Category Archives: Community Building
Return of the Battalion Stallion
Front Porch Forum members can be very creative with their postings! Witness this humorous exchange:
“What a disgrace. I’ve never in my three years of living here been more disgusted with the State of Things. No more Battalion Stallion on the Country Store menu? Was there even a vote? Together we can right this wrong. Join me and the growing ranks of outraged citizens and help restore this town treasure to the once-great menu.” • Ben in Jericho
“As both creator and destroyer of the Battalion Stallion panini, I offer my deepest, most profound sympathy for the loss of your beloved sandwich. It indeed was a stalwart of our menu for many years here. It filled up many a weary traveler on his or her way to gastric heaven. Alas, along came newer sandwiches and the Stallion became a lost pony. But only the forgotten are truly lost, as they say. This is ‘Merica, and despite our differences we can find common ground. All it takes is a good conversation and a hilarious FPF post. So, although we won’t put it back on the menu, you can stop by or call and order it. We’ll make it for you! Long live the Stallion! Hooah.” • Jon at the Jericho Center Country Store
Neighbors helping neighbors to get out and vote
With election day around the corner, we’ve been witness to many great examples of FPF members offering to help get their neighbors to vote.
“I would love to help a couple of people who either don’t have a car or cannot drive, get to and from the polling booth next Tuesday. This would include pick-up at the person’s home, bringing them to the polling station, waiting for them to vote, and then driving them back home.” • Sonia in Williston
“If you or someone you know needs a ride to the polls November 6th – or needs a ride to Town Hall to get a ballot for early voting – please let me know. I am arranging to assist folks getting a ride.” • Jean in Reading
“When you read the postings in this forum about a hotly contested election for our local State Representative, all of them, no matter who the advocate is supporting, have been reasonable and respectful and I think it reflects well on the quality of the people who live here and the health of our community.” • Howard in Wells
All of us at Front Porch Forum encourage you to vote this election!
A musical bond is formed on FPF
How will you use FPF to form friendships?
Happily, Vermont has Front Porch Forum
Did you hear the commentary aired on WDEV’s Friday morning news show about FPF?
In case you missed it, listen to the broadcast from Common Sense Radio commentator John McClaughry and learn why he encourages us to give a look at Front Porch Forum.
“Here’s how we’ve benefited from FPF… “
Here’s FPF-member Amy’s list… what’s your’s? Please donate today to our Supporting Member Campaign!
Bought a chair.
Got a free fridge.
Learned about the town forest.
Gave away baby gear.
Bought a desk.
Got a free music stand.
Bought a suitcase.
Re-homed my houseplants.
Found out about a garage sale.
Got some wicked awesome leaves. (Thank you Dave T!)
Publicized many events for The Coop and Forest School.
Learned about Saturday morning meditation.
Found out a hundred dogs were lost. And found!
Learned about fun stuff to do at the library.
Got a free wool blanket to make a sleeping bag.
Learned about the town plan.
Complained about squirrels.
Was reminded to check for ticks.
Gave away some tools.
Bought some mud boots.
I could really go on. Thanks Richmond! We made a donation. Thanks FPF!
Helping Older Vermonters Age Well!
Every day, neighbors connect on Front Porch Forum to post and read about events, community issues, and local goings on. Read about how Vermont neighbors and FPF have helped older Vermonters to Age Well below.
If you’ve noticed Front Porch Forum making a difference in your community, consider becoming a supporting member today by donating here.
“Thank You to Front Porch Forum for Helping Older Vermonters Age Well!
Aging well requires community. Neighbors assisting neighbors to accomplish the necessities of life ““ maintaining social connections, securing ample and healthy food, having the mobility to address life tasks such as keeping medical appointments.
Helping make this happen for older adults in Northwestern Vermont (Franklin, Addison, Chittenden and Grand Isle counties), is the core purpose of the regional nonprofit and Area Agency on Aging organization, Age Well (www.agewellvt.org). Instrumental in accomplishing our mission is our cadre of dedicated volunteers. Each week over 850 of our aging neighbors will receive at least one meal, primarily as part of our Meals on Wheels program, with over 5,000 meals served weekly. In addition, Age Well’s volunteers serve as Senior Companions and Friendly Visitors to ensure that isolation, transportation and assistance with daily living tasks are not barriers to living life to the fullest. These programs are only possible through the efforts of our incredible volunteers, now numbering over 1,100.
