2010 | Ghost of Midnight

Tweets from a Birmingham jail?

Posted on Monday, October 4, 2010 by Michael • 1 comment

Malcolm Gladwell opens his Oct. 4, 2010 New Yorker article…

At four-thirty in the afternoon on Monday, February 1, 1960, four college students sat down at the lunch counter at the Woolworth’s in downtown Greensboro, North Carolina. They were freshmen at North Carolina A. & T., a black college a mile or so away.

“I’d like a cup of coffee, please,” one of the four, Ezell Blair, said to the waitress.

“We don’t serve Negroes here,” she replied.

The Woolworth’s lunch counter was a long L-shaped bar that could seat sixty-six people, with a standup snack bar at one end. The seats were for whites. The snack bar was for blacks. Another employee, a black woman who worked at the steam table, approached the students and tried to warn them away. “You’re acting stupid, ignorant!” she said. They didn’t move. Around five-thirty, the front doors to the store were locked. The four still didn’t move. Finally, they left by a side door. Outside, a small crowd had gathered, including a photographer from the Greensboro Record. “I’ll be back tomorrow with A. & T. College,” one of the students said.

By next morning, the protest had grown to twenty-seven men and four women, most from the same dormitory as the original four. The men were dressed in suits and ties. The students had brought their schoolwork, and studied as they sat at the counter. On Wednesday, students from Greensboro’s “Negro” secondary school, Dudley High, joined in, and the number of protesters swelled to eighty. By Thursday, the protesters numbered three hundred, including three white women, from the Greensboro campus of the University of North Carolina. By Saturday, the sit-in had reached six hundred. People spilled out onto the street. White teen-agers waved Confederate flags. Someone threw a firecracker. At noon, the A. & T. football team arrived. “Here comes the wrecking crew,” one of the white students shouted.

By the following Monday, sit-ins had spread to Winston-Salem, twenty-five miles away, and Durham, fifty miles away. The day after that, students at Fayetteville State Teachers College and at Johnson C. Smith College, in Charlotte, joined in, followed on Wednesday by students at St. Augustine’s College and Shaw University, in Raleigh. On Thursday and Friday, the protest crossed state lines, surfacing in Hampton and Portsmouth, Virginia, in Rock Hill, South Carolina, and in Chattanooga, Tennessee. By the end of the month, there were sit-ins throughout the South, as far west as Texas. “I asked every student I met what the first day of the sitdowns had been like on his campus,” the political theorist Michael Walzer wrote in Dissent. “The answer was always the same: ‘It was like a fever. Everyone wanted to go.’ ” Some seventy thousand students eventually took part. Thousands were arrested and untold thousands more radicalized. These events in the early sixties became a civil-rights war that engulfed the South for the rest of the decade—and it happened without e-mail, texting, Facebook, or Twitter.

FPF Members Say it Best!

Posted on Sunday, October 3, 2010 by Michael • 9 comments

Front Porch Forum‘s 2010 Supporting Member Campaign is underway! We’re calling on anyone who values FPF to chip in toward our $20,000 2010 goal by Oct. 20. And while raising cash is its own reward, our favorite part of this undertaking is reading the glowing comments that flow in from all corners of FPF’s service region. Here are a few from 2010…

Make local decisions with more than a quorum,
Send some bucks to Front Porch Forum.
-Dean Grover, Huntington, VT

The way I know Front Porch Forum is valuable to me is that I always open FPF e-mail. Always! And with winter coming on, these connections with our neighbors are ever more important. I feel good about financially supporting this wonderful thing that enriches our lives. You will too.
-Judith Raven, Shelburne

I can’t think of a worthier cause than donating to FPF. This is one of those resources not to be taken for granted. Never have I felt more connected to my neighbors, their small and large concerns as well as relevant information. We have recently moved to So. Burlington but I find myself reluctant to stop hanging out on my old front porch. Please contribute what you can.
-Roddy O’Neil Cleary, South Burlington

Friends & Neighbors, Just a brief note to encourage our South Hinesburg neighbors to help support the central nervous system of our neighborhood. Kate and I ask you to take a minute and donate what you can to this vital community link.
-Bill and Kate Schubart, Hinesburg

It is hard to believe that FPF might be getting so established that we take it for granted. Unlike public radio, which many take for granted, we all had to make a conscious choice and take a simple but specific action to join FPF. Once on I believe that we have all found something of value in connecting to neighbors, getting information and staying informed of local issues. In many cases we have met our neighbors through FPF. It has certainly enriched our lives. I want to encourage all my neighbors to consider a simple donation to FPF. Think of it as paying for a service or sharing the cost of a neighborhood block party. We should not take for granted that FPF just happens magically or is sustained by some outside beneficent force. It is really all about us.
-Glenn McRae, Burlington

Hi, fellow Forumites”“Whether you’ve recently joined or been reading and contributing to the Front Porch Forum since its beginning, you know what a unique resource it is. You’ve found lost pets, alerted neighbors to break-ins, advertised your yard sales”“or homes for sale, apartments for rent”“groused about street conditions or noisy neighbors, and shared important information about our “˜hood and our city.

FPF is more than a resource; it’s a social network. It introduces us to neighbors we have not met, and may never meet, face to face. It links us together in a way most of us could not manage on our own. And when we need to take action or make our voices heard, the Forum can provide a virtual strength in numbers.

FPF is, in a word, invaluable. I can’t imagine living in Burlington without it. And I’m sure you’ve noticed that it’s free!

But the Forum is not managed by elves, and we should not take it for granted. That’s why I’m encouraging everyone to make as generous a donation as you can afford to support the FPF. You can do that right here: http://frontporchforum.com/supporting-members

Thanks for reading,
-Pamela Polston, Burlington

Why do I support Front Porch Forum? Being extremely near-sighted, I didn’t actually know that I HAD neighbors until I signed up for FPF. The forum brings the neighbors I otherwise wouldn’t know into my world and makes it a more colorful place. And it’s available in large type.
-Alex Graham, Burlington

Dear Friends and Neighbors – I’ve been reading the Front Porch Forum since it first started here giving me a convenient connection to a network of people living in Richmond. I can’t go out and meet people here, and I don’t want to search the Free Press for local news. This is the reason I supported the FPF with a cash donation, because I want it to continue to serve us. FPF helps to bring us together and discuss things that we are all interested in. Let’s collect more donations large or small so the people managing the site will meet their expenses easily. Tell your friends about the convenient service that you are enjoying, because we need to build a significant community of men and women, boys and girls who have a free and convenient connection with each other. Our conversations here are not edited by professional information broadcasters, who always sift out the things that they think aren’t really controversial or important. I’m in favor of spontaneous and uncensored communication between neighbors, and I encourage you to help keep this forum alive and vibrant with your donations. Thanks!
-Jon Landell, Richmond

I just made another contribution to FPF, and I’m feeling great! I use the forum to learn about issues that matter to the community, figure out who to vote for, voice my concerns about the neighborhood, and reach out to my neighbors. You can’t put a price on community, but you can do your part to help support it.

Also, I hope everyone will take some time to check out the North End Rotisserie on the corner of North St. and North Winooski Ave. It is owned and operated by a Burlington family, and the food is healthy, delicious, and inexpensive. It even has a great selection of vegetarian fare –Brett makes a variety of flavorful, creative sides.

Support FPF, support local businesses, and VOTE!
-Dan Kent, Burlington

For the month of October I have given up donuts… I tend to think globally and act locally, keeping an eye on the big picture while placing my meager donations into local efforts that support the larger cause. I strongly believe in local control, working with my neighbors to solve and resolve issues, instead of hoping that some huge, monolithic organization is going to do what is best for me. In my opinion, that is where Front Porch Forum has served us well.

FPF has provided us with a local platform to sound the alarm, voice our opinions, receive public notices, and learn more about the inner workings of our local government (Thanks Al !). We also use FPF for things like garage sale notices, and to alert the neighbors to traffic issues. In this way we rely on each other to band together to solve problems. It’s about as local as you can get.

FPF is launching a subdued donation drive and I’m asking those who can, to offer-up what they can. A little from many is as effective as a lot from a few.

For the month of October I have given up donuts. The financial savings will equal around $35.00 dollars, just about the monthly cost of a newspaper subscription or the yearly cost of a magazine subscription. I’m going to send the savings along to Front Porch Forum in hopes of another year’s support of our local bulletin board. My aging heart and arteries will thank me, l and I hope to fit into my Speedo by New Year’s Day (eeewww!)

I ask you to do what you can do too by clicking on the this link.
-Jim Minetti, Colchester

Hi folks ““ We all truly enjoy being members of Front Porch Forum. As a free communication tool for our community we can reach our neighbors and talk about issues like never before. There is an administrative cost to this service, and I want to send out an appeal for those of us who may want to make a donation to Front Porch Forum for use of this service.   If you wish to help support the costs to manage this program, just log on to http://frontporchforum.com/supporting-members and make a donation. This is NOT mandatory and not required by Front Porch Forum ““ but as a big fan, and friend of the founder, I just wanted to let you know that you could help if you wished to do so.
Cheers and Happy Autumn to All!
-Melinda Moulton, Huntington

Hello neighbors, just a note urging all who read and use Front Porch Forum for postings that all those FPF people don’t get paid for all their hard work. So any and all donations, in any amount, are greatly appreciated. FPF is like the old general store / post office meeting place where everyone knows everyone else and keep up with all the minutia of rural life, only the modern version. It brings us all just a little closer together. Please go to this link to donate. It will help FPF to keep going for us all.
-Wayne Hallstrom, Richmond

Support our FPF! Fellow Huntingtonians ““ We are lucky to live in a time and place where we have the benefit of the Front Porch Forum: daily contact with all of our hundreds of neighbors who participate. To have this staggering amount of connectedness is invaluable”“ so put a $25 donation on your card today! You are getting the bargain of your life.
-Knox Cummin, Huntington

Please support Front Porch Forum ““ As a long-time user of Front Porch Forum and as someone whose business has benefited from posting on the Forum, I encourage you to consider supporting the site.
-Ethan Rogati, Milton

