Happy Birthday, Canon-McMillan Patch!

Cue the “Happy Birthday” song.

Yes, my friends, it’s been a whole year since we launched Canon-McMillan Patch. And what a year it’s been.

One thing’s for sure: I never had so much fun in the name of journalism.

to covering the —there’s always something fun going on in the borough.

Then there’s Perry (Perry Como, late crooner to those friends who check out the site but might nor realize he's a hometown boy). Borough officials dress him for the season. So far during my duties as editor of this bad boy, I’ve seen him in a , and .

In Cecil Township, Marcellus Shale dominated the headlines on this community news website—with , and

And that’s to say nothing of the pending legislation that has been approved recently in both the and , which would enact a local impact fee on drilling activities.

Over in North Strabane, and have been the major themes.

Also during our freshman year was exciting news for Canon-McMillan about Blue-Ribbon School distinctions and national school-to-watch lists.

Sure, there were some tragedies along the way—a , a , and a .

But the Canon-Mac Patch has also seen its share of miracles.

Take . The little boy from Cecil bravely underwent a heart transplant—and is now doing swimmingly (and looking cuter than ever).

We’ve also seen the community rally behind local families who need a little help.

From the drive to the outpouring of support for Cecil’s (a young man who suffered an accident that left him paralyzed from the chest down)—this area shows a lot of heart.

So, thank you, friends for coming along on this ride with me—and for all the stories along the way.

And remember, as much as I consider it my baby, Canon-McMillan Patch isn’t mine.

It’s yours.

That said: Consider me available to you if you have suggestions, questions, story ideas or complaints. My cell phone is (almost) always on and the number is 724-510-5659. My email is Amanda.gillooly@patch.com.

And if I haven't met you yet, I can’t wait to.