How to use Patch to promote your lodge events.    What is Patch, you ask?  Patch is an online local community message board, media center and calendar, supported by user input.  More formally, according to their Q&A, Patch is a community-specific news and information platform dedicated to providing comprehensive and trusted local coverage for individual towns and communities.”To access Patch, visit www.patch.com and click on the state you live.     Then to the right you will see a list of towns and cities that have Patch coverage.  Click on the town or city that you live in, or on the town or city that is closest to where you live.    You will be brought to that town’s Patch Page.   The town’s name will be at the top of your screen, followed by “Patch.com.    There are many places where you can contribute information about an event.     For example, there is a section called “Events.    Click on “Events and you will be brought to a calendar showing upcoming local events.     On this page, you can add an event to that calendar look for the bar on the right that says “Add an Event” and click here.    You will be brought to a page that allows you to input your event information and add a photo(s) or video (100MB).     An editor at Patch will review your submission as it is uploaded to the calendar to make sure the information is appropriate for publication.    You can also submit news items and press releases to your Patch.   At the Home Page for the Patch you are visiting, near the bottom of the page you will find a section called “Contribute”.     At this section, you can send news tips to Patch, announce something to everyone in the Patch town community, and there is another link to put an event on the calendar.    Further down on the Home Page, you will find a section called “Get in Touch”.     In this section, click on the link for “Contact Us” and you will be brought to a page that has links for help on questions, information on advertising on the Patch, creating a directory listing for a business, jobs working for Patch, and a contact link for the person who will handle your Press Releases and other local news items ie: the Local Editor.  Send your press releases, news items and photographs to the Local Editor; this person will help publish them on the YOUR Patch.    Patch is a terrific resource for your local lodge events.    Use Patch in conjunction with traditional media such as newspapers, radio, mailings, posters, and other grass-roots efforts to promote your events in your   community.     I am a contributor on PATCH.com/Tolland and I have my own Blog under the section Local Voices which is a good place to see the photos and videos I have on Patch.

Perne (Bob) Maynard