Hi neighbors, As you plan your holiday gifts, how about sending one FPF’s way? Front Porch Forum is a wonderful way for busy people to stay connected with their neighbors and communities by posting and reading posts about events, services, public affairs, opportunities to volunteer, crime, lost pets, etc. Other social media can seem a little bewildering or make you feel a bit too connected. You don’t have to “friend” anyone on FPF. No creepy high school friends or scorned lovers will find you. It’s just neighbors keeping each other informed. But like any great service, it can use a little support. So let’s all pitch in to keep our virtual neighborhood going.
-Ellen Vaut, South Burlington

Hey neighbors, Just wanted to take a minute to encourage all of you to become a member of FPF. It is really rare for a community to be able to connect, resolve issues, and discuss our future the way that FPF has allowed us to. Unlike every other media source that we subscribe to, FPF is a tiny local business, and small contributions each make a big difference. How much do you think $5 matters to CNN, Facebook, or even the Free Press? Make your money count by supporting FPF. It’s truly an investment in our community. Thanks!!
-Hannah McCaffrey, South Burlington

Hi neighbors, I’ve lived in the Orchard/Laurel Hill neighborhood since 1956″“anyone been here longer? Front Porch Forum is just the latest thing that makes it great place to live. I am giving $20. to help the Forum get even better. That’s only 1/10 of 1% toward the goal but if we all help it will get done.
-George Mona, South Burlington

Hi neighbors ““ I think most of us would agree that Front Porch Forum has been a HUGE asset to our small community since it was introduced nearly 2 years ago. Whether you use it to find goods and services, learn about community events (both good and bad!) or share your feelings about politics, dogs, hiking trails, whatever I think FPF has made us all feel a little more connected as a community. I’ve found some great deals, learned some cool things and in the process I’ve also met some new friends. It’s so simple, yet so powerful. Best of all, it’s free! So, if you feel the same way about FPF and can spare a few dollars to support this community resource, please consider making a donation today. Just click here to help FPF meet their goal of raising $20,000 by October 20. Every little bit helps! Your neighbor,
-Wendy McArdle, Starksboro

Dear Neighbors, I think that if we each looked at how Front Porch Forum has helped our community, the cumulative result would be really impressive. Because of FPF, I have: found my cat that had been stolen and dyed pink (!!!), learned about neighbor’s yard sales, heard about events that I wanted to attend, promoted local happenings, listened to varying opinions on issues facing Burlington, bought and sold household items, plugged my business, asked for help, and met amazing neighbors. The simple concept of FPF’s ability to pull together neighborhoods will come to a grinding halt if we don’t step up and participate in the annual member appeal that’s taking place until October 20. Every little bit helps, so please donate if you can. Thank you so much!
-Megan J. Humphrey, Burlington

Howdy Neighbors, Michael Wood-Lewis and his team at Front Porch Forum have provided a great platform for connecting with our neighbors and sharing information. Please consider becoming a supporting member. Click on this link to see just how affordable it is!
-Aaron Desrochers, Colchester

I’m so grateful that the FPF exists, so I can post information that might be of interest and also hear what concerns others–so I’m sending my financial support tonight.
-Suzi Wizowaty, State Rep., Burlington

In my opinion, FPF saves me a fair amount of money every year, so I see no reason why some of that shouldn’t go back to the people who make it possible. We save on dumping costs when someone can use something we have and buying costs when someone has something we need. We save on travel costs when we can hitch a ride with someone. We have collected hundreds of dollars in bottles and cans and seen marvelous responses to fundraising initiatives for OM and scouting, largely due to FPF. It provides us with a vehicle to announce our upcoming events and keep the community informed. As others have said, if this service was not free I’d probably pay for it. But that fact that it IS free is probably why there are enough people on this forum to make it worthwhile. The founders are taking a step out in faith offering the service for free ““ I think it is a good idea to respond in kind and help them support it.
-Michel Gilbert, Huntington

Dear Ward 6 Neighbors ““ We all truly enjoy being members of Front Porch Forum. It’s hard to imagine what life in our neighborhood would be like without FPF. As a free communication tool for our community we can reach our neighbors and talk about issues like never before. There is an administrative cost to this service, and I want to send out an appeal for those of us who may want to make a donation to Front Porch Forum for use of this service. If you wish to be a supporting member of FPF, just log on to http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php and make a donation. All donations of any size are welcome and greatly appreciated. As a big fan of Front Porch Forum, and friend of the Wood-Lewis family who have embraced this community in so many ways, I just wanted to let you know that you could help if you wished to do so.
-Karen Paul, City Councilor, Burlington

FPF It is the “cat’s meow” better than freshly sliced warm homemade bread with honey!! I have been the lucky user of FPF since Michael Wood-Lewis first started it on Caroline ST. Working at home, FPF, adds so much to my life, by connecting me to people in the neighborhood. It has enlarged my friendship base, working base, and connecting me to events and repair, that I would never have been able to do or find on my own. I can walk around the block and know so many people to say hello to, now. I can’t thank Michael and Valerie enough for FPF.   And I am so excited that it will now be available to the entire state of Vermont. We need to all be financial supporters of FPF.   So please everyone, forgo a creamie, and donate the money to FPF. Thank you!!!!
-Carolyn Bates, Burlington

FPF so gracefully provides us with a “virtual” community. Thank you, Michael, for your unique idea, and to your wonderful team for helping it grow. In this fast-paced era of working hard and then collapsing at home, I appreciate being able to sit back and check in on FPF to discover my neighbors’ concerns, to obtain things I need, to get rid of things I don’t and to learn about events that are going on around me. I am proud to be a new supporter!
-Myra Handy, Shelburne

How did we ever keep up with neighborhood before FPF?! We appreciate knowing about car break-ins, yard sales, service person recommendations, lost animals, and lots of other things. And ““ we never would have found someone who saw the moose who walked through our garden! This wonderful service does have administrative costs. Please consider supporting FPF. Your neighbors will thank you.
-Carol Walters, South Burlington

Hi neighbors! I’d like to encourage you to join us in supporting Front Porch Forum. I have been contributing monthly for over two years now, and it really feels good to support the great work Michael and his team are doing. But I also believe it’s worth every penny in terms of keeping me connected with my neighbors and informed about events that are happening in our community. And I am just proud that this is an area where Vermont is leading the way in using technology to help preserve and reinforce everything that is great about traditional community life. If you also love this forum, please take a minute to think about how much it’s worth to you. Please be as generous as you can.
-Jeremy Bull, Burlington

Neighbors, Nobody likes a freeloader, support your local FPF. Good karma circles back
-Christian Verry, Burlington

For me, Front Porch Forum is a daily lifeline. The news and notices, advice and encouragement, facts and reflections let me know, simply and quickly, that there’s abundant optimism all around me. I can feel people immersed in great causes, with great possibilities. Other news sources Vermont Public Radio, Seven Days, parts of the Free Press they too give me essential strength. But Front Porch Forum consistently puts a neighborhood face on what’s going on. That’s invaluable to me, and why I’m a member. If you can, please send a donation to: http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php
-Bonnie Acker, Burlington

Take a moment and think about all the benefits you receive from participating in the Front Porch Forum ““ it truly is a unique and wonderful community resource. Consider becoming a supporting member by sending them a check or by going to http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php
-Evan and Lindsay Goldsmith, Burlington

It is hard to believe that FPF might be getting so established that we take it for granted. Unlike public radio, which many take for granted, we all had to make a conscious choice and take a simple but specific action to join FPF. Once on I believe that we have all found something of value in connecting to neighbors, getting information and staying informed of local issues. In many cases we have met our neighbors through FPF. It has certainly enriched our lives. I want to encourage all my neighbors to consider a simple donation to FPF. Think of it as paying for a service or sharing the cost of a neighborhood block party. We should not take for granted that FPF just happens magically or is sustained by some outside beneficent force. It is really all about us.
-Glenn McRae, Burlington

Whether its a posting about traffic calming measures, lost kittens, rides to and from such far away places as Florida or fridges left out on the green belt, I appreciate reading what is happening in my local neighborhood every morning. Please consider how important this locally sprung forum is in your life and give whatever you can to show your support.
-Christine Staats, Burlington

KEEP THE FRONT PORCH LIGHT ON ““ It takes money to keep our neighborhood news coming. Please consider becoming a supporting member of Front Porch Forum during the annual appeal going on through Oct. 20. To find out more, go to http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php You’ll enjoy your daily read even more when you’re a supporter.
-Anne Curran, Burlington

Hi Jericho neighbors, I just want to encourage others to join me in supporting Front Porch Forum with a donation. I am not as active in the community as in past years so I find it really helpful to have something in my inbox from my neighbors from time to time I have already learned about 2 new additions and answered the query about coyotes on Tarbox road. The computer is no substitute for our middle of the road neighborly meetings but it does bring those we haven’t met as neighbors yet closer to our doorstep.
-Trudy Anderson, Jericho

Hey Neighbors A funny thing happened on the way to the Forum The idea of Front Porch Forum took hold and expanded and serves all of us in myriad ways, helping us stay connected.   It’s a low budget operation, but not a no-budget operation, and I encourage all to give a donation to keep it going. You can link in at http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php
-Lisa Schamberg, Burlington

Hello Neighbors, Just a quick note to say thank you to Michael and the staff for all that they do, and to encourage anyone who’s thinking about it to donate to FPF. It’s a great source of neighborhood news, like where the bobcats have been seen and who is having a yard sale. I’d hate to loose it!
-Martha Seyler, Charlotte

Let’s Ante Up ““ I just want to follow up on the FPF team’s request for support. I appreciate how FPF has pulled neighborhoods together and helped expand our sense of community and mutual support. I just sent in my donation and I encourage our FPF to ante up support. To do so, click on http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php
-Edorah Frazer, Charlotte

OK, I have 30 seconds to write this, about the time it takes me to read FPF. Its fast, timely, to the pointwhat more could you want? Go to http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php and show them some love!
-Robert Hyams, Charlotte

