Category Archives: Front Porch Forum
Vermont Writers’ Prize goes to “Neighbors”
From VTDigger today…
Mike Minchin is the winner of the 2015 Vermont Writers’ Prize. His story “Neighbors” tells the story of two neighbors of very different backgrounds and how they connect during a power outage. The Vermont Writers’ prize is awarded by Green Mountain Power and Vermont Magazine.
Mr. Minchin said he was inspired to write this story because neighbors helping neighbors is what makes Vermont so special. “I’ve had a lot of good neighbors in Vermont ““ one helped tow my car out, another sanded my driveway in an ice-storm. We don’t always know our neighbors, but when life becomes difficult it can bring people together, and our differences even out a little bit. I was inspired during Hurricane Irene when neighbors across Vermont helped each other out”…
Contractors, doctors, house painters and… muskrats
Shared yesterday across various local Front Porch Forums… first from Jim on the Middlebury FPF…
WOW! I posted yesterday that I was looking for suggestions for contractors who could enclose a deck we have on our house and within a half hour of FPF coming out, my email box was blowing up with responses! At last count I think I got about 15 suggestions! Looks like I am going to have alot of phone calls to make! FPF is the best!
From Carolyn on her FPF in Essex Junction…
Boy! Was my mailbox full! Thanks to all of you who took the time to respond to my request re a family doctor. I will compile them all and pass the info on to my friend on Thursday. FPF is a terrific resource – but it is really all you neighbors who are great.
William on the South Hero FPF…
The response from our neighbors has been fantastic! We’ve received over a dozen replies to our request for interior painter recommendations and have narrowed our list to 3 candidates to whom we’ve reached out. Thanks for demonstrating once again that FPF is a great community resource and for your valuable input.
And, finally today, from Julie on the Hinesburg FPF…
Thanks so much for the amazing replies regarding our need to trap a muskrat. I love Front Porch Forum and am so grateful to be in such a generous and helpful community.
Vermont’s FPF featured on NPR’s All Things Considered
Wonderful to hear Front Porch Forum stories playing to a national audience on NPR’s All Things Considered.
And thanks to Vermont’s own Angela Evancie for nailing the facts while conveying the neighbor-helping-neighbor spirit of FPF.
Front Porch Forum co-founders Michael and Valerie Wood-Lewis run the company from their home office in Burlington, Vt. Credit: Angela Evancie/Vermont Public Radio
Daily Yonder’s take on FPF
By Dale Mackey, published in The Daily Yonder on Feb. 25, 2015…
A Vermont-based social media platform helps residