Category Archives: Community Building
St. Nicholas of Tomatoes?
Wonderful Front Porch Forum posting of the day from Christine in Burlington’s Old North End…
Some of us, including myself, have mentioned problems in our neighborhood this summer. I just wanted to mention a kind act that was done for me. A couple weeks ago I posted a question about worms in my garden soil and mentioned I was trying to grow tomatoes in my yard. A few days later I came home to find some beautiful tomato seedlings on my front steps!! I don’t know who left them for me, but I was so surprised and pleased to receive them! Thank you to whoever gave me the tomatoes! I will be sure to share the tomatoes from these plants and therefore you can know your act of kindness has given happiness to others too.
While on the topic of things we are thankful for, I just want to say how grateful I am for my neighbor Iris, who watches over my home whenever I am not there. She is a wonderful neighbor and has been such a help to me over the years. I always feel more secure knowing she will keep an eye on my place if I am not home.
Hometown Daily Covers Front Porch Forum
Thanks to Sally Pollak who wrote an excellent feature article about Front Porch Forum for the Burlington Free Press yesterday.
Photo credit: Alison Redlich, Free Press
FPF Milestone… 10,000 subscribers!
Wow! An amazing 10,000 local subscribers to Front Porch Forum now… out of about 50,000 households in our pilot area of Chittenden County, VT… with 100s more joining every month. And most of those members came to us through word-of-mouth… neighbor telling neighbor.
Any resident of Chittenden County may register at http://frontporchforum.com, while others can go there to join our waiting list. Cheers!
Borrow a car on short notice… no problem
Providing less than 24 hours advanced warning, Bonnie in Huntington posted the following the other day…
Hi Neighbors – My car died yesterday, and for the first time in years I’m without car. I must admit it’s liberating, but the only trouble is, that I need to get to work tomorrow, Saturday, June 28. I was wondering if anyone might have a car I would be able to borrow for the day? I leave at 8:30Am and return at 8:00Pm.
I figured this was too much to ask with too little lead time. So I was pleasantly surprised to read her follow-up posting today…
Hi Neighbors – I’d like to thank you all so much, for the overwhelming response to my request to borrow a car for the day.
Work went well, and I got to drive around in Jim H.’s bright yellow Chevy. I was a hit with every teenage boy in Burlington and Shelburne. The car is for sale, if you know anyone that might be interested.
The Huntington Front Porch Forum is a great way for our community to continue to be the very special place it is.
Thanks much, Bonnie
What do neighbors post about?
People often ask… “what do the neighbors write about on Front Porch Forum?” Well, it’s challenging to boil it down to a simple list (although it would have to include missing cats and bikes). So here’s a batch of message headlines taken from the last week of postings on FPF’s 130 online neighborhood forums covering Chittenden County, VT…
- City Launches New Website!
- Another Neighbor Joins Forum
- Curious about Private Investigation?
- The Ramble July 26th!
- Old Windows
- Yard Sales June 21, Stolen Bikes
- Seeking update on 144 North Union
- Democrats Gathering June 21
- Police presence
- Please Return Plant
- garage sale June 21-22
- Abandoned Bike
- Books on Tape
- Traffic Concerns
- Jonas Brothers tix wanted
- Petra Cliffs day passes
- Dogs on Leash in Gilbrook
- Disturbing Incident Comment
- Day Care Suggestion
- Adaptive Sailing Open House June 22
- Fisher Cat Question
- Stolen Bike
- Fresh Air Fund
- NEW NORTH END YARD SALES JUNE 21
- Seeking Roofer Recommendations
- Cat Seeking Loving Home
- Cat Seeking Home
- Blow up balloons for July 4 parade and fireworks!
- South End Farmer’s Market
- landscaping/tree service recommended
- Forum Publication Timing
- SUMMER DAY CAMP
- Questions for Bear Experts…
- Sing Along June 30
- Police and recent vandalism
- Sing along
- Vinyl Siding
- looking for dog sitters
- Wildlife Teams Forming
- CARD GAMER SEEKING PLAYERS
- Pick-Up Frisbee
- Animal Shelter Fundraiser June 28
- summer tennis update
- reliable assistance available
- Hot Days, Cool Books
- Seeking Cat Sitter
- Disappearing Plants
- Regarding wreckless driving
- Hinesburg Vermont Yankee meeting June 25
- Nature Camp spaces available
- Black Bear Expert
- ride needed to Burlington
- seeking tag-along bike
- need a babysitter?