Folks ““ As a method for me as a City Councilor to reach out to you and for you to respond and react to me, FPF is unsurpassed. I hope you will join me in contributing $25, $50 or even $100 to this fantastic resource. It is more than worth that small price to keep connected to the community (and be able to locally post goods and services for sale or need). Please go to this link and make your donation today.
-Ed Adrian, City Councilor, Burlington

Hi Everyone. Just a note to let everyone know what an inspiration it is to have the FPF. It brings the community closer together by enabling everyone to know what is available and what is going on in town. With the economy the way it is it is very helpful to be able to find an item we might need at a reasonable price. We also find out what a helpful bunch of people are residents are when a person needs an extra hand. That’s what neighbors are for. Help keep this service going by giving a donation to FPF so they can expand to other communities.
-Polly Orvis, Starksboro

Support the Annual FPF Appeal! Hi Neighbors ““ The Front Porch Forum is once again quietly and non-aggressively asking for support to keep this wonderful community resource going. If you are in a position to give, I hope you will consider a donation to keep this resource working for our neighborhood. Just having FPF conveniently on stand-by for whenever we may have a sudden need to post (lost pets! rash of car break-ins!) is reason enough for our family to donate, but we have benefited from being “in the loop” in so many other ways. Compiling a list of trusted household service providers, unloading unwanted furniture and toys, freebie hand-me-downs, and being informed of community events and happenings are just a few of the perks that we have experienced directly. FPF has become indispensable in our lives, and we want it to always be there for us! I’ll hope you’ll join our family and contribute what you can. It only takes a few seconds- click on: http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php
-Peg & Paul Rosenau, Shelburne

Dear neighbors, Some of us who live on the same block just got together in person as a result of Front Porch Forum. As a reluctant computer person, I’ve been heartened by the human connections made possible by this new institution. You can keep it thriving by making a contribution to: http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php And spread the word!
-Joey Corcoran, Burlington

What do you like about FPF? Did you score a sweet deal on snow tires? Did you hear about free daylilies sitting outside your friends house waiting for a home in your garden? Did you find an awesome place for your friend to stay while she was in town for ten days? Was it at the same friends with the daylilies? Would you have known to ask her? Could it have worked out any better without FPF? nope not really. Do you wish there didn’t need to be commercial adds in your FPF? Can you support FPF with a few dollars? More than a few? Community support for a community forum works well. If you’ve been reading you’ve seen that the FPF annual member appeal is going on now through October 20. Here’s a reminder for today. Thanks!
-Patrick Wood, Burlington

This is our forum. To me, it is clearly worth supporting. Now is the time to send something. We will all appreciate it! Here is the link for making donations: http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php
-Sean McKenzie, Burlington

I’m told that back in the day every resident in Lakeside knew every resident in Lakeside. In fact many were related, and they spoke their own language here right through the 1970’s. Today we all know some of our neighbors but not all. Thanks to Front Porch Forum, our generation is able to make connections with each other that most communities in this country lack. It is our neighborhood bulletin board and through this service we can find our lost pets, learn more about development affecting the neighborhood, and voice our opinions.

It’s time to show our gratitude for this free service. If you can afford even $5 or $10 to say thank you for the service, I know the folks providing the service will appreciate your support. Here’s the link to donate: http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php

Thanks to FPF for helping restore some neighborly connections!
-Joan Shannon, City Councilor, Burlington

hey neighbors, i love front porch forum. i love that it’s a grassroots, local initiative. i love that it uses technology in a very simple way that doesn’t intimidate me. i love that it helps us help each other. i love the babysitters i have found. the plants i have given away. the professional recommendations received. the pets found.i gave $30.00 last year to help them continue this great service. i plan to again. i hope you’ll give what you can ““ whether it’s $5.00 or $100 ““ just take the time to do it.

this ad paid for by no one. i just really do like fpf.
-Rachel Siegel, Burlington

Just a quick note to encourage you to support Front Porch Forum with a direct contribution. In the short time this service has been available, it has become an invaluable tool to connect with neighbors. It is my understanding that more than 860 Richmond residents are signed up. Heck there are only 1500 households in town. This is pretty darn good if you ask me and more are signing up every day.

Front Porch Forum is literally a labor of love for Michael Wood-Lewis. He put together this service out of nothing and works long hours every day to keep it going throughout the county. Won’t you consider helping support this wonderful service with a contribution? Here is the link: http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php

I just sent them $50. When you consider that the Free Press costs $180 per year, Front Porch Forum seems like a heck of a deal to me. I hope you join me in supporting them.
-Jeff Forward, Richmond

Friends & Neighbors, Just a brief note to echo other comments and encourage everyone to help support Front Porch Forum which has become a vital link to information and news not only within our neck of the woods, but throughout the Greater Burlington area. One great example of the power of FPF was impressed upon me just the other day. One of our neighbors posted a request for floor boards for (of all things) their front porch and within days the new floor boards were installed!!!

As a free communication tool for our community we can reach our neighbors and talk about issues like never before through FPF. But there is an administrative cost to this service, and I want to send out an appeal for those of us you who can make a donation to Front Porch Forum to help keep the service going.   If you wish to help support the costs to manage this program, just log on to http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php and make a donation. This is NOT mandatory and not required by Front Porch Forum but it helps us all. Thanks for considering! All the best,
-Jake Perkinson, Burlington

Hello Neighbors, I have two tickets on offer that are good for either a free gondola ride or free alpine slide ride at Stowe. They expire October 17th. Does anyone want them? If so, come get them out of the box on my porch.

Also, everyone should think seriously about supporting Front Porch Forum financially. I’m currently unemployed, but this service is so great, I think it’s worth some of my money. Remember when Wikipedia had to fundraise to stay online? A lot of online services and other things on the internet are garbage, but the few gems out there are worth my dollar. FPF is one of those, and plus, when you donate, you get a magnet to put on your car which identifies you as a resident of northwestern Vermont better than a Ben & Jerry’s sticker. Join the tribe, and donate to Front Porch Forum. Even just a dollar. It makes their community buy-in percentage numbers go up, and that could mean grant money, which could mean that my Mom will eventually have Front Porch Forum down in White River Junction. But hey, I’m getting ahead of myself. Who wants to go to Stowe?
-Andrew Graham, Burlington

I consider Front Porch Forum grassroots democracy at its best! It provides a great way for neighbors to connect, share ideas and resources, get recommendations for service providers, find lost pets, watch each others’ backs and more and it’s all provided free of charge, thanks to a small cadre of folks in Burlington’s south end.

Michael, Nina, Linda, Jamie and Lynn are on a quest to raise $20,000 by October 20th to support its operations. If you value this service as I do, please make a donation, however large or small, by clicking on the link here: http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php

Our support is critical to keeping FPF going strong.
Deb Bouton, Burlington

Hello Neighbors, I’d like to encourage everyone to consider how much we’ve come to enjoy and rely on Front Porch Forum for local happenings, news, crime alerts and as a local trading post. To me, this a very valuable service and a big asset to the town and to our sense of community. FPF is asking for support for their service, and I am certainly willing to contribute funds to help keep the forum arriving in my in-box daily. It’s one of the emails I eagerly look forward to receiving because it’s all about “us”. Given the huge response I received when I had apples to give away, it’s certainly an effective vehicle for trading and information. If you would like to support the forum, please consider donating whatever amount you are comfortable with by clicking on the link below.: http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.phpAnd now, is anyone interested in an admittedly old but very well functioning, large upright freezer? It would be perfect for a deer camp and it’s free. Thanks,
-Alice Dubenetsky, Starksboro

Ever think about what life in this neighborhood would be like without Front Porch Forum? What else really needs to be said? Consider becoming a supporting member by sending them a check. Even if it’s a small one, it broadens the base. And if it’s larger, so much the better.
-Diane Montgomery-Logan and Lanny Watts, Burlington

Dear Neighbors,of the many neighborhoods I’ve lived in over the years, this one is the closest to my heart,and not just because it is the current one! It’s because of Front Porch Forum. Instead of it taking decades to get to know people, within three years, my family and I feel totally at home in the 5 sisters. And it’s because of FPF. We have tremendous respect for Michael and Valerie Wood-Lewis and so appreciate how they have brought the people of this area together as neighbors by creating and sustaining Front Porch Forum. Front Porch Forum has personally brought us friends, fun, fashion, furniture, a doctor, a dentist, a dog walker, a babysitter, fresh eggs, free plants, good advice on snow tires and cell phones, movie nights, May day parties, lizard supplies, street celebrations, garage sales, plant identification, christmas caroling, connections to culture and nature, AND ongoing participation in community discussions about politics and parks, god and global warming. Who else has this?! Thank you, Michael and Valerie. We are proud to be part of this great community and support FPF which you so ably steward. We will be sending our annual donation to support FPF this week and urge our neighbors to do the same. Warm Regards,Lillian, Russell, Campbell and Avatar.
-Lillian Dean, Burlington

Which mechanics to stay away from
Lost (and found!) rabbit reports
Free gravel (didn’t even know I needed it until)
Updates from Suzi (Vote! Vote! Vote!)
Unsolicited (but usually interesting) political opinions
Subaru recall warnings (if only I had a Subaru, I’d be a real Vermonter!)
Historic district uproar
Speaking houseplants
Car break-in epidemics

The list goes on and on
What’s it worth to you?
http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php
-Jason Van Driesche, Burlington

Hello Neighbors, As someone who finds FPF to be informative and helpful in all kinds of ways, I am encouraging you all to become supporting members. Let’s continue to make use of and support this great resource. Thanks in advance to anyone who is inspired to take my words to heart.
-Lee Hemingway, Hinesburg

Dear Neighbors, I want to encourage all of you to support Front Porch Forum. This year, I decided I was able to make a financial contribution to further the efforts of FPF. When I got the email I thought, “I have no money to help out.” Then I thought, if I couldn’t get and use FPF unless it required a subscription, I would pay to have it. I send contributions to VT Public Radio for the same reason. Yes, it’s free but if it wasn’t I would pay to get it.

