To Our Contributors And Readers: Thank You From Berkeley Patch

BERKELEY TOWNSHIP, NJ – Thank you, Berkeley Patch readers, for taking time from 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.

Berkeley Patch was born on Dec. 9, 2010, nearly eight years ago. We've come a long way, and you're a big reason why. I remember when I first started covering stories and handing out my crisp new business cards. Some people looked befuddled. Nobody had any idea what Patch was. But now they do, thanks to you folks. To say we have grown would be an understatement.

Berkeley has a number of natural and man-made attractions. You can visit the ocean at White Sands Beach in South Seaside Park. Drop in at nearby Island Beach State Park, much of which is in Berkeley. Don't forget the historic and stunning Double Trouble State Park and Berkeley Island County Park, which is right on Barnegat Bay. Say hi to Dino the Dinosaur when he returns.

In August, Berkeley Patch recorded 112,500 visitors, about 41,742 more readers than the same time in August of 2017. That's just about triple the number of residents in a town with a population of 41,689 residents. That's lot of readers! Our visitors hail from Berkeley, and also from neighboring towns like Pine Beach and Ocean Gate.

That figure — compiled and verified through Google Analytics — includes readers on desktop, laptop, tablet, mobile and our app. Our visitors often access Patch on several devices over the month.

Here are 10 of the most-read articles on Berkeley Patch in August.

• Timothy E. O'Brien, Co-Founder Of Emiliana's Hope, Dies at 42
• Island Beach State Park Governor's House: Rent Or Sell?
• Woman Airlifted After Seaside Heights Go-Cart Accident
• Major Heroin, Drug Suppliers Arrested In Bayville During 3 Raids
• Beachwood's Gerry LaCrosse Is Definitely On The Mend
• Central Regional Employee Diagnosed With Legionnaire's Disease
• Area Police Raising Funds For Pine Beach Officer And His Family
• Sandy-Damaged Homes Slowly Being Demolished In Berkeley
• Juvenile Viciously Beaten At National Night Out: Police Chief
• Freeholder John Bartlett Won't Seek Re-Election Due To Ill Health

Our readers also love Berkeley Patch's calendar of events. Don't miss the Pine Beach Fire Fest coming up on Sept. 22. Or if you love Halloween, come to H & Potter Elementary Schools "Terror in the Halls."

If you would like to post on Berkeley Patch, too, you can 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."

If you'd like to receive emails from Berkeley Patch, click here and we'll hook you up. We still need more newsletter subscribers, so please sign up. And don't forget to check our our Facebook page. We have almost 1o,000 fans! If you haven't liked our page yet, please give it a try. If you're already on the page, please share with a friend. Reaching 10,000 fans in September would be a nice milestone for us.

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

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. Berkeley Patch is part of a broad network, with dozens of Patches in New Jersey 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'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.

We're thrilled you've made Berkeley Patch a part of your life. Thank you so much for your support and readership. Please send your tips, ideas and questions my way at patricia.miller@patch.com.

All Photos: Patricia A. Miller