- missing bike
- ONE Farmers’ Market Opens June 24
- Drop-In Music
- Strange man
- House Siding
- Events at Your Library
- Extra Car seats?
- Treadmill for sale
- Apartment or house-sitting needed for July-August
- Seeking quilting lessons and doctor recommendation
- Park at night
- Traffic calming on town website
- traffic safety: an addition to Bretts smart words
- Entertainment Center for Sale
- Local Meat for Sale
- apartment needed
- Help Garden at Boys and Girls Club
- kids, police, eggs
- Timely Traffic Forum!
- Free couch near Young St
- Looking for Temp Living Space
- Seeking Lawn Mower Sharpening, Loaner
- computer desk for sale
- Australian Ballot
- Champlain College Block Party Invitation
- Real Estate Appraisal Questions
- Seeking bike loans
- Speed Enforcement and Traffic Calming Plan Update
- Looking for exercise/spin bike
- Burlington Permaculture Updates
- Misdelivered package
- Weekly Massage Special!
- Seeking Diamond from Wedding Ring
- Bike Rodeo and Round Up
- Seeking Bricks
- Race Data Collection Community Forum June 24
- Missing Chicken?
- Beach and fires
- More theft in the ONE
- free plants
- Seeking Moving company recommendations
- Looking for Swing set and Perennials
- Seen: Blue and White Parakeet
- Regarding Lawn Fertilization Concerns
- Urgent: Temporary Home Needed for Cat!
- City Website Feedback
- Petra cliffs passes gone
- Michael Franti/Spearhead ticket for sale
- Condo for Rent
- Valuable food information
- looking for sod recommendations
- local foods meeting – seeking farm land
- Seeking kittens
- Stray Cat – Yours?
- Discussion of Budgets
- Middle School Theatre Workshops July 21-25
- Summer Photography Classes
- Seeking Babysitter
- City Liability for Storm Damage
- Plant Thieves
- Children
- Seeking computer speakers
- Massage School Needs People to Massage!
- firewood for sale
- bike theft
- Free Storm Door
- Interior Painter Needed June 29 or 30
- moving company recommended
- Town Meeting
- Seeking tree service recommendations
- Volunteers Needed for Senior Games June 28
- Farm shares available
- Refugee Resettlement Benefit June 29
- 277 East Allen Project
- Traffic Calming Meeting TONIGHT
- house for rent
- Live Fire Training at UVM canceled
- Push Mower Sharpening
- Seeking Bike Loan
- more on Siding
- Summer Project Help Available
- Dining Room Set for Sale
- seeking Audiologist recommendations
- Drug Concerns on Murray St
- The Bagel is selling pizza
- Five Sisters Teen Filmmaker Wins Top Prize
- seeking Tree surgeon recommendation
- Seeking Part-Time Administrative Assistant
- Face Painter Wanted June 28
- Rhubarb for concord grapes
- Seeking to borrow water cooler June 28
- Local Arts Festival September 7
- Street Flooding Issue – Letter to Mayor
- Bunk Beds for Sale
- Need a house sitter?
- Seeking Hiking Area Map
- PC repair
- McQueen hearing: Cronin report
- Yard sale June 27-29
- reel mower sharpening
- Qigong
- SPEED ENFORCEMENT
- Two Dream horses for sale
- Seeking Painters, Flooring, Movers Recommendations
- Appraisal increase!
- Carpentry Needed?
- FPF History, success, and seeking furniture fix
- FUN WITH GOOGLE MAPS
- House for Rent in Hinesburg
- stray cat
- Farmer’s Market website
- home cooking delivered
- worms composting at South End Farmers Market
- Catamount Health Expansions
- Volunteers Needed for July 4 Run
- seeking dolly loan, dryer offered
- Yard Sale June 28-29
- Bike theft advice
- free dirt
- Police Chief Reinstatement
- Seeking House Cleaner, Mother’s helper recommendations
- Green Lawn Mowing Available
- seeking forwarding address…
- Linnie’s Event, Murray Street Concerns
- Tree Service Recommended
- Seeking Tent, Recommending Movie
- Seeking Raw Milk Source
- Let’s brag about a local adult this time!