I love FPF. It brings us together as a community and has given me the chance to meet a lot of people I may not have met. It has given me access to local food and local workers of all types. I hope all rural communities across the USA get something like FPF.
-Jamie Shaw, Huntington

Hi all, While the Front Porch Forum is running its annual member appeal, I thought I’d add a plug from right here in our “˜hood. I decided to become a supporting member with modest, ongoing donations because I see FPF as fostering a strong sense of community. I feel much more in touch with what is going on here in the blocks around my home thanks to postings from you all”“my neighbors”“as well as from city officials and representatives.

Icing on the cake, for me, are the ways that I have benefited specifically and personally thanks to this service. Over the years, I have acquired a free computer that served me for over a year, gotten free tickets to a Flynn show, been able to borrow a KitchenAid mixer when I really needed one, found a terrific electrician who I’ve now called for several jobs, and found a terrific party planner/assistant for a large family event that went off wonderfully with her help.

These days everyone seems to have crazy, hectic schedules. It’s so hard to really get to know the neighbors and support each other as most folks did in days of less TV & internet. I’m just like everyone else in this regard. So, how cool is it that we have such a great service to promote neighborliness and assistance to each other? I say it’s cool enough to chip in and help contribute to the cost of keeping this service running. I hope you’ll join me and become a supporting member of Front Porch Forum.
-Beverly Keim, Burlington

Hi folks, I was just thinking today how much I appreciate this forum. My work schedule has been hectic again lately, and sometimes I feel like FPF is the main thing that keeps me from losing track of my neighbors. We were away for a year-and-a-half, and even then (maybe even MORE then) I appreciated knowing what was going on in the neighborhood.

Pam and I have been doing a small monthly contribution for about 6 months. I encourage everyone to consider chipping in something to keep the lights and servers and messages running at FPF. Check out: http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php

You can do a one-time contribution, or the monthly option is dead simple: took a minute to setup. We get a small charge on our credit card bill every month that is (new and improved ““ thanks FPF people) clearly labeled “Front Porch Forum”. Thanks for considering it
-Eric Hart, Burlington

Neighbors & friends in Huntington – Do you check out the postings on Front Porch Forum frequently?   Huntington does have a lot of participants who enjoy this great communication tool. If you can help support Michael Wood-Lewis in his continuing efforts in any way, go to http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.phpAs we all know, every contribution helps whether it be $5.00 or more ““ whatever you choose to give. It is great to have local happenings listed as well as local opinions. Hope you can help,
-Lucinda W. Hill, Huntington

I hope other neighbors will consider donating to help keep Front Porch Forum alive. It is a never-ending source of information and connection, and has been an indispensable outlet in organizing to help protect our neighborhood. Please support it if you can at http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php Thanks!
-Mary Fillmore, Burlington

Hello Neighbors, I know we all appreciate this forum and the ability to connect with neighbors. Please join me in supporting the forum with a donation during the annual fund raising drive. Think of it as you would for VPR or other services that you value. Michael and Valerie have a good thing going on, and we need to do our part to support them. Thanks,
-Jasmine Walker, Burlington

Dear neighbors, I just got back from yet another sobering Finance Committee meeting, where we discussed the three budget scenarios we asked administrators to prepare one meeting the Challenges for Change (CFC) target (a 6.74% decrease from an FY12 budget that takes account of unavoidable increases), a second at a roughly 2% increase over last year which would require more than a million dollars of cuts (again from a projected FY12 budget), and the third a budget that carries forward everything we are doing now (expensive).

At present, we are pursuing two avenues. One is advocacy. Burlington is different, and the CFC target assigned to us (more than 5% of the total State cut) does not account for our enrollment increases totalling more than 45 students just this year. In a normal year, that would give us additional state block grant funds of close to a half million dollars. There are many thoroughly insupportable ideas at the State level afloat right now for funding in a way that violates the Brigham decision the Superintendent has been with meeting with our lawyers.

One thing is certain. We could never hope to know how you feel and what you care about without Front Porch Forum. I urge all of you who have the ability to help support FPF and keep our lines of communication open during what will be (yet another) fascinating and anxiety-provoking year of school budget planning.

Wishing you a mouse-free transition to frosty weather,
-Amy Werbel, Burlington

I encourage neighbors to support FPF in ways that you can. It is such a great asset to the ONE. I appreciate the contributions that so many of you have made challenging each other and those in positions of authority. Please help keep our community strong. Thanks!
-Sara Giannoni, Burlington

Please support FPF, as we haveWhat a gemWith all of us going in a thousand directions it is wonderful to have a place to go to..for referrals or happenings in the neighborhood..good and informative
-Brooks Boardman, Burlington

Hello Neighbors, Front Porch Forum’s annual member appeal is on until October 20th. How many conversations do you have that ask if it was or can be posted on the forum? If FPF is something you count on daily-please consider making a contribution (any amount is a good way to show support). You might even consider a monthly contribution. When I read and use the forum I feel like I’m really a part of keeping it going by contributing.
-Lisa Lillibridge, Burlington

This is my note to say please contribute to the funding of FPF. It’s a wealth of knowledge given out by our friends and neighbors. Personal recommendations from the postings have me inclined to contact or hire folks that you have recommended. It’s a tremendous service and of great value. Please contribute so we can continue to have this reliable resource at hand.
-Peggy Stevens, Burlington

Front Porch Forum is running a Supporting Member Campaign and I encourage us all to become financial supporters. FPF is a community service that benefits our neighborhoods as well as the wider community, and deserves community support. They are calling on anyone who values FPF to chip in toward their goal of $20,000 by Oct. 20, 2010. Thank you!
-Suzie DeBrosse, Colchester

Folks, if you value Front Porch Forum, I encourage you to make a small contribution. I’ve done so in the past because I’ve found this method of communicating and staying informed valuable and worth a few dollars to keep alive. They get advertisers but also rely on an annual fund drive to pay operating costs. Hyper Local news is great and has even more potential but needs funding to keep going. A recent example of how I used the forum was as part of a contractor search. One neighbor had commented about a federal tax rebate for roofing that was available and mentioned as an aside that they recently had a good experience with Blue Sky Roofing. Since, by coincidence, I was looking for a roofing contractor, I decided to include Blue Sky as a comparable to other bids I had secured. After some conversation and due diligence checking, I realized Blue Sky was well respected and owned by Matt Gazo, a lifetime New North End resident and childhood friend (I’m also a lifetime New North End resident). In addition to having good references and a very professional approach to the entire process (quick responses to emails, a website, a list of properties to look at, a certificate of insurance, a “what to look for” brochure), Blue Sky offered competitive rates. I ended up hiring Blue Sky and they completed my job today. The fact that another neighbor had recently commented, on this forum, about the good experience they had just had with Blue Sky gave me added confidence and that counts for a lot of piece of mind for a project costing thousands of dollars.

Anyway, I suggest you consider a donation to the forum if you’ve benefited from, or enjoy reading, the forum news.
-Chris A. Varin, Burlington

Front Porch Forum is where I go to get my truly local neighborhood news and happenings. The service FPF provides to our neighborhood, from being the community discussion board to helping a family be reunited with their lost cat, is unique and invaluable. Because of this, I am a supporting member of FPF and encourage you to be as well. Where else can you go to get an update on the neighborhood historical designation issue and score a free bike for your kid? Go local and go to http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php and support Front Porch Forum today!
-Anya Byam, Burlington

Hello Neighbors!! Don’t we all appreciate all the good that Front Porch Forum does for Five Sisters!!!!!! Please consider becoming a supporting member. Our family decided to make a (small) donation last year as a way to keep this great community builder strong. FPF is one more way that our neighborhood is special let’s keep it that way!! If interested please follow this link: http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php
-Amy Bielawski-Branch, Burlington

Hi Hope you’ll consider becoming supporting members of our Five Sister’s Front Porch Forum. I read it daily, with occasional posts, not only for our neighborhood but also for the Huntington area where I worked for the last 5 and a half years.
-Mike Egan, Burlington

Get Behind the Front (porch)! We all agree that Front Porch Forum is great in many ways. So ““ how about pitching in, and helping to keep it up and running? It’s easy. Become a member. Give a little $$$ to help out. You’ll be glad you did ! Thanks,
-Carol Hewitt, Burlington

We are enthusiastic supporters of Front Porch Forum and urge you to join us in contributing to its annual member appeal. How lucky we all are to have this wonderful community builder! To send a contribution go to: http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php
-Suki and Alan Rubin, Burlington

As most of you know, I am a frequent user of this Forum for a variety of events, business outreach, deadlines and other things like an occasional inspirational thought when I’m sleepless in Huntington Center and looking up in wonder at the night sky or listening to the silence.

Last year, I answered the plea for contributions. The way I figure it, I use Front Porch Forum on a regular basis and I should, in all good conscience, support the efforts of the good folks who work to help us all get the last minute news out via this convenient email. Organizations do annual appeals because they need the money.

I encourage you all to become FPF supporting members. If you are reading this, you are a Front Porch Forum reader and are getting something from it, if only elevated blood pressure or a chuckle from some of the rants. Please consider giving during the Front Porch Forum’s Annual Appeal drive, which is now through October 20.
-Heidi Racht, Huntington

The opportunity came in front of us this week to contribute to the health and welfare of Front Porch Forum. Why not?? We love receiving FPF. keeping up with our neighbors hearing waz up in the “˜hood, as the kids say Join us! While our gifts are not tax deductible, they are helping to support a community- based service that can benefit all: http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php
-Pam (and Bruce) MacPherson, South Burlington

Fellow Birchcliff Neighbors: Horse poop in the street? Rampant chicken breeding? Wholesale deforestation? Cats on leashes? Mystery Vans? Profane Pizza Shops? Historic Preservation?

