Category Archives: e-Vermont
Calais Community Root Cellar
“As you may remember from previous Front Porch Forum posts, the Calais Vermontivate team won first place in the community division. This means we earned $1,000 toward our mission of building a community root cellar. We will soon be working on the design for a root cellar in the basement of the Maple Corner Community Center. We don’t know yet how big it will be, but, it would help to know — who will want space here to store your roots? Send me an email to let me know if you want to participate.”
• Ginny, Calais FPF
Reckless drivers endangering lives… Vermont discussions heating up
The following Front Porch Forum posting sparked a lively local discussion about texting while driving…
“The past few days while entering and leaving Cambridge Elementary School I have witnessed several drivers texting while leaving the school. We all know it is against the law, but more importantly, there are children who are walking and biking to school and “you” are putting their lives at risk. The text you are responding to is not more important than their lives. Pick up and drop off times at CES is a very busy time and drivers need (and have the duty) to be alert. School officials can only do so much, we are all responsible for the safety of every CES child!”
• Sean, Cambridge FPF
Another Vermonter in Plainfield took a more direct tack…
“Speeding on Laird Pond Rd- Please Stop or I Will Throw Rocks at You… A red truck with a cap came barreling down Laird Pond Rd this afternoon right around bus drop off time 3:30 and sped by my son and honked loudly. He was off to the side, he was not in the way. He is a student walking home from school. Lots of children walk this road every day. Speeding on this road at this time, or any time is unacceptable. I’m serious about the rocks.”
• Erin, Marshfield Plainfield FPF
Given recent tragedies on Vermont roads, these conversations are as important as ever. Local FPFs are a good place to raise these concerns and gauge neighbors’ feelings as well.
Middletown Spring neighbors take good fences
• Linda, Middletown Springs Front Porch Forum
Angel delivers cleats and glove to Little League rookie
“Wow! I came home from work today to find brand new cleats and glove on my front porch. My son is all set for Little League. What an unbelievably generous and thoughtful gift from a complete stranger. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Barbara, you are an angel :)”
• Gretchen, Mad River Valley FPF
People ask why we work so hard to host Front Porch Forum across every community in Vermont. That’s easy to answer! It’s the constant flow of neighbor success stories — large and small — that stream through FPF every day. Here are a few more examples from the past week:
“I posted a need for firewood to get through to spring, should it ever arrive. I ran out and was in a fix with dry wood almost impossible to find. So thank you to the Front Porch Forum neighbor who came through for me. It warms the heart when someone you never met goes out of their way to be generous with their abundance. Thanks also to FPF that made this possible.”
• David, Jericho FPF
“Overwhelming response to the free paint…gone within minutes of posting! Front Porch Forum, great way to make room for spring.”
• Susan, Montpelier FPF
“FPF really worked! I received 8 recommendations for a good massage therapist. Thank you all for your help.”
• Stephanie, Burlington FPF
“Wow! Can’t thank the Barre/Berlin communities enough for their veterinarian recommendations yesterday. FPF gratitude to all.”
• Amy, Barre City FPF
“Shortly after yesterday’s FPF edition was posted, I received a helpful phone call from a new friend and was able to solve my computer problem! Gotta love the FPF concept; and to think I heard an interview with the founder on NPR earlier in the day, just magic! I will be supporting them again and hope you all do the same.”
• Ralph, Vergennes FPF
“Thank you for all the great responses and suggestions for donating egg cartons. Mine will be making their way to VYCC. FPF rocks!”
• Joanna, Richmond FPF
“Wow, FPF members are truly great! I shouldn’t have been surprised when I woke up the morning after my request for landscape designers to several recommendations!! Thanks so much… Looking forward to our spring project!”
• Nancy, Montpelier FPF
“Sharky the Cat had been missing since September- amazing reunion! Front Porch Forum made one family elated beyond description… thank you everyone for your interest.”
• Trish, Mad River Valley FPF
With graduation in sight, neighbors help student theft victim
Arlene shared on her Morrisville Front Porch Forum recently…
My son’s backpack was stolen, and in it? His much-needed-for-school graphing calculator! As there are only 3 months remaining in school, and he’s a senior, I don’t want to run out and buy a new one. Anyone have a no longer being used one that they’d like to lend (preferably) or sell?
And then yesterday her follow up…
A big THANK YOU to both the respondents to my plea, and to FPF. What a valuable resource for the community. Thank you to the loan offers and thank you to the giver of the generous gift of a no-longer-being-used calculator. Great way to reduce, reuse, recycle AND help 🙂
Business owner offers $5,000 reward on FPF for info about fire
The Stowe Reporter used the Morrisville Front Porch Forum recently to learn…
A Morristown man is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for a fire that destroyed his business last year. But state fire investigators say the blaze wasn’t suspicious and there is no active investigation.
Most traditional media outlets in Vermont use their local FPFs for leads to stories that they investigate and report on. We’re glad to play this role… and others. Further, we appreciate when proper attribution is included in the piece, e.g….
He posted a notice on Front Porch Forum last week, offering a $5,000 reward in hope that someone would contact state police with information.
Stowe and the surround communities are fortunate to have the Reporter and the Record digging into local stories.
Creating resilient communities in Vermont
Front Porch Forum is proud to be part of the Vermont Digital Economy Project, which has had a big impact across the state over the past couple years.
“VCRD launched the Vermont Digital Economy Project to offer free support to speed flood recovery, spur economic development and job growth, and improve community resilience to disasters. The project worked directly with Vermont towns affected by 2011’s floods to help businesses, nonprofits and municipalities expand their use of online tools. Together with project partners, we helped increase digital literacy and online workforce training, added Wi-Fi and other public access points, brought a community-based social network to every Vermont town, created town websites and community calendars, promoted the use of “cloud” applications, and provided customized small-business and nonprofit training.”
Check out this interactive map for lots of stories and real-world results:
59th Street Bridge Song for Vermont rutted roads
Posted by Barry on the Middlesex Front Porch Forum yesterday…
A ruined Paul Simon “59th Street Bridge song” to sing while driving our rutted roads
Slow down, you move too fast
You got to make the morning last
Just sliding down the muddy road
Looking for fun, the road is groovy
Ba da da da da da da, the road is groovy
Hello, lamppost, whatcha knowin?
Hope not to hit ya when its snowin
Aintcha got no rhymes for me?
Doot-in doo-doo, the road is groovy
Ba da da da da da da, the road is groovy
I got no deeds to do
No promises to keep
Im dappled and drowsy and the road is too steep
Dont let the morning time sic its ice ruts on me
Life, I love you
The road is groovy
He forgot to suggest, Doot-in doo-doo, that we all get good snow tires!
Happy, safe Holidays!
Town Clerk: “If FPF wasn’t there, we’d have to invent it”
A central Vermont FPF member emailed several of her local municipal officials urging greater use of their FPF to reach and engage citizens about a host of topics. The Town Clerk just replied with this:
“… the Clerk’s office makes quite a bit of use of Front Porch Forum. I get quite a bit of feedback on it, particularly around election related deadlines and events. I’m pretty sure the Senior Center (and probably others) does too, so I know the utility has been spreading. I love FPF for clerk stuff, actually. It’s a perfect fit. If it wasn’t there, we’d have to invent it.”
Relocalizing Vermont on WGDR
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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