Community Corner

Editor's Notebook: Patch Celebrates its 100th Site Launch

Wellesley Patch was the second website to launch in the Bay State, 49th overall.

Patch Media launched its 100th Patch website, the Morristown Patch, in New Jersey today, a milestone the growing hyper-local online news network celebrated with fanfare and volunteerism.

Wellesley Patch, which launched April 27, was the company's 49th Patch website, and the second Patch launched in Massachusetts. Since then, the expanding network has grown to include 13 Bay State patches, with another four launches (in Dedham, Sudbury, Tewksbury and Chelmsford) planned for the near future. The company currently covers towns in nine states.

Patch was founded in February of 2008 in New York, New York, and launched its first three sites simultaneously in Maplewood, South Orange and Millburn-Short Hills, NJ, in February 2009.  AOL acquired the company in June of that year, and has since invested $50 million in Patch.

Find out what's happening in Wellesleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Since the first Patch sites launched, the network has collectively produced more than 55,000 articles and nearly 1 million photos. Some of those photos and articles from Wellesley Patch have included coverage of Wellesley Town Meeting in April and May, breaking coverage of a May 1 robbery at the TD Bank North on Rte. 9 and breaking coverage of an alleged Pennsylvania Latin Kings member arrested by the FBI and Wellesley Police at the Wellesley apartment he was renting.

The lighter side of Wellesley Patch highlights include comprehensive coverage of the annual Veterans Parade, Wellesley High Graduation , Memorial Day and an behind-the-scenes look at the Pan Mass Challenge.    

Find out what's happening in Wellesleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

As part of Patch's celebration of its 100th Patch launch, local editors across the company volunteered their time in the communities they serve. Patch gives employees five paid days per year to perform charitable work in the community and donates 5 percent of its ad inventory to charity. 

This afternoon, Local Editor Rob Borkowski will be spending time volunteering in the office of the Council on Aging at 217 Washington St.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here