- Childcare Opening
- Teen Police Academy July 7-11
- Nature Camps
- seeking roofer recommendations, painting and grounds help
- FARMERS MARKET WEDNESDAYS
- Yard Sales June 28
- Cancellation of fire training
- Teen Seeking Summer Work
- Ethan Allen Homestead offerings
- Comcast expansion into Westford
- volunteer opportunity June 28
- Lake Monsters at Library June 27
- July 4 celebration needs your help
- Music Nights June 26-28
- Library Programs
- Neighborhood Garage Sale June 28
- Australian Ballot and Town Meeting
- Book Sale at Town Hall July 4
- PLANT THIEVES
- Seeking Rental
- TV News Preference Survey
- Babysitter, Pet-Sitter Available
- New American Farmers Update
- Hinesburg House for Rent, Shelburne Qigong
- Tag Sale June 28
- runaway dog?
- Found Cat
- FPF History, Restaurant Recommended
- Exchange Students Seeking Housing
- Garage Sale June 27-29
- Found Trash barrel
- Free Music and Movies at UVM Saturdays in July
- Seeking Firewood Recommendations
- joggers thank safe drivers
- Melinda Moulton
- Soccer Game
- Speed Meetings
- lumber delivery June 25
- Restaurant Recommended More
- Soccer Anyone?
- North Ave. and 127 Slip Ramp Closure Meeting
- seeking summer housing
- red lily beetle
- 128/North Ave Ramp Mtg?
- Updates on Siding; Benefits of FPF and Good Neighbors
- volunteers needed june 30
- Energy message from BED
- Decriminalize Drugs
- trash burning illegal inside or outside
- seeking skin product
- Little League Schedule; Lake Monsters Night June 28
- Wedding Gown Available
- Edwina Gateley Event July 11-12
- House Sitter Available
- RiverWalk Celebration June 27
- tennis lessons
- Free Film and Music Series in July
- New Business: Big Help
- slate, china cabinet offered
- North St. 2 br. sublet
- Seeking dogs for calendar
- Seeking Lost Glasses
- Seeking vehicle to buy
- Seeking Stolen Bike
- Car for Sale
- 4th of July celebration
- Free Family Event on UVM campus
- Film and Music Starting July 12
- Seeking summer driving students
- Neighbor Appreciation
- Farmers’ Market list for June 27
- Free Kids Toys
- UVM grad getting acquainted
- Host Families Needed
- Half-off Tag Sale June 28
- RT 127/North Ave intersection meeting
- A Rave for Tommy’s Grill
- Bug Repellent
- Home Renovation – 47 Catherine
- UVM film-music and seeking host families
- UVM Summer Film and Music Series – FREE!
- Avon Source
- seeking host families
- 2nd Annual North Quarter 3rd of July Parade
- Eager to commute
- Cancellation of fire training comment
- Seeking third housemate
- New Farms for New Americans update
- Seeking car tires, bike seat, roof coating
- Seeking bathtub
- House for sale – Open house June 29
- Thai restaurant feedback
- Massage Barter for help with Move
- About Illegal Drugs
- best seat in town july 3 fireworks
- Obama Event
- Winooski Online Survey
- Robert and Gigi June 27
- Seeking Housing for visiting authors
- Communication Committee Meeting July 2
- New Aikido Introductory Series
- Looking for Apartment Cleaners
- Register to vote
- Free Film and Music Series
- small tricycle in our yard
- Documenting Ancient Roads in Milton July 2
- Free Computer Storage Media
- Thank You and Hunting for Accordion Players
- Neighborhood living
- Volunteer Needed for Huntington elder
- variety of gadgets left on our doorknob
- Seeking host families
- Police Chief Hearing
- Flynn Tour Opens South Burlington Gardens
- Homeowners’ Assn. Dues Past Due
- Seeking missing cat
- Myrtle Street Avant Garden Update
- Garage/Yard Sale June 28
- Garage Sale June 28
- AMBER ALERT – Please Help
- Richmond 4th of July Needs You!