While we may not have the concerns and vibrancy of our big city neighbors across the park (the so-called 5 Sisters Neighborhood) we do share something (besides Calahan Park) that we should both be very proud to support ““ Front Porch Forum. Our Forum may not have the high percentage of “civic engagement” enjoyed by our friends in the 5 Sisters crowd, it nonetheless represents an increasingly valuable resource for our neighborhood. Please join me in supporting the Forum with an annual subscription (aka donation). This is their annual appeal period (through October 20th). What started as labor of love has grown into one of the most heralded and valuable neighbor-to-neighbor networking tools since the telephone. Without our support it cannot continue, so please consider making a donation of any size now. Go here now: http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php
-Richard Donnelly, Burlington

I just made a contribution to help our Front Porch Forum. Using the Forum is an easy way I find to interconnect with all of you without knocking on every door or calling each of you. I’ve posting everything from the latest berry harvest info, to entertainment events, to information about upcoming energy efficiency workshops, to items for sale. Its an easy way also to keep up on the news of the city and legislature as our reps and departments do a good job of posting that info. Help Front Porch Forum continue to serve by donating today at: http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php
-Chip Patullo, Burlington

Help keep FPF going strong. The Front Porch Forum is proving to be one of the best ways to help keep our community connected. Please consider becoming a donating member of FPF today. Any amount would be welcome. Just log on to http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php
-Pam Kellogg, Huntington

I am in need of an experienced seamstress/tailor to alter pant and jacket items. Can anyone recommend someone they have had experience with and are pleased with their work? (By the way, I just made my contribution to FPF and I encourage others to do the same! This is such a great resource.) Thanks in advance!
-Lisa Leduc, South Burlington

Hi Neighbors: Every day I think how happy I am to live where we do. I notice recently more and more QCP folks using Front Porch Forum to post things and share info. I know that this forum was started as a labor of love but actually does take lots of time and some $ to manage well and keep running. If you haven’t yet contributed”“every little bit helps”“ please do. It’s easy and if we all gave a small amt it would add up quickly. This website makes it very easy and it seems quite safe (I used it w/out issue). Thanks”“enjoy fall (and VOTE!! Nov 2)
-Lynn Vera, South Burlington

Greetings! The Front Porch Forum is in the midst of its annual member appeal. I have found the FPF to be a great asset for informing Lake Iroquois neighbors of actions on and around the lake related to the Lake Iroquois Association. It is a prime tool that I use for this communication. Plus, several other town-related and lake-related notices appear on our FPF. I have personally financially supported FPF, and I am sure they would appreciate the same from you if you can. To donate, go to: http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php Or, you can send a check to:
Front Porch Forum
PO Box 64781
Burlington, VT 05406-4781
802-540-0069

Thanks for considering their request for support!
-Roger Crouse, Hinesburg

Dear Neighbors, I’m writing to give FPF a plug since they provide our community with such a valuable service: neighbor-to-neighbor communication from the convenience of our homes. This includes neighbors such as myself who are local officials and who consider transparency and the free-flow of information as essential to the vitality of our community. If you agree and are able to make a small donation to support a small, local company that does so much for South Burlington, I encourage you to do so!

Please become a supporting member today and help FPF reach its goal of raising $20,000 by October 20. Go to this web link to make your contribution: http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php
-Meaghan Emery, City Councilor, South Burlington

Hello Neighbors, Front Porch Forum’s annual member appeal is on until October 20th. How many conversations do you have that ask if it was or can be posted on the forum? If the FPF is something you count on daily-please consider making a contribution (any amount is a good way to show support). You might even consider a monthly contribution. When I read and use the forum I feel like I’m really a part of keeping it going by contributing.
-Mary Heinrich Aloi, Burlington

Hi Neighbors: Hope everyone will contribute to Front Porch Forum and help them out. It has been so useful these last few years and contacts with neighbors beyond our immediate street finding what we need.
-Madi MacFarquhar, Burlington

Hi neighbors, I want to encourage all who can to consider making a donation ““ either one time or ongoing ““ to help keep Front Porch Forum operating. While this forum is free for all to use, there are ongoing operating costs associated with this free service. Any amount would be greatly appreciated, no matter how small (or large). From now until October 20, FPF is having its annual fundraising drive.

Here is the link for making donations: http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php and here is the address if you prefer to send a check: Front Porch Forum, PO Box 64781,Burlington, VT 05406-4781.

I have come to appreciate how easily FPF lets me connect with others even though we are all so busy and involved in other activities. FPF has become an integral part of how we can communicate, help each other, have discussions, or just enjoy learning about what is going on in our area. Thank you Front Porch Forum!
-Sandy Wynne, Burlington

FPF readers ““ Please consider becoming a supporting member of the Front Porch Forum http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php Count the number of times you visit the site/read the email, twice-weekly? daily? and judge how much you’d miss it if FPF could not find adequate funding. Even for those of us who rarely offer posts, it’s invaluable as means of staying in touch with what’s going on in our neighborhood whether it’s learning from a legislator or city councilor about the impact of actions originating from City Hall or Montpelier, or reading about neighbors’ commendations or grievances, or finding out about a half-price ticket to see Radiohead in Montreal.

All right, I was joking about the Radiohead ticket but diamonds-in-the-rough are part of what FPF’s also all about. Please help keep it around.
-Alden Cadwell, Burlington

Has anyone else noticed the increasing strength of Essex Junction? The Farmer’s Market the Facebook activity the community engagement about Recs & Park the ongoing library events not to mention having the NICEst neighborhoods around. We owe this to many factors, one of which is our ability to connect with each other in several ways, including through Front Porch Forum. I encourage you to drop this worthwhile Burlington-based group a few bucks to show your appreciation for: finding your lost keys, getting rid of that stray cat who you tried to find its owner, telling you the latest Farmers Market wares, or helping you to sell your services or garage sale junk. It’s the annual appeal, and if you want Essex Junction to continue to have this outlet for us to connect, it’s up to you donate today!
-Maura Collins Versluys, Essex Junction

Dear neighbors, We are fortunate to have this wonderful means of communicating with each other. I encourage you all to become FPF supporting members. If you are reading this, you are a Forum reader and are getting something from it. I know I benefit weekly from the information from our city council members, airport news, robbery alerts, items for sale or local job seekers. Please consider giving during the Front Porch Forum’s Annual Appeal drive, which is now through October 20. Keep this forum going. It does cost something to run and we all can share a little of the expense.
-Ann Moore, South Burlington

Hi Neighbors, I just wanted to take a minute to encourage any of you who are regular users of FPF to consider becoming members. I think this is a great way to get to know your neighborhood and what is going on whether it be government, education, roads, noise or just something fun to do. I am a recent addition to the Chamberlin neighborhood, but was using FPF in our Burlington neighborhood for years and have always found it to be useful, and occasionally entertaining.
-John Hayes, South Burlington

PLEASE GIVE Hi Neighbors!   Front Porch Forum is holding its annual appeal until October 20th. Please consider giving something in exchange for this wonderful neighborhood newsletter that keeps us more connected & fosters community. Help keep FPF going strong!! Every bit you give, large or small, helps keep FPF operating. To find out how to donate , go to http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php

Read more inspiring notes from other Vermont communities’ FPF members @ http://bit.ly/cRBLmQ
-Nancy Osborne, South Burlington

Contribute to help stay in touch. Greetings Neighbors! I just made a contribution to the FPF appeal and urge you to do the same if you can. I know they are trying hard to upgrade their software and hopefully the upgrade will help FPF work better in Hinesburg (my fantasy is for them to eventually make it an option for folks to connect to other parts of HinesburgI know I’d love to learn about things going on in “the North End”). So please help if you enjoy this type of news format and would like to see it improve in the future.
-Sylvie Vidrine & Brian Dunlop, Hinesburg

When I read the appeal from Front Porch Forum the other day, I smiled to think about how instrumental it is to Westford! People talk about it as if it’s a given, tossing into conversation, “Just post it to the Forum.” But, Front Porch Forum is so much more valuable than that statement suggests. Neighbors connect in so many ways through the Forum, including my own personal story of finding another awesome Westford neighbor (yes I’m talking about you, Lauren Curry!) and founding the Westford Food Shelf through the Forum. And, whenever we really, really need your help neighbors.guess how we find you? Yup, on the Forum! So please consider joining me in supporting the Front Porch Forum by making a donation: http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php
-Julia Andrews, Westford

Dear readers and neighbors: I have been a supporter of this amazingly useful entity for so many different reasons:
– answers to questions
– learning about new neighbors
– posts from other neighborhoods are informative, often about events I would like to attend
– learning about interesting facts, e.g., recent sightings of seldom-seen animals

Please send your financial support. Every little bit helps.

PS ““ it was fun to read about FPF in a recent issue of Yankee Magazine.
-Carol Stewart, Williston

Dear neighbors, We joined Front Porch Forum 3 years ago shortly after we became residents of Burlington Cohousing. We look forward to the continuing informative messages and neighborly requests and hope that you will support FPF in their membership fund raising effort. This unique community product is a mainstay that we hope to see continue in the future. Please go to the following site in order to make your contribution. Thank you
-Barbara and Chet Bielawski, Burlington

Support FPF: Free Tour! Curious to see our newly renovated house, on the inside? Knock on our door and tell us you made a gift to FPF!
-Catherine, Christopher (aka Cill), Riley, Lewis and Putney Janeway, Burlington

Hello everyone Front Porch Forum is in the midst of an annual appeal and we would like to encourage all of you to contribute if you can. We can’t imagine not having this critical link to the community and we embrace it by being a supporting member. To learn more go to: http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php
-Julie Davis & Bruce Seifer, Burlington

When we moved to Burlington 2 years ago, we were intentional in our choice of seeking a true neighborhood”“one where commitment was measured not by immaculate lawns but by a visible presence on the street. We are so fortunate to have landed where we did. FPF embodies the spirit of the neighborhood. It dismantles barriers whether seeking to borrow a port-a-crib or soliciting thoughtful opinions on a political race.

