10 Things You Should Know about Oakdale Patch

Oakdale Patch wants to be a place for conversation and sharing—an online gathering place. 

That's where you come in. 

There are so many ways for Oakdale Patch readers to interact and contribute, I bet there are a few you haven't seen yet. Here's a handy list of the different ways you can share news, opinions and information through Oakdale Patch:

1. Comment on an Article

Your opinions and conversations about our stories add a layer of depth to our content—informing us and other readers. Much of our reporting will emanate from what readers tell us in e-mails, comments on our sites, and in conversations around town. Share your thoughts and reactions to our articles by posting a comment directly below each story. 

2. Post an Event

Do you know of a church rummage sale, a fundraiser or live music at a local coffee shop? Is there a festival or graduation ceremony coming up? If it's not on our Patch calendar, it should be. Feel free to add events to our site at http://oakdale.patch.com/events/new. 

3. Send a News Tip

At the bottom of the homepage, there's a link that says, "Send Us News Tips." Tell us about stories we should cover.  Your tip will be sent straight to me.

4. Post an Announcement

Post births, engagements and wedding announcements at http://oakdale.patch.com/announcements/new. Tell us who made the honor roll or share school awards, social notes and thank you notes. If you're looking for volunteers or searching for your lost dog, we welcome you to call on your community for help. Just remember, our terms of service say announcements should be for personal use and not for advertising.

5. Claim Your Directory Listing

Our business and organization listings aren't skimpy. Our team of researchers actually hit the streets and visited businesses, schools, parks, libraries and more so we can provide photos as well as detailed information such as products sold and hours of operation. To contact us about the listing for your business or organization, email us at directorysupport@patch.com. If you own or manage a business or organization in our directory, claim it at http://oakdale.patch.com/search/listings.

6. Upload Your Photos and Video

Upload videos of high school football touchdowns or your Oakdale Little Leaguer's first home run. Post photos from local festivals, or send in a snapshot of your best holiday recipes. We invite you to share with the rest of the community the memories you've caught on camera.

7. Review Restaurants

Do you want to be the first to tell your friends whether the new restaurant in town gets a thumbs-up? You can post a review of your favorite (or not-so favorite) restaurants at http://oakdale.patch.com/restaurants. Or, search to find what you're craving—you can filter results by cuisine, price or seating accommodations.

8. Social Media Engagement

If you like to get news through Facebook or Twitter, you can find us in both places. Please "like" us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter, and feel free to start a conversation with us on either platform.

9. Send a Letter to the Editor

Patch would like to invite every member of the Oakdale community to submit a letter to the editor. Express your thoughts or concerns about anything that might be stirring up conversation around town, and we'll post it. E-mail it to me at hannah.gruber@patch.com.

10. Sign Up for Newsletters

The daily Oakdale Patch newsletter brings you all the articles and announcements that have been posted in the last 24 hours. It is delivered to your e-mail every morning. You can also sign up for the weekly newsletter, which shows a subset of the content created and featured on our site over the last few days. It is delivered every Thursday at 10 a.m. Look for the "Follow Us" and "Newsletter" links in the right column of this and most every page.

The more Oakdale Patch serves as on online space for community dialogue, the more useful our site will be. So next time you have something to share with your neighbors, consider taking a moment to post on Oakdale Patch. Chances are, they'll appreciate it.

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