- Neighbor Joins Forum
- Summer Camps at Shelburne Art Center
- Chief Back
- Sing-Along and Town Meeting
- Westford Recreation Summer Programs
- Fireworks Safety Tips
- PERSONAL ACTION AND GLOBAL CHANGE July 11-12
- FLYNN TOUR OPENS SOUTH BURLINGTON GARDENS
- Fourth of July Bike Parade
- SEEKING LOST CAT – Bright St
- Looking to get gravel hauled
- Gubernatorial Campaign seeking Volunteers
- Wanted: Woman who wanted Great Escape Ticket
- UVM Engineering Students Demonstrate Hybrid Car
- Gardener available
- Huntington’s Disease Walk June 28
- Garden Tour and Immigrant Farms
- Seeking 2-bedroom apartment
- Seeking feedback on possible Westford Park and Ride
- Seeking Car for June 28
- Apology – City Issues
- Traffic Concerns on Laurel Hill
- Ward One Commissioners Ask…
- Free pool table
- In response to drug dealers and courage
- Drug addict stereotypes
- Garden Tour
- Seeking Chairperson for Road Committee
- Bike the Lake for CF July 12-13
- Trash and Recycling Schedule
- CH17 PRODUCER TRAINING FREE
- Seeking Missing Calico Cat
- Drunken Noodle House
- circus tickets for sale
- camera for sale
- Open House June 29
- Neighborhood wildlife
- Porch Sale/Give-Away June 29
- Break-In on Pennington Dr
- Looking for Tennis Partner
- Avon Appreciation
- Obama T-shirts available
- FPF Tech Response
- Any babysitters needed?
- BIG HELP is HERE!
- Fireworks… register to Vote
- More Neighbors Join Forum
- looking for roofers!
- Another Neighbor/Babysitter Joins Forum
- Roofer experience
- seeking dog supplies
- Seeking small tent to borrow
- What happened to Huntington River last night?
- Free Ice Cream Maker
- Found Cat – Yours?
- Seeking caregiver
- BOOK SALE AT TOWN HALL JULY 4
- Winooski Festival Appreciation
- Flash Flood Follow Up
- big yard sale July 5
- looking to borrow a dolly
- Pet Sitter Needed
- Movies on the Green?
- Tech Difficulties and Seeking Pet Sitter
- Summer Host Families Needed!
- Braun Juicer for Sale
- Summer PRACTICAL HERBALISM class offering
- Looking for sailboat rental
- Need simple (?) chair repair – Help?
“This person is MAD!!!!”
People often ask how Front Porch Forum has grown so rapidly in such a short amount of time… it’s almost all word-of-mouth. Neighbor tells neighbor. Here’s a posting from a South Burlington neighborhood forum today that serves as a good example…
Re the notice about the appraisal increase… one of my neighbors did receive a notice like this. This person is MAD!!!! I am forwarding this to her, and encouraging her to join Front Porch Forum!
While we do see people come on board in reaction to a problem like this, it’s much more common for folks to join because they hear it’s a great way to connect with neighbors and plug into neighborhood news.
Is Front Porch Forum Nationwide?
Front Porch Forum subscribers frequently are surprised to learn that this free service was created right here in our corner of Vermont. It’s no secret… our start-up story has gotten decent local media coverage.
Here’s today’s example from a relatively long-time and active subscriber from Essex Junction…
First of all — will someone please tell me the “once upon a time” of Front Porch Forum. Since I’ve been a member, I’ve been singing its praises to family in Texas and most recently Oregon. But you know what!! I really don’t know where this started and I’m just now barely getting little hints and cues that this actually STARTED in VERMONT!!
Is this true?!! And if so, yet another reason for pride in this little state of ours.
Here I’ve been telling Texans and Oregonians — “Check out your own neighborhood. I’m assuming ‘Front Porch Forum’ is national, if not international.” Sooooo, if it hasn’t been done recently, I’d love to have someone fill in those of us who are in the dark. Or maybe post the “history” on the website under ABOUT US. Thanks in advance.
