Urbandale Patch: Better in Concert So Join In

I was tooling around town over the weekend, taking photos of all the great events and activities people were enjoying in Urbandale. Wearing my Patch T-shirt, I checked out the in Walnut Creek Regional Park Sunday afternoon.

One woman, who must have seen me at some other events on Saturday, said: "Patch is everywhere!"

Nice compliment, but the fact is if Patch were just me, it wouldn't be everywhere. One person, or two, or three people, can't possibly cover all the interesting things about Urbandale. Even if we could, it would be fairly boring.

The thing is, Patch isn't just an online newspaper. It is that, but it's much more. With newspapers, the communication pretty much goes one way: editors decide what readers will read and how they will read.

The beauty of Patch is that users create vital content — often the most interesting part of the content. Take a look at the most stories on the site last week. Two of the three — debates over and at high school dances — were interesting because of what readers said, not what Patch said.

You're logging in as Patch users and commenting on articles, taking Patch reader polls, and adding your events' news into Patch's events calendar.

Nudge, nudge: Now, check out our business directory under the tab. Review your favorite restaurant or grocery store and find out what others have to say about Urbandale businesses.

Some people are adding their voices in a big way — by blogging.

Amy Dix is a freelance writer raising three young boys in Urbandale. In her introductory blog, she confesses she's not Super Mom and sometimes, she just wants a little quiet. Can you relate?

, aka "the dog girl," entertains us with her perspectives on living with three large dogs and being an animal lover.

Meagan Kay combines her love of reading and of cooking on Doughnuts and Dostoevsky . 

Watch for Phyllis Statlander, a nurse and CEO of Iowa Health Home Care of Urbandale, who will write a health blog and Rita Pollock, owner of , will keep us up-to-date on the latest trends and styles in the beauty business.

On Wednesdays, check out Julia Simpson's best grocery deals for the week. (Bananas, 39 cents a pound at Fareway last week. Thanks for the tip Julia!) And parent blogger Dave Schwartz has a way of getting to the heart of the matter — from how Steve Jobs changed your child's life to what to do when your children put too much pressure on themselves.

Would you like to blog for Patch? Send me an email and an introductory blog or just a note about who you are and why you want to blog. Perhaps you're a travel junkie, or you're passionate about politics, or music or gardening, or are just plain funny. I'd love to hear from you. Join the concert.