It is a tautology that a neighborhood is composed of its residents. Yet we all have a choice in the type of neighborhood we create. The doors opened by FPF are central to the construction of the neighborhood we sought and a model for community engagement far beyond Vermont’s borders.
-Patrick Halladay, Burlington

We wish to encourage all of you to support Front Porch Forum. We make a small annual voluntary contribution and without a doubt feel we get much in return. FPF is much more than an electronic bulletin board or listserv. Dedicated individuals moderate the posts on a daily basis across multiple neighborhoods within an expanding region. It has served us well in finding lost pets, offering and acquiring items at a local level, sharing recommendations of professional services. It helps us stay connected with our neighborhood ““ a truly local social network. We are very fortunate to have such as asset. Please consider showing your appreciation along with us by providing support via http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php
-Greg and Kari Hancock, Burlington

Hi neighbors ““ We all truly enjoy being members of Front Porch Forum. As a communication tool for our community we can reach our neighbors and get help from each other and talk about issues and learn about issues like never before. There is an administrative cost to this service, though, and I want to send out an appeal for those of us who may want to make a donation to Front Porch Forum for use of this service. If you wish to help support the costs to manage this program, just log on to http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php and make a donation. This is NOT mandatory and not required by Front Porch Forum ““ but as a big fan, and friend of the founder, I just wanted to let you know that you could help if you wished to do so.
-Jane Hendley, Burlington

Front Porch Forum has earned its keep in our communities. We read messages that are clever, compassionate, concerned, curious, and convincing. It’s one more way to be neighborly. Let’s support Michael’s commitment and keep his great team rolling out the news clips come rain, snow, sleet, bright skies or breeze in the trees. Send your donation to the Forum here: http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php
-Sharyl Green, Burlington

We all truly enjoy being members of Front Porch Forum. As a communication tool for our community we can reach our neighbors and get help from each other and talk about issues and learn about issues like never before. There is an administrative cost to this service, though, and I want to send out an appeal for those of us who may want to make a donation to Front Porch Forum for use of this service. If you wish to help support the costs to manage this program, just log on to http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php and make a donation. This is NOT mandatory and not required by Front Porch Forum ““ but as a big fan, and user, I just wanted to let you know that you could help if you wished to do so.
-Elisa Nelson, Burlington

Hi all ““ If you’re reading this note then you’ve probably already discovered the communication potential of Front Porch Forum. They don’t charge us to join, they don’t charge us to post messages but they do have expenses to cover. To that end, please consider donating something to help defray the costs of keeping this vital neighborhood connection alive. You can make a one-time donation or you can set up a more convenient monthly donation charged to your credit card. Here’s a link to their donation site: http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php Thanks for your consideration. I’m making a donation today!
-Linda Waite-Simpson, Chair, Prudential Committee, Essex Junction

Front Porch Forum is definitely valuable to our wonderful little town. It acts as our “hometown” newspaper and does provide us with a connection among our residents. Personally, I have used the Front Porch Forum in many ways ““ as an advertising tool when Building Bright Futures or the Westford Girls Group had events for the community, as a way to gather information about the recreation department happenings, as a way to sell or give away things that I no longer need, as way to become more informed about the politics of the town and Vermont and as a way to get to know my Westford neighbors better. Thank you Front Porch Forum for being there for us. You can help to keep the Front Porch Forum available as a resource for our community. Please consider making a donation: http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php
-Julie Miller, Essex Junction

I just sent my FPF donation via PayPal and I feel good about it. I don’t contribute a lot to the forum but I do enjoy reading the various comments that others write. It is a valuable source of information and I urge all of us to continue to support this fine organization. Please become an FPF Supporting Member by Oct. 20 http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php
-Tom Lozen, South Burlington

Hi neighbors ““ Front Porch Forum has been hugely helpful to the Tipper Family since we moved to Burlington, and joined. I hope we all will do what we can to keep this great resource strong.
-Mima Tipper, Burlington

Hey everyone, become a supporting member of FPF. I just did! FPF is an amazing neighborhood resource that provides an easy way for us all to share information and resources. It also is my one stop shop to learn what our State Representatives and NPA are up to. Just go to: http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php to become a member.
-David Bardaglio, Burlington

I would also like to add my support for Front Porch Forum. It has made it much easier for me to reach neighbors to ask for help or to advertise something or to send other information I think they may be interested in. I think it is a great asset to the community and I hope others will join FPF and support it.
-John Hamerslough, Richmond

I’ll join the chorus of those expressing gratitude for Front Porch Forum. Couldn’t do the Food Shelf (or swap news, stories and stuff!) without it. I sent in my contribution today. Click to sponsor: http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php
-Lauren Curry, Westford

Hello neighbors! The Community Center has just staged a successful historic house tour and FPF helped us get the word out to the community. This is a valuable tool for talking to each other. It is important that we support FPF financially and that we keep it going. It helps build a sense of community, which is one of the nicest things about living here! Please go to http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php to donate to this important tool.
-Julia Blake, Jericho

Good News… Upon posting a message to FPF about our missing cat, she returned, a bit skinnier, but in good spirits. Thanks to all who were concerned and thanks to FPF for providing the good Karma which led the cat back to our house; -) Another good reason to become a supporting member of FPF!
-Rich Arentzen, Burlington

If you’ve read about sustainable communities, you’ll recall that Connecting With Neighbors is a crucial step in building economic resilience. Looking ahead… Some of us are Re-thinking our current lifestyles. Others are actively Re-skilling for a very different future. Still others are Resting Assured that change is wholly unwarranted.

No matter what your outlook, creating the Essex-of-tomorrow begins with conversation. Front Porch Forum provides an easy-to-use means of exchanging input on local issues.

As a FPF member, you know that other popular uses for this tool include publicizing events and finding lost pets. In the years ahead, I look forward to seeing FPF continue to grow and thrive and to help energize and sustain our community.

Because FPF doesn’t charge users for its service, I hope you’ll join me in sending a donation to keep FPF operating at http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php

Together, we can strengthen our community. With FPF, it’s that much easier. Thank you for your consideration!
-Irene Wrenner, Essex Junction

Love Your FPF! Hi Friends and Neighbors, Just another lover of Front Porch Forum encouraging those who are of the financial means and enjoy this wonderful exchange to make a contribution! I still remember the first message I wrote on FPF in 2007 when I became the Student Body President at UVM about students and neighbors working together to build a safer, more respectful community. It started conversations and friendships that have only grown and deepened. Real community can be built and supported by the FPF, and I am proud to be a contributing member.
-Kesha Ram, State Representative, Burlington

We like to support winners and Front Porch Forum is a winner! It gives all members of the community an opportunity to communicate with one another in a friendly, relatively non-commercial environment. I have found it to be a great way to publicize events, or catch up on what’s happening in the greater community. Please support a winner and keep FPF humming along! Just go to http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php
-Meg Smith, Charlotte

I sent in my small contribution as well. I see it as an investment in my community! Every little bit helps!
-Penny Thibault, Westford

Do Your Part! To all of our friends and neighbors, Just another friendly reminder to make your contribution to furthering the continued success of Front Porch Forum. Donations can be made via check or money order, or via PayPal, which is what we used to make ours. It’s quick and easy, and sure beats writing a check, finding an envelope and stamp and sending it out. If you prefer, for those of you who use Bill Pay through your financial institution, log on and request a check be mailed to: Front Porch Forum PO Box 64781 Burlington, VT 05406-4781. Donations via PayPal can be made by clicking on this link: http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php Thanks in advance for doing your part!
-Patrick & Lisa Leduc, South Burlington

Ode to a Forum
Oh what a forum,
Oh what a find,
It enriches our life,
And it feeds our mind.

Tires and apartments,
Dances and fairs,
Tell of a break-in,
Or just sell some wares.

Postings that rankle,
Posting that preach,
I just found a bargain,
I thought out of reach.

Pizzas that bite me,
Dogs that do poop,
It’s all in the forum,
You’ll get the scoop.

Speak out to your neighbors,
Broadcast it to all,
Some have it right,
Some just have gall.

But whatever you feel,
Whatever you care,
It’s here on the forum,
We all get to share.

So kick ’em some dollars,
Or make it a fin,
Dig deep for a twenty,
Or just go all in.

It’s a way to say thanks,
A way to make good,
To the forum that feeds us,
Like nothing else could.
-Dave Reville, Burlington

I just made my donation to Front Porch Forum! I LOVE Front Porch Forum — it has helped me join a book club, borrow a wheelbarrow, vent frustration about vandalism, and generally keep in touch with the folks in my hood. Like public radio, FPF depends on donations for support, so if you value FPF as much as I do I urge you to join me in donating — no amount is too small!
-Kate Villa, Burlington

Dave and I feel that the FPF is a valuable resource for the Richmond community. Please consider making a donation in order to keep the FPF viable.
-Fran Thomas, Richmond

I just made my FPF contribution! Keep up the great work — it’s truly a revolutionary tool and it’s transforming the way we all view our communities.
-Jaime Heins, South Burlington

Howdy Neighbors! I just signed up as a sustaining member of FPF because I appreciate the non-corporate local-level communication it facilitates. Whether buying a couch or selling a house, looking for a roofer or sharing information on community concerns, FPF is a wonderful service that makes sharing helpful and important information easy. This service is well worth $5 a month!
-Juliet Buck, South Burlington

I’d like to echo Deb Bouton’s post from last week about supporting Front Porch Forum’s operations with a donation. FPF is a great resource for exchanging information whose usage has steadily grown in our own neighborhood as more neighbors join. Even when I don’t have a specific question, I learn something from the posts.
-Alex Reutter, Burlington

Hi Neighbors! If you haven’t already donated to Front Porch Forum, please consider becoming a supporting member. As we all know Jim is giving up donuts for the month to pay for his donation, let’s follow his example and make a contribution to FPF, every dollar counts!

If you can’t make a financial contribution, become a neighborhood volunteer and simply help get the conversation started. Let’s use the great service together! There are 500 households in the area and only 81 have signed up so far; if we all try all try to get more of our friends and neighbors signed up the Village forum will be a better tool for connecting with our neighbors.

