Wyandotte Patch Turns 1: You've Taught Us So Much

It was one year ago today that I set my alarm clock for 5:55 a.m. for my own version of the Times Square New Year's Eve ball drop.

It was 6 a.m. Dec. 13, 2010, when Wyandotte Patch went live for the world to see. I got up extra early because I wanted to watch the minutes and then the seconds count down until the big reveal.

I'm happy to report that the site launched fine because really, what was I going to do if it didn't? We have a trusty and capable crew of technicians who could have fixed any bugs, but I doubt they would have been as anxious to tackle it at 6 a.m. as I was.

Over the last 12 months, our site has grown day by day because of loyal readers like yourself. You comment on our stories, you click on our Facebook posts, you send us news tips and you let us know when we miss something. You hold us accountable and to us, it's an honor knowing that you trust us and expect us to be fair and spot on. Hopefully we live up to those standards each and every day.

Looking back over the last year, there are a number of notable highlights:

Wyandotte Loves Its Small Businesses

Whether it was , or , our readers flocked to our stories on new businesses opening in town. There was just as much interest (but disappointment) in our stories on those businesses that closed, such as , or .

Catholic Schools Matter to Wyandotte

When we in February that and would close and merge with Christ the Good Shepherd School in Lincoln Park, I never expected that it would generate the level of interest that it did. We received hundreds of story comments, Facebook posts and emails. The issue resurfaced later in the year when we that also was closing. Originally, it was believed it would be saved and that only the elementary portion would be closing. Since that time, further Catholic cuts have been made in Wyandotte, leading to the most recent announcement that

Roosevelt High School Knows How to Score

What better way to launch a new site for Wyandotte than to do it during the year that the hockey team brings home It was a great ride all the way to the final buzzer and brought a well-earned spotlight to Wyandotte athletics.

Wyandotte Patch Readers are Top Notch

From day one, you have invited us onto your computer screens and into your inboxes. You've stepped up to the plate and you've . You've helped us build our Facebook following up to 1,538 friends (as of midnight today) and our Twitter fans to 1,533 (as of midnight today). We genuinely enjoy bringing you Wyandotte news each and every day and appreciate the support you give us with sharing our news and letting your friends and family know about us. It's all about building a comprehensive community conversation that everyone can get involved with and benefit from.

So, on our birthday, our wish is continued success in building that community feeling in and around Wyandotte. But to do that, we need your help. Tell your friends about us and more importantly, tell us about your friends. Let us know about that exceptional person who deserves to be recognized or that heartbreaking tale that needs to be told. Let us know what you like about our site and what you'd like to see a little bit more (or less) of. Join the conversation to ensure our second birthday is even more enjoyable than our first.