Category Archives: Community Building

Neighbors chip in for their forum

Posted on Monday, July 23, 2007 by • No comments yet

We were touched the other day when a couple neighbors passed the hat at the annul block party to help support their neighborhood forum.  More than 40 households contributed.  Thank you Five Sisters and Dori and Lori!

Contributions to Front Porch Forum are welcome and they help cover expenses during this early stage of development.  Some folks think of it as a voluntary subscription fee and pay on a monthly basis.  To make a one-time or ongoing donation, check out our secure online contribution page.

Neighborhood rallies around family facing deployment

Posted on Sunday, July 22, 2007 by • No comments yet

Under the heading “Babysitter Needed – Urgent” this moving message circulated through the Village Green Neighborhood Forum a couple days ago…

Hi – We have a 14 month old and are looking for a baby sitter for tomorrow night. It’s my husband’s last night in town before he deploys to Iraq, and the baby sitter we had arranged for tomorrow just called and canceled.

I never know how neighbors will respond to various messages, especially postings that go out over a lovely summer weekend when people spend less time online. But now I see this follow up…

Two nights ago I posted a desperate request for a baby sitter, as my husband is deploying to Iraq, and our originally scheduled sitter had canceled. I wanted to take the time to thank everyone for the outpouring of support and help that was offered. We were able to find a sitter, and enjoyed a nice night together before he leaves.

The generosity and kindness of this community has helped reaffirm our decision to move to Vermont, and we feel lucky and grateful to be in such a great neighborhood. Thanks everyone!

I needn’t have worried! Not only was a sitter found, but the family was swamped with support from the neighbors, many I’d guess who didn’t know about the imminent deployment previously. That’s neighborhood and Front Porch Forum at their best.

Good Neighbors in Condo Developments?

Posted on Friday, July 20, 2007 by • No comments yet

Beverly writes in the West Kennedy Neighborhood Forum today…

I moved to South Burlington from Essex a year ago. My dog June and I have met a lot of other people with dogs. I have a piano that is sitting in my condominium waiting for someone to play it. It belongs to my daughter who doesn’t have room for it at this time in her life. I wondered if anyone (child or adult) in the neighborhood would like to use my “practice space.” Maybe you always wanted to take piano lessons but didn’t have a piano. Now you could use mine (no charge). I work during the day, but June is here and would love company. I’m sure we can work out the details to satisfy all of us. I look forward to hearing from my musically inclined neighbors.

Now that’s lovely… mighty neighborly. I’ve had several folks assume that condo associations are less amenable to Front Porch Forum… that somehow condominium dwellers are all hermits or otherwise uninterested in their immediate surroundings. The early evidence goes against this theory, with the message above the latest example.  People are people and most of us want some connection to our immediate neighbors.

North vs South – The Rumble at the Ramble

Posted on Friday, July 20, 2007 by • No comments yet

This sounds fun. From a posting on today’s ONE Central Neighborhood Forum.  I’m pulling for the South End!

Field Days – North End Ramble – South End vs North End

Hey folks – as many of you know the North End Ramble is taking place this next coming weekend. JULY 28th. I believe the Studio STK people know a lot about the events – and the Crombie Street Block Party always rocks.

My particular part is helping to organize the Field Day Event. Where the North End hosts the South End in what is called “The Rumble at the Ramble” – or “War of the Wards” – whichever you like. Don’t let the names scare you though, last year was one of the most friendly competitions I have ever seen – water balloon toss – 100 (aprox) yard dash – hula hoop perseverance – standing long jump – shotput with a bowling ball – the mile – sack race – a race I invented called “20-20” where you spin around 20 times and have to run 20 yards and back – arm wrestling – possibly more events – and all culminating in a giant tug-of-war.

Last year the South End won – the trophy is at the Muddy Waters. Could the North End win this year and see the trophy displayed at the Radio Bean?

Details – meet and sign up and High Noon at Battery Park on Saturday. We will do some warm up exercise and get going around One. Stay for as long or as little as you want. To volunteer to help email me – ( we do need some things brought to the event still). Bring some watermelon! Last year it all took about two hours, was a ginormous amount of fun, and everyone went on the enjoy the North End Ramble, which is what we are shooting for this year too.

Will the South End rise again? Will the North End bring its “side pride”?