So what does this have to do with the Front Porch Forum? Consistently, the most productive resource for Age Well volunteer recruitment has been the FPF. As demand for Meals on Wheels has increased, so has our need for finding volunteers. During times of greatest recruitment need, the FPF team has gone the extra mile to assist in finding new volunteers, putting into action the spirit of community that is the essence of Front Porch Forum.
For the hundreds who are served by the scores of individuals who found their way to become Age Well volunteers through the FPF, we simply want to offer a sincere shout out. The Front Porch Forum is truly a remarkable community treasure.”
-Kim H., Age Well Board Chair from Mallets Bay
Let’s pick for our neighbors this apple harvest season
The Vermont Foodbank reminds us to visit one of Vermont’s orchards this season and Pick for Your Neighbor! Front Porch Forum is pleased to sponsor this yearly initiative to help our neighbors. So let’s work together to help increase the amount of fresh produce available for Vermonter’s facing hunger and support our local orchards. To see a list of participating orchards visit https://www.vtfoodbank.org/event/pickforyourneighbor
Better Informed Communities
Front Porch Forum Members Trust Their Neighbors.
“When it comes to informing neighbors, was there really life before FPF?” “Our community garden is thriving in its 4th season, largely because gardeners and supportive community members heard about it on Front Porch Forum. On FPF, we learn what our neighbors are thinking and doing. We participate in offerings we wouldn’t otherwise have known about. We avoid hazards we might have stumbled into if uninformed. We sell, buy, and give all manner of goods and services. I look forward to reading every issue. My responses range among curious, amused, concerned, angry, delighted, relieved, gobsmacked, inspired, and more. It takes a lot of worthy content to stimulate so much response repeatedly over time.” • Sheryl in Montpelier
Connecting with neighbors and building local community begins with being better informed. FPF stimulates that in spades. Neighbors who use Front Porch Forum to communicate are more aware of who lives around them, stay better informed about what’s happening in their communities, and are more prepared to face challenges and times of crisis.
“FPF exists to help communities become more resilient,“ says FPF co-founder, Michael Wood-Lewis. “Neighbors who know each other and communicate about what’s happening locally are far more likely to be better prepared to face tough times.”
You’ve got to know that a local issue is bubbling up if you’re going to be involved. For many Vermonters, that starts on their neighborhood or town FPF. Even knowing about the weekend’s yard sales or school sporting events via FPF leads people to getting more face-to-face time with neighbors.This leads to more connection and more involvement. Get on the local grapevine. Sign up for your local FPF. Read, and then share your perspective in a posting to neighbors.
Bree, librarian at the Westford Public Library, uses Front Porch Forum regularly to reach their patrons. From updates, special event notices and library closings, she finds FPF “reliable and easy to use. FPF is the social media outlet that reaches different generations of patrons – appealing to the whole town rather than a certain demographic or “friend” group.”
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation funded an independent third-party, Network Impact, to design, implement and analyze an online survey of 132,188 Front Porch Forum members in March 2017. 13,086 Vermonters completed this 20-minute survey. With a 99% confidence level, the survey results represent the full FPF membership.
A community gathering place
“I am so grateful to Front Porch Forum. It strikes me how casually we use this gathering place, how satisfying it is even if we’re just looking for a Phillip’s head screwdriver, and how much more important many of our needs and generosity and community support have become.
And the tenderness of this community always comes through.
But it does need a forum, and thankfully we have one.
I just expressed my gratitude by pledging a monthly donation to keep it all going. When you think of what we receive; the discussions we have; the friends we make; the help that comes our way, it does seem appropriate to say thank you.”
• Tami in Montpelier
And we are grateful for our FPF members as well!
Vermont band making noise in libraries
FPF happily supports the Book of Zoo Library Benefit Tour, now in the middle of their two-month tour performing at 13 rural libraries this Summer. Come hear some great music and support our rural public libraries, an important part of our communities! All donations from the concerts go to support literacy programs for the hosting library.
“As the public storehouse of knowledge, the public library can be viewed as a free society’s insurance that all ideas will be accessible to everyone who may want them. Ideas and information are certainly available elsewhere, but no other agency or organization can guarantee such a wide accessibility to ideas of all kinds that will be free of charge to all its customers.” • Librarian at the Arvin A. Brown Public library in Richford
“I was totally unprepared for the outpouring of cards, gifts, sweet wishes, reminiscences, and hugs that have come my way as my tenure as librarian has come to an end with my retirement! I am on Front Porch Forum to say: thank you all for your wonderful kindness and generosity, and for the joy of being allowed to love your children for all these years!” • Lynne in Middlesex
Post thanks to your own librarian(s) on 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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