Monthly Archives: December 2016
Front Porch Forum ““ An Underutilized Community Resource in NEK
Lost your pet? Need to sell or borrow something? Looking for service provider recommendations or starting your own small business and want to spread the word? Front Porch Forum (FPF) can help with all these things and more.
I recently moved to the NEK from central VT where FPF provided me a long daily listing of local information, neighbors needing or providing resources, free items, school and selectboard updates and more.
FPF is only as good as the people using it. To be a great resource, a healthy percentage of a town or towns’ residents need to join and use it.
We are lucky in Vermont to have this FREE resource available in every community!
In some communities as many as 90% of residents participate, but in Essex and Orleans County the average participation is less than 20%.
Because we are more rural and isolated than other parts of the state, having an active FPF is even more beneficial.
To join your local forum go to frontporchforum.com and sign up. It’s easy and you won’t regret it!
• Rhonda Shippee, Morgan, VT
UFO sighting in Lincoln
“Today, Sunday, at about 4:35 pm, I was driving down River Road in Lincoln, VT, when I saw what appeared to be a plane at low altitude heading east – upriver, so to speak. Besides going in a strange direction, it seemed to be flying low. As I drew closer I could see its outline in the darkening sky. It had wings with lights on the ends, a red light under the center, and what looked like two fuselages with an odd tail. It was just hanging there in the air like an air balloon. Hard to tell how high – maybe 200-300 feet? I was so startled I turned around at the bottom of River Road and went back to look at it again, but it was gone. Did anyone else see this thing? I feel like I must have been hallucinating. Thank you. “
• Tina, Lincoln Front Porch Forum
iPhone rescued from Stowe toilet
“Yup! Cap dropped his iPhone in the toilet today so what do you do? … Post on Front Porch Forum to beg, borrow or steal an iPhone 4 or 5 from anyone who might have one hanging around! Thanks.”
• Ginny, Stowe FPF
“Thanks to all who suggested the rice method of drying out an iPhone. Special thanks to Jenny Lawson from BunyaBunya who gave me a plastic bag full of those little Silica gel desiccant packets. I added some rice too and…. Voila… it is working this morning!”
•Ginny, Stowe FPF, next day
Hospitality help and a long ladder in Essex
“Thanks FPF for bringing me two great people this year: Khris and Shawn. I posted for help in my small hospitality business and Khris came into my life. She is someone with a big heart and natural understanding of what is needed. Thank You so Much!!! Secondly I asked if someone had an extra-long ladder, and Shawn, of Advanced Appliances, amazingly lent me his ladder. I was able to finish two difficult painting jobs. Thank You again Shawn!!! And Front Porch Forum. This would not have happened without You!!!!”
• Laurel, Essex Center FPF
420 address sign in Waitsfield stolen… again
“Hi Neighbors… Once again someone stole my address numbers. This is the third time, twice this year. This time they pulled the whole post out of ground… with the number 420 on it. I have had this address since the start of E 911, and I hate to change it. If you see a brown 4×4 with number 420 on it please notify me or the State police.”
• Vic, Waitsfield FPF
“I want to thank all those who responded to my posting about the stolen house number post. You left me a lot of suggestions on what I could do. I want to thank Front Porch Forum for their help, and special thank you to Susan who spotted the post on Blush Hill in Waterbury, and sent me directions. The post has been picked up and I will reset it and try again.”
• Vic, Waitsfield FPF, a few days later
Online FPF Community Calendar… each Vermont town has one
“At last a way to see some of what is going on in the Valley – please keep showing the Mad River Valley FPF Community Calendar!”
• Pamela, Warren Front Porch Forum
“Just want to thank the FPF member who posted about the 2016 Holiday Concert held at the Hunger Mt Christian Assembly Church this afternoon. We took my 79-year-old Mom, as a Christmas gift, and we all loved it! It’s great to hear about events in our community right here on our FPF!”
• Sue, Duxbury FPF
Problems solved: Succulents, zipper repair, DTWOF, home for Frank the Cat, film-to-DVR conversion, lawn mowers, computer help
“Thank you all that responded to my request for succulents. I got so many generous responses I have more than enough at the moment. We live in a cool town. Good job, Front Porch Forum.”
• Alicia, Charlotte FPF
“Thank you to all who jumped in with suggestions for someone to replace a parka zipper. I Think , with that list of possibilities, I’m all set 🙂 Isn’t FPF the absolute best!!”
• Betsy, Randolph FPF
“Thank you Montpelier: I had so much response to my request for the Alison Bechdel Seven Days issue, from people I knew and people I didn’t. Someone even wrapped and dropped a copy on my porch, a secret donor? Thank you so much for sharing with me, thank you Front Porch Forum. Found: a great community with a great forum.”
• Karen, Montpelier FPF
“We found a wonderful home for our cat, Frank. I feel very good about the young woman who has brought him to her home. Thank you Front Porch Forum!!!!! I love this community.”
• Jill, Calais FPF
“Thank you to everyone who responded to my inquiry about finding someone who could transfer old home movies (over 50 years old!) to DVDs. I found a wonderful gentleman in Plainfield who did a fantastic job and had super reasonable pricing. I am so excited to share the movies that none of my family has been able to view for many many years and one family member who has never seen them. What a gift!! Happy Holidays!”
• Pamela, Middlebury FPF
“Thank you so much to all those you responded to my quest for a MacBook Pro computer savvy helper. Hands down it is Melissa at Orchard Road Computers. She will be hearing from me shortly. FPF is such a great resource and much appreciated.”
• Margery, Charlotte FPF
“Thanks for all the lawnmowers! It looks like everyone had an old lawnmower but me! I really appreciate all your offers. I got what I needed. Thank you so much FPF people!”
• Pat, Middlesex FPF
About Blog
Ghost of Midnight is an online journal about fostering community within neighborhoods, with a special focus on Front Porch Forum (FPF). My wife, Valerie, and I founded FPF in 2006... read more
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