Confused about which End of Burlington you live in? Bank Street is the deciding line we decided on. Also – out of town guest are welcome – which side of (44°28’N) Longitude they live decides what team they are on.

Thanks!
Michael J. Nedell

“Why I Love Front Porch Forum”

Posted on Thursday, July 19, 2007 by • No comments yet

A wonderful note from Rosemary to her Starr Farm Neighborhood Forum today…

To all in Starr Farm neighborhood: While browsing one day I discovered FrontPorchForum.com when it was just the “Five Sisters” of the South End. I was curious because I was born there (Catherine Street) and lived there with my children later. I expressed an interest in Starr Farm neighborhood, and lo and behold, became the founding member!

I was ready to begin my contribution if, and when, the sidewalk snowplows once again tore up the front lawns, but it didn’t happen this year!

Meanwhile I love hearing how many neighbors have joined and love watching the “happenings” of this end of town. It is reassuring in this day that people are still generous, kind and caring about the people who live in this town. In short they are still “Neighborly.”

Hope I can someday be of real help to someone in need.

Thank you, Rosemary… what a lovely sentiment.

Today’s Sample Success Story

Posted on Thursday, July 19, 2007 by • No comments yet

Sharon of the NE Winooski Neighborhood Forum writes today…

A great guy to know… A few weeks ago I posted a message about needing someone to help with removing some shrubs.  That’s how I met Josh N., one of our great neighbors.  He did a great job and I keep finding more things for him to do.

I wanted to recommend Josh to all of you who need landscaping or carpentry.  He’s professional, friendly, knowledgeable, honest, and charges reasonable rates.  I think he’s terrific and I think you will too.  Hiring Josh is a sure way to get quality work and a great opportunity to keep your business in Winooski.

That’s just how Front Porch Forum is supposed to work… meet an immediate need and get to know the neighbors in the process.  Another small success!

Front Porch Forum Team Earns Award!

Posted on Wednesday, July 18, 2007 by • 2 comments

As reported by the Burlington Free Press yesterday…

South Burlington – This year’s recipient of the Community Appreciation Award, which is given out each year at National Night Out, will go to Michael and Valerie Wood-Lewis, who founded Front Porch Forum. The Front Porch Forum is an email based service organized by neighborhoods, where neighbors talk about topics from baby-sitting to vandalism.

The Community Appreciation Award “recognizes someone in the community whose efforts have made a difference in our community” and who has worked toward crime prevention and youth services, said National Night Out coordinator Catherine Welch. The Wood-Lewises will receive the award at 7 p.m. on Aug. 7 at the Dorset Park band shell. Gov. Jim Douglas will present the award.

“After only a half-year of operation, more than 5,000 Chittenden County households have joined Front Porch Forum,” Michael Wood-Lewis said in a press release. “FPF hosts 130 contiguous online neighborhood forums covering the entire metro-Burlington area. People use the free service for many ends, including finding a babysitter or lost cat, selling a canoe, recommending a plumber, announcing a school play, reporting a car break-in, organizing a block party and so much more. And, the best part of it, all of these activities are done with clearly identified nearby neighbors, so the sense of community in each neighborhood grows.”

Wood-Lewis said he and his wife are “humbled” to be nominated for the award and they will share it with the thousands of local Front Porch Forum members, volunteers and sponsors.

By all means, this award is shared with the more than 5,000 local FPF participants… definitely a group effort.

I encourage local folks to attend the various National Night Out events… sounds like a fun bash (and free!) taking shape… carnival, parade, fireworks, live music, rides, food and more. We’re taking our kids. August 6 at 6:30 PM at Dorset Park, and then the main event on August 7 from noon until 10:00 PM at the park (rain date is August 8 ).

Update:  Details about the event are now available on the South Burlington Police Dept. website.  Also, Sgt. Tom Fraga and organizer Catherine Welch recorded a Channel 17 TV show about it all the other day.  Click here and then select “South Burlington’s National Night Out Preview Show (7/17/07)” under Special Events.  They mention Front Porch Forum at 22:40 into the 30-minute program.