It’s snowing in the mountains as I write this email… anyone happy?
-Aaron Desrochers, Colchester

The world-wide-web, we are told, provides a key to exploring the world. Well, with the help of Front Porch Forum, my family is exploring the world in our own community. Yesterday’s world-travel adventure took us to Iceland – and we were back in time for dinner.

Following an invitation posted to FPF by Jill Merkel (whom we’d never met), we joined neighbors for a sheep shearing event at Weathertop Farm on Johnnie Brook Rd. Did you know there was an Icelandic sheep farm in Richmond? We didn’t. We had such fun witnessing the beautiful, artisan-quality wool pour off the 15 sheep (Weathertop sells wool and live sheep). To my daughter’s delight we also discovered Icelandic horses (available for riding lessons and some for sale), Odin, the Icelandic herding dog, and Icelandic chickens too.

We discovered that Weathertop Farm also plays host to Nama Farm which grows organic veggies, including 35 varieties of heirloom tomatoes (some of which are sold at the Richmond Market), and a rich variety of canned soups, preserves, chutneys and relishes. We came home with several jars of homemade tomato sauce. http://www.localharvest.org/weathertop-farm-M37464?ul

This very fun visit would never have happened if it were not for Front Porch Forum — which reminded us to renew our support of FPF. Front Porch Forum’s annual fund drive runs now through October 20. If Front Porch Forum has helped you too get to know your neighbors and discover interesting and worldly happenings in our town, click on http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php to make a donation. While FPF is simple for all of us to use, lots of behind-the-scenes effort is required to make this useful communications resource function 24 hours/7 days a week.
-Lauren Esserman and Jon Kart, Richmond

We, too, contribute to FPF, and will continue to do so. It makes best use of all our resources. When we had iris to give away, FPF put us on other fora as well as Countryside’s, at our request, and someone came all the way from Burlington for them.   My favorite FPF day was when we’d stopped at a neighbor’s to see about an item we’d asked to borrow. Just after we returned, another neighbor came by to return guidebooks we’d lent. Long live FPF, with help from your donation!
-Jan Abbott, 12 Chestnut Lane

I just sent a donation in to Front Porch Forum and am urging others to do so as well. I’m amazed by what is possible with this new form of communication with one’s neighbors and have enjoyed seeing what’s out there, whose cat has been returned, what small sail boats are selling for, who is offering new services, where old paint goes to die, whose putting on a play and who is disposing of their overgrown pigs… and what everyone has to say. I’ve met some great people and had some wonderful opportunities come my way through FPF.

It’s well worth the price of a small donation!! Send in a nice “thank you” check!!
-Meg Berlin, Charlotte

We have been so busy with Elizabeth’s wedding, I don’t know if I have slowed down long enough to make sure that all who helped were properly acknowledged. FPF was a great resource — I especially recall the last minute cry for help when it appeared that the wedding showered would be rained upon. Thanks to Front Porch Forum the very afternoon we asked for we located a rain canopy and even got help with its assembly. I don’t think we could have gotten any kind of similar response via any other medium.
-Lorinda Henry, Milton

Dear Neighbors: As the organizer of the very well attended Eastwood annual summer party, I can tell you that Front Porch Forum is the secret to putting together such a successful event. With a few quick emails we can set the date, borrow grills, recruit volunteers, find a band, and get the whole thing rolling. The party is one of the more visible ways we use Front Porch Forum, but a quick glimpse of the topics that have come up in the past year shows me that the way we use it to build community in Eastwoods.

If Front Porch Forum disappeared tomorrow – we would miss it, and it would not be easy to replicate with an old-fashioned email list. Please consider a donation of any size to keep the electrons humming. Just click on http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php

How do we use Front Porch Forum in Eastwoods? Zumba! Classes at South Burl. Rec; Yard Sale; X-country skis – free; Water quality; Voice teacher wanted; Unknown cat in back yard; Traffic issues; Swing-set to give away; Rain Gardens; Quality of life issues – noise, traffic, break-ins, dog poop; Plumber recommendation wanted; Obituary for a long-time neighbor; National Night Out; Mean dogs to watch out for; Library Programs; Kindergarden enrollment; Intervale Compost; Hens allowed in South Burlington?; Grass-fed beef for sale; F-35 jets (pro and con); Eggs for sale; Dryer – free (doesn’t work); Contractor recommendation; Block Party planning; Auto Mechanic recommended.
-Joanne Heidkamp, South Burlington

We love FPF
FPF is great
Please support now
-Lori Myers, Burlington

Neighbors: Just a last minute appeal to support the Front Porch Forum. I’ve been witness to the blood, sweat, and tears put forth by the Forum founders Michael and Valerie Wood-Lewis for almost a decade. It is not an exaggeration to state that they have created what amounts to a modern day institution, an entity that we easily imagine being part of our community in perpetuity. Like other institutions which largely exist for the public good, it needs your occasional support. Sometimes that support is simply telling a new neighbor about the Forum. Sometimes it means contributing a few dollars each year for your “subscription.” I encourage both activities, especially the latter – and do it now during their fund drive which ends today (Wednesday). Thank you for participating! Become an FPF Supporting Member here: http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php
-Richard Donnelly, Burlington

Still a bargain at many times the price… We’re happy once again to be able to support Front Porch Forum. It’s hard to put a value on being connected with your neighbors. But when you think about all the ways it enriches our lives from helping track down a kid who lost his track shoes to the extensive role that FPF played something like helping people organize the new community garden down the street, I’d say it’s worth a heck of a lot!
-Greg Fanslow, Burlington

Dear Neighbors, Please join Barry and me in our support of Front Porch Forum. We’re down to the wire and $7,300 away from FPF’s 2010 campaign to raise $20,000 by Oct. 20.   FPF is an invaluable resource that keeps us connected and informed! And it’s a service is free to users! FPF covers its cost through advertising and a modest fundraising effort. Please, show your appreciation by making a contribution TODAY! Visit http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php to make a donation with credit card or PayPal. Checks can be mailed to:
Front Porch Forum
PO Box 64781
Burlington, VT 05406-4791

Thank you for considering becoming a Sustaining Member of Front Porch Forum!
-Ann Cousins, Richmond

Well after a time of benign neglect – I finally contributed – and, I feel much better!! I find FPF really helpful and fun – so, when and if you can, giving a little or more will help keep it going – thanks to FPF for doing this.
-Helen Keith, Huntington

Hi Neighbors – Two requests — one is that you support Front Porch Forum by making a neighborly donation (http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php). Thanks to the fact that the Street Department took note of all our Front Porch Forum pothole jokes (and growlings), Bayview Street is now pothole-free! Besides, FPF is a treasure trove of information: where else would I learn about neighbors who make pierogis and stuffed grape leaves and sugar skulls? — which leads me to my second request. Does anyone have the name of the person who is selling sugar skulls?
-Sue Burton, Burlington

Hello Neighbors. I wanted to add my voice to the folks who posted about the invaluable service Front Porch Forum provides to our communities.

I know there have been a number of conversations floating around about wanting to see the three Richmond forums combined or at least give residents the ability to post to the other Richmond forums. I don’t know what FPF has planned for the future, but it seems to me that as service users, we can’t request those kind of changes unless we financially support their work. For that reason and for so many others, I wanted to encourage you to join me in helping them reach their $20,000 goal. Visit – http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php – to make a donation with credit card or PayPal. Checks can be mailed to:

Front Porch Forum
PO Box 64781
Burlington, VT 05406-4791

Thanks!
-Amy Klinger, Richmond

OK, friends and neighbors, we’ve made our donations to VPR now (campaign just concluding)–how about finding something in our budgets for FPF? If you appreciate the news/warnings/offers/heads-up notices, please support this other worthy cause. You can even do it in honor of your dog, cat, bird, etc. as donors due on public radio! Here’s the link.
-Mary Ellen Bridge, Burlington

I want to encourage everyone to support Front Porch Forum with a generous donation. It is such a valuable communication tool for the town and your own neighborhood. Look at what got accomplished with the bridge. Thank you Geof and Gary for the effort you put into this.
-Velma Plouffe, Richmond

Dear Friends and Neighbors of South Williston – Your support is needed to keep Front Porch Forum up and running. It is a great way for us to all keep in touch with happenings and events. I was happy to make a contribution. I could not believe it was free when I first signed on. Did anyone see Michael on Across the Fence last week explaining Front Porch Forum? Go to – http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php – if you can donate to this worthy site. Thank you!
-Ginger Isham, Williston

Just sharing…. Hi neighbors, I certainly have shared in reading and distributing the news from each other via Front Porch Forum . If you feel you were able to access, use info, distribute or just feel what a great idea! that Michael had forming Front Porch Forum for neighborhoods I hope you’ll think about a contribution, no matter how large or small. It’s pretty easy. Thank you and see you in the neighborhood!
-Anne Barbano, Burlington

I just made a donation to Front Porch Forum and encourage you to do the same. I’ve come to know several of my neighbors better this way and feel our neighborhood is stronger for its existence.    If you’re reading this message, no doubt you’re someone who benefits from FPF as well. Any amount helps.
-Alex Messinger, Burlington

We recently made a contribution to Front Porch Forum and we encourage you to do the same. Simply stated, this is a wonderful community resource and it deserves our financial support. Thank you.
-Dave and Polly Sobel, Richmond

Mark and I are sending in our donation today (better late than never)! We love FPF- the sense of community and all that it gives us.
– Linda Jones, Burlington

Hi folks – I believe it’s important to support FPF because the forum encourages neighbors to talk over the back fence, so to speak. This is essential to responsible citizenship in a democracy, especially during times of rapid social change. FPF reminds us to share with each other our thoughts and perspectives on the drama of daily life – in the village, on the hill, at the farm, or by the lake. Be sure to post a message and send a check if you can.
-Joyce E. Huff, Shelburne

Hi Starksboro neighbors – Here’s my plug in praise of FPF…

Functions efficiently
Produces results
Fosters connections

If you haven’t already, please consider becoming a supporting member by going to: http://frontporchforum.com/supporting-members Thanks.
-Allison Gergely, Starksboro

Hi Neighbors – Just wanted to drop you a note to ask that you give any donation you can to FPF. It’s a great way for us to get information about our village and more. I gave a small donation last week. If everyone could give just 5 or 10 dollars it would insure we keep this valuable means of community going. The link to the site is: http://frontporchforum.com/supporting-members Thanks.
-Bob Howard, Essex Junction

I just sent a small donation to the Richmond Village Forum.   I would like for everyone to think about a donation that they can afford. I find reading the form a wonderful way of participating more with folks in our wonderful village.
-Roz Payne, Richmond

Hi again – It’s times like these that I’m glad I contributed to FPF! This is my third posting in the last week and I’m appreciative of the people behind-the-scenes who make this forum available to all of us.
-Meg Smith, Charlotte

I have made another donation to Front Porch Forum and urge you to if you have not. FPF keeps us informed, and keeps us together – a long needed community service. Thank you, Michael and FPF. You can donate easily at http://frontporchforum.com/supporting-members
-Susan B Alden, Burlington

Do you value FPF? Become a supporting member by Oct. 20!

