You’ve been telling us you’d like to see more issues involving Keego Harbor, Orchard Lake Village, and Sylvan Lake covered on Patch and we've been listening. Aug. 22 marks the launch-date of West Bloomfield Patch, including those neighboring communities which make up the Greater West Bloomfield area.

As our elected officials work together on shared service agreements, businesses work to cater to shoppers coming from different areas, and communities gather in celebration of our unique local resources, we are confident that expanding our coverage area will improve the site on a whole and reach a new, engaged audience.

Here are some of the exciting benefits this will bring to these communities:

• All of the businesses will be part of our extensive community directory, called Patch Places. Business owners will be invited to claim their listing as soon as the site expansion takes place. And readers will have a resource for finding every business in the Greater West Bloomfield area.
• Expanding Patch in an official way allows us to invite Keego Harbor, Orchard Lake Village, and Sylvan Lake residents to add their own voices to the discussion through Letters to the Editor, Announcements, Events and photos in our Pics & Clips Gallery.
• We’ll bring you regular coverage of the issues and events close to home. We've already covered events and sports taking place outside of Patch and featured Local Voices in the community such as Sylvan Lake Lutheran Church pastor Mary Duerksen. Likewise, turn to Patch for coverage of the 2012 elections season, the school year, and the police beat.

So often we've found that community stories in one town are of interest to residents of the other, so it seems easier to have it in one place—right here on West Bloomfield Patch.

This is meant to help us provide better coverage of the things that matter to residents of these communities - which is always something we’re striving to do! But as always, if you think we're missing anything, let us know.

If you are reading from Keego Harbor, Orchard Lake Village, or Sylvan Lake already, please help us spread the word! Likewise, if you have any news tips, please send them to Tim.Rath@Patch.com.

Want to help out even more? Spread the word and like West Bloomfield Patch on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter. If you haven't already, sign up for the newsletter so you don't miss out.