Happy Birthday, Riverdale Park-University Park Patch

It's been a year since we launched Riverdale Park-University Park Patch and we've come a long way since our first post about University Park receiving a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.

Now, more than 1,600 posts, 2,400 tweets and hundreds of Facebook posts later, we're finally at a point that when I introduce myself as the Riverdale Patch Editor, people don't say, "What?!"

Although it's my job to make sure there's news up on the site each day, I know I couldn't do it without the support of the community.

Whether through your comments on the latest stories, tweets, Facebook posts or news tips you send through e-mail, you — the readers — have really made this Patch what it is today.

So, I want to thank you for embracing Patch as a part of your community and letting us into your lives.

I say we and us, because this site also wouldn't be what it is today without the contributors. Some are your neighbors, while others are professional writers, videographers and photographers. If you don't know who they are, check out our "About Us" page.

• Thanks to , who had to retire her mom column when she moved but gave us really funny tidbits from her ; who continues to with us weekly; and , who keeps us .
• Thanks to Sarah Wayland, Melissa Avery and Audrey Bragg for their contributions.
• Thanks to our sources, the towns' elected officials and staff who answer our questions, to the local business owners and organizations that let us feature them.
• I want to specifically thank former Riverdale Park Police Chief for being so supportive of Patch when we launched and Capt. Patrick Timmons, who continues to answer our questions and give us necessary information.
• Another thank you goes out to University Park Police Chief Michael Wynnyk and Lt. Wayne McCully, who always stop not only to tell me what's going on but to ask me about my day.
• I'd also like to thank County Fire spokesman Mark Brady, Riverdale Fire Chief and the county police's public information officers.
• Finally, I'd like to thank my fellow editors - behind the scenes - Kathleen Bryan and Amy Kovac-Ashley, who try to catch the random typos I try to avoid but occasionally let slip into pieces. 

We look forward to continuing to be a part of your community and covering the news and issues that matter to you.

As always, we welcome feedback. E-mail sonia@patch.com with questions, concerns or comments. Follow us on Twitter at @RiverdalePatch or "like" us and post on our Facebook Page: Riverdale Park-University Park Patch.