me.

I have never been prouder of anything as I am to be the editor of Lemont Patch. This first year has been both amazing and stressful, and I am so grateful for all of the experiences it has brought me.

Since launching last fall, we've grown from having a few hundred loyal readers to tens of thousands of visitors. We've posted more than 2,000 stories, 280 announcements and countless events, and we've created an online community of engaged readers not only on our website, but also our Twitter and Facebook pages.

But that's not what I want to celebrate. Today I want to celebrate the people who have turned Lemont Patch into something I could have only dreamed of last year—the readers.

On behalf of the army of people who work on this site — my co-workers, freelancers, copy editors and photographers — I want to extend a big thank you to anyone and everyone who has visited in the past year. I cannot begin to describe how much your support has meant to us.

Thank you for embracing this site and making it your own. Your willingness to share your thoughts and personal stories has been overwhelming, and I am so grateful.

Lemont is an interesting town—small, but mighty. What it lacks in size, it makes up for in history and pride, and it's been a joy to become part of this quaint, little community.

From someone who has spent her entire life in the neighboring town of Romeoville, I can honestly say that I've found my second home in the "Village of Faith."

So, as we celebrate the first of what I hope will be many anniversaries in Lemont, I'd like to again thank all of our readers. Lemont Patch is about you, for you and because of you.

- Amanda

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Still new to Lemont Patch? Check out these articles to learn more about some of our great features:

• Welcome To Lemont Patch

Can't get enough Patch? Check out these other great sites in neighboring communities:

• Naperville Patch
• Woodridge Patch
• Darien Patch
• Bolingbrook Patch
• Romeoville Patch
• Plainfield Patch