Friendliness makes the neighborhood

Posted on Monday, July 16, 2007 by • No comments yet

Front Porch Forum operates under the assumption that when neighbors communicate frequently in civil, constructive ways with all parties clearly identified, that over time all those exchanges will add up to a stronger sense of community.  So while FPF members partake in many of the wonders of contemporary online social networking (buy, sell, trade, free, referrals, politics, organizing, reviews, news, advice, etc.), it all adds up to a more neighborly place to live… because all those folks coming at you through your computer are nearby neighbors who will be seen next time you walk the dog, sweep the walk, check the mail, etc.

Now this from Kevin Harris in the land of “Neighbourhoods” discussing a new report in the U.K. that…

… appears to suggest that the most important factor for people who expressed satisfaction with their area, was that ‘people are friendly.’

The negative factors were all about disorder… The implication seems to be that if you invest a lot in helping local people to get involved… you still cannot necessarily expect them to feel more satisfied with where they live.

Whereas, it would seem, were you to invest in people being friendly to one another (and get results from that investment), you could expect that to show up in your satisfaction survey in a couple of years time. Yet another argument for more street parties and new ways of promoting neighbourliness. [emphasis added] It does seem as if  social relations and behaviour at local level are gradually coming to be perceived as being of significance.

Boston Police hand out 40,000 Nametags

Posted on Monday, July 16, 2007 by • No comments yet

Here’s an interesting piece…

With the help of more than 150 volunteers, the Boston Police Department, in honor of National Night Out 2007, will distribute 40,000 nametags at Fenway Park to attendees at the Red Sox – Blue Jays Game on July 15. The Boston Police Department’s Neighborhood Crime Watch Unit is embarking on this “Nametag Day” to encourage fans in attendance to get to know their neighbors. Neighbors who know each other are more likely to care for and watch out for each other. This reduces crime and strengthens their community. Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis will welcome the crowd and officially kick off National Night Out Boston 2007. This year’s theme is “Unity through Community,” which is made possible when neighbors get to know each other simply by learning each other’s names. More information about National Night Out Boston 2007 can be found at www.BostonCrimeWatch.com.

The use of nametags comes from Joseph Porcelli’s (BPD Neighborhood Crime Watch Unit) “Nametag Project.” Joseph and others in the United States and Canada have been wearing nametags since January 1, 2007, everyday, all the time, everywhere they go to encourage people to get to know their neighbors and speak to each other. The project has received national recognition. For more information on The Nametag Project visit www.thenametagproject.com.

Some folks compare a successful Front Porch Forum neighborhood to all the neighbors wearing name tags, since every posting include the writers full name, street and email address. A bit cumbersome, but there’s no getting around the value of displaying names.

Topix Forum Posting Pattern

Posted on Friday, July 13, 2007 by • No comments yet

Digging a little deeper into the MediaShift piece about Topix providing small town forums…

We found that in most places in this country, we are the only high-end news site. What happens is this odd pattern where a news event happens, and they find our site online and they like it and stick. One of the more dramatic cases was when two tornadoes struck Caruthersville, Mo. Up to that point, we had a little activity there but it was pretty low. That day we had 600 posts about the tornadoes , and it was astonishing, there were first-hand accounts and people were asking if so-and-so was OK. People in the town were responding and saying, ‘yes, they’re OK.’ A few months later, a lot of the people had stayed in the forums.

There’s a lot of local gossip and chit-chat. Will it pass a test for being journalism or not? Well, a lot of important issues would pop up, like about the police chief or a sex scandal at the high school. The traffic is sustained by the gossip and chat, but from time to time, they want to talk about important civic issues, and because we’re the only site that offers that, this is where they do it.

Tolles: If you look at the curve of posts [click graphic on left], you had this initial burst of posts with the tornadoes, and then the daily chatter in the forums. But somewhere along the line, there was this unpopular police chief and government, and now the post volume is higher than it was during the spike around the tornadoes. It’s got to the point where I sent a person from my staff out there and he’s videotaping the town, making a mini-documentary, and everyone there knows Topix. People in this little town know us.

This posting pattern is similar to what we’re seeing in Front Porch Forum‘s various neighborhood forums. Low level chatter as people join and it slowly builds. However, in a neighborhood with a galvanizing event (unwanted big box store, crime wave, etc.), we seek a spike. Post spike, however, the plateau is raised. Then, the second big issue (that is, in the neighborhoods that have had two big issues so far), message traffic gets big and stays there.

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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