Posted on Sunday, October 3, 2010 by Michael • No comments yet

Front Porch Forum plans to improve and expand its service in 2011 and we need your help to make it all happen. Please become a supporting member today and help us reach our goal of raising $20,000 by October 20! Go to this web link to make your contribution:

http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php

Every year, members like you help support FPF so that we can continue to help neighbors connect and build community. To date, more than 20,000 local households have joined, and posted 100,000 messages to their neighbors through FPF!

Whether it’s car break-ins, group yard sales, election debates, block parties, town notices, or other topics, our small band of committed staff work day and night to keep it all going.

If you enjoy and value Front Porch Forum, please become a supporting member today. Read what other contributors are sharing. WE NEED YOUR HELP NOW. Considering that a subscription to the local daily newspaper costs $180/year, what is FPF worth to you? To your community? Please become an FPF supporting member here:

http://frontporchforum.com/about/donate.php

Or send a check, payable to:

Front Porch Forum
PO Box 64781
Burlington, VT 05406-4781
802-540-0069
(FPF is not a charity and contributions are not tax deductible.)

Your contribution is critical to keeping FPF going strong — and will be enormously appreciated. We look forward to serving you and your neighbors in the coming year.

Your FPF team,
Michael, Nina, Linda, Jamie and Lynn

Progression of Engagement

Posted on Friday, October 1, 2010 by Michael • 1 comment

Joy Mayer is exploring some good questions around engagement and journalism from her fellowship at the Reynolds Journalism Institute at the Missouri School of Journalism. Her posting today looks at engagement from the point of view of nonprofit organizations, news media, and online social media… and I’ll add a look from Front Porch Forum’s perch.

First, a nonprofit-focused ladder of engagement…

Joy also writes…

When we talk about “engagement” in the news, often that includes the desire to motivate users to action of some variety:

• We want to take the casual readers and increase their loyalty and commitment.
• We want the loyal readers to start sharing our content with their friends.
• We want the sharers to take our polls and comment on our content.
• We want those easy actions to lead to more involved contributions of content.

Further…

There’s a concept widely held to be true in Internet culture called the 90-9-1 principle. It basically holds that if you have 100 people in an online community, 1 of them will contribute content, 9 of them will edit or modify that content, and 90 percent will be passive lurkers. Think Wikipedia.

Here’s yet another perspective… we see people use Front Porch Forum by the thousands in our Vermont pilot. Our version of the 90:9:1 ration looks more like 25:50:25 in our active areas, that is, we see astounding participation rates. And FPF members often follow this general progression of engagement…

A person will sign up with Front Porch Forum for a direct transactional need, e.g., sell a car, find a lost dog, report a car break-in to neighbors, recommend a new restaurant or plumber, etc.
Over months, he/she will become more connected with nearby neighbors and attentive to local goings-on due to daily light exposure to brief postings from clearly identified nearby neighbors.
After feeling more connected and tuned in, and after watching neighbors step up to help each other and pitch in on community projects, he/she will become more involved locally… mentoring a school kid, leading a graffiti clean-up in the local park, attending a City Council meeting, organizing a block party, etc.

This third step is what FPF means by engagement… people getting hands-on involved in their community… their geographic, real-time, real-space community. One survey of FPF members found two-thirds had attended a local event due to FPF and nine out of ten reported increased local civic engagement!

Neighborhood Relevancy Increases Traffic

Posted on Friday, October 1, 2010 by Michael • No comments yet

Interesting piece from Peter Krasilovsky today involving Vermont’s own Maponics…

Sorting content by neighborhoods and ZIP codes can boost usage considerably, as HelloMetro recently discovered. The 10 year old city guide gets over six million monthly unique visitors, and has 1,500 local sites. In a case study published today, it said it has received a ten percent jump in traffic after it started using a neighborhood and ZIP sorting service from Maponics. Twenty-five percent of that boost, or 2.5 percent overall, was directly related to pages organized around neighborhoods and ZIP codes.

The site says its problem was that it had too much content coming in from its 50 writers and various news feeds. But it didn’t sort enough by neighborhood. Searches for subjects, names and points of interest could only be done on a metro-wide basis.

The Maponics technology for sorting neighborhood data essentially solved that. Now, searches can be conducted by neighborhood and also include such features as city resources, shopping ,theater, communities, schools, jobs, and other categories. Altogether, 90,000 fully optimized neighborhood and zip-specific pages have been developed. There are roughly 45 neighborhoods per metro, it noted.

Getting folks to take action… bicycle and sewing machine edition

Posted on Thursday, September 30, 2010 by Michael • No comments yet

Joanne Heidkamp #BTV #VT of Green Mountain Returned Peace Corps Volunteers organized a used bike and sewing machine collection last Saturday. The dozens of bicycles and sewing machines are headed for people in developing countries. She told me today…

Front Porch Forum was the leading channel for letting donors know about the event.

FPF    35 bikes    1 sewing machine
The Other Paper       21 bikes
Burlington Free Press    11 bikes    3 sewing machines

Does the Internet affect offline cooperation?

Posted on Wednesday, September 29, 2010 by Michael • No comments yet

J. David Goodman writes in the New York Times…

Can Americans share? Or, at least, not steal?

That question hung over the rows of identical fire-red bicycles lined up last week for the start of Capital Bikeshare in Washington, the nation’s largest bike-sharing program.

Similar programs also began this year in Denver and Minneapolis, with another to start in Miami this fall. At the same time, start-up companies with names like SnapGoods, Share Some Sugar and NeighborGoods are trying to make money by using social networks to let people borrow or lend their stuff, either free or for a fee.

These companies are looking to join a familiar list — including Netflix, Zipcar and Pandora, the online radio service — built on access to goods and services, rather than ownership.

But the question is whether most consumers would ever accept time share ownership of a bike or a blender. After a bike share program began in Denver, one gubernatorial candidate in Colorado attacked the program as un-American.

But some scholars say that the Internet — by fostering collaboration on a communal, open platform — has changed the way Americans think about sharing and ownership. Collaborative habits online are beginning to find expression in the real world.

“I thought that online was an exception,” said Yochai Benkler, co-director of the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard, whose coming book, “The Penguin and the Leviathan,” focuses on the explosion of cooperative endeavors, both online and off. “I now am more confident that the phenomenon is not limited to online but is a general phenomenon of human behavior.”

So far, he said, there have been no formal studies into whether the Internet has affected offline cooperation or attitudes about ownership…

This kind of offline sharing happens everyday in via Front Porch Forum in our Vermont service region.

Get to work with your neighbors and 350.org Oct. 10 #BTV #VT

Posted on Wednesday, September 29, 2010 by Michael • No comments yet

Thousands of Vermonters have made Front Porch Forum into an incredible platform that connects neighbors & builds community. Every day members return lost pets, organize block parties, lend rakes, & exchange ideas about a recent city council meeting.

Building on all this activity, I’m excited to invite my fellow Burlington-area residents to participate in a Global Work Party on 10/10/10, being coordinated by our friends at 350.org. It’s a worldwide day to get to work on community solutions that fight climate change. This issue affects almost every part of our lives, and many of the solutions lie in small, locally connected neighbors getting to work together.

We hope you will take this opportunity to join hundreds of people in Burlington (and thousands of people across the globe) and commit to taking action on 10/10/10.

Here are some action ideas from 350.org:
— host a block bicycle fix-up
— weatherize your neighbor’s house for the winter
— launch or showcase your business’ sustainability initiatives
— harvest a local community garden
— host a local foods potluck or climate film screening
— and much MORE

Check out projects already planned for Burlington on 10/10/10 at http://www.350Burlington.org and sign up your own event at http://www.350.org

At 4pm on 10/10/10 I hope you’ll join me at 350.org‘s Celebration Rally at Battery Park. I’ll share a few words then about what’s next for the FPF community.

Dutch: Better a good neighbor than a far-flung friend!

Posted on Wednesday, September 29, 2010 by Michael • No comments yet

From Briana Barrett at Neighbors on Purpose in Seattle…

Better a good neighbor than a far-flung friend!
-Dutch proverb

Health experts: Facebook friends don’t replace neighbors and family

Posted on Wednesday, September 29, 2010 by Michael • No comments yet

From Reuters…

When it comes to changing health behaviors, it takes more than a far-flung network of friends on Facebook egging you on. It takes a jostling herd, U.S. researchers said on Thursday.

Social scientists have assumed that changing behavior would spread like the flu, which transmits best via individuals with lots of long-distance contacts.

But to change behavior, you need to be surrounded by the message — with neighbors, family and members in the community all reinforcing the same idea.

“For about 35 years, wisdom in the social sciences has been that the more long ties there are in a network, the faster a thing will spread,” Damon Centola of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, whose study appears in the journal Science, said in a statement.

“It’s startling to see that this is not always the case.”

Knowing how best to influence health behavior is important to health reform as the United States turns its focus to preventing disease, rather than treating it…

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