Second of all — I am indeed reaping the benefits of Front Porch Forum. I’ve established a weekly connection with a high school student who comes over and aids me with certain chores — recycle and trash out, groceries in, other lifting and tugging. He’s pleasant, dependable, willing, and courteous, and also a kindred theatre spirit by way of EHS drama program! He gets paid right away; and when he helped us with unloading and setting up our tag sale, he was able to earn more.
Knight Commission focused on Communities, Information and Democracy
I’m honored by a recent invitation to be one of a few people asked to address the initial meeting of the new Knight Commission on the Information Needs of Communities in a Democracy… June 24, 2008, at the new Newseum in Washington, DC… to be webcast live.
“The charge of the Commission is straightforward,” says Alberto Ibarg¼en, president and CEO of Knight Foundation. “Articulate the information needs of communities in this democracy; determine where we are today; and propose public policy that will encourage market solutions.”
I look forward to sharing some of what we’ve learned through Front Porch Forum with this august group. The full commission is listed here. And…
The Commission will be led by co-chairs Ted Olson, former Solicitor General of the United States, and Marissa Mayer, Vice President of Search Product and User Experience at Google. Peter Shane, a distinguished law professor at Ohio State University Law School, is the executive director.
The Knight Commission is funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and organized by the Aspen Institute.
Serendipity in the Neighborhood
Occasionally, someone will post a request on his/her FPF neighborhood forum the same day as a neighbor offers a solution to that request… unbeknown to each other. So the next issue of their neighborhood forum is published with the problem followed by the solution… all neat and tidy. Gotta love it. Here’s today’s simple example on a neighborhood forum with about 400 participating households…
Hi there! We were wondering if anyone might have a twin box frame floating around that they no longer need. We would love to have it for use of our four year old’s new mattress. Thank you very much! Sarah
The item above was posted at 4:00 PM followed at 4:01 PM by…
On the green strip in front of [our home on] Catherine St.: twin size mattress, box spring, and wooden frame; come and get it before the rain comes!
Hope they connected! Rain should be here soon!
Make every posting count… twice
Steve Yelvington posted today…
Knowledge@Wharton has an interview with Joe Kraus, director of product management at Google, in which he highlights the importance of social interaction on the Web:
“So, the killer apps that have really worked on the web have always been about connecting people to one another. So, whether it is instant messaging and e-mail as communications to connect people to one another, whether it’s photo-sharing as a way to connect people to one another through photos, or blogging as a way to connect people to one another through the words, people have always been social and the killer apps that have really succeeded on the web have always been social.”
This got me thinking about a couple recent conversations with folks asking about huge powerhouse online companies that have outposts in Burlington, VT, where we operate Front Porch Forum‘s pilot. The gist was… “Wouldn’t people be better off selling their car on Craigslist Burlington, seeking plumber recommendations on Angie’s List Burlington, giving away their old couch on FreeCycle Burlington and just using Front Porch Forum to organize block parties and find lost cats?”
Good question and I encourage people to use multiple services when they have the need. But like Krause says above, it’s all about connection. While websites offering classified ads, reviews, give-away matching, etc. by location COULD help people connect in some meaningful way, I don’t think they do. My sense is that they help facilitate the immediate and direct need (selling a car, finding a plumber), but they don’t touch the other… they don’t capitalize on the opportunity to add a brick to the house of local community with each interaction.
That’s what Front Porch Forum is all about. We aim to take every posting by clearly identified nearby neighbors and cobble them all together to build real community among neighbors and townsfolk. Why give away your moving boxes to anonymous distant strangers when you can offer them to your nearby neighbors and actually get to meet some people who live near you? That’s tapping the real potential of the internet… as Google’s Joe Krause says… it’s all about connecting people.
Or, as Wolfgang reported a month ago…
Just wanted to let you know that we sold our Minivan today to a neighbor through Front Porch Forum. We had more people expressing interest and more people showing up to look at the van who found out through the Forum than the interest generated by Burlington Free Press, Cars.com and Craigslist combined. Thanks!
So, again, I encourage folks in our service area to post their messages on any site they like… AND to post it on Front Porch Forum. The results typically speak for themselves.
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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