Kids & Family

You Say Goodbye, I Say Hello: Patch Editor is Moving On

I've been the New Lenox Patch editor for almost two years, but now I'm moving to another role with the company. I want to thank the community for making Patch what it's become.

I was sitting at  yesterday, sipping coffee and answering emails, when the waitress came to take my order.

“Are we gonna need more time?”

I ponder the question for a second, before ordering my usual—wheat toast, hash browns and an omelette with sausage and green pepper. Do I need more time? No, I think, I'm ready for the next step.

Effective this week, I will no longer be the local editor for New Lenox Patch. But I won’t be going far. I’ve accepted a job as an associate regional editor for Patch, and your New Lenox site is one I’ll still be overseeing. My bylines might not be leading your morning newsletters anymore, but I’ll still maintain a presence in the community I call home.

Looking out the window, traffic crawled past Country Charm, caught in the stretch of road construction on the Route 30 widening project. Inside, the conversation is about local business, an upcoming garage sale and someone’s boyfriend. I ate quietly in the corner, admiring this small town relic in the center of a growing community.

It’s that dynamic—an involved, tight-knit community growing up together—that I think has helped New Lenox Patch fit so well in this town. And it’s what makes it so hard to say goodbye.

I launched New Lenox Patch in October 2010 and have been running the site ever since. Over nearly two years, I’ve learned a lot about the character of this community, and I personally thank all of the readers and the people in town who have helped make it a successful site.

Patch is a place for our community to participate in the news and interact with neighbors. We don’t just spit out the news and let you read it. A lot of times, you have helped report the news and add a new perspective. You’ve taken advantage of the tools on Patch by adding events to the calendar, blogging in our Local Voices section and managing your business listings in our directory.

In short, you have helped make New Lenox Patch what it is, and I sure hope you continue to do that.

I was welcomed into New Lenox with open arms, and I’ve been able to share news about the great community. This is a place where the community comes together to help those in need, and I’ve tried to reflect that spirit through Patch, whether it was getting in the dunk tank for the Relay for Life or shaving my head for St. Baldrick’s, two of my favorite memories throughout my time as the local editor.

I've had the chance to meet fascinating people and do many interesting things, and I've seen New Lenox Patch grow from an unknown website to a daily read for many people.

Later this week, I’ll introduce a guest editor who will run New Lenox Patch until a full-time replacement is found. But I’ll still be involved with the site and living in New Lenox, so if you see me in the community, come say “hello.” Perhaps over breakfast at the Country Charm.

Thank you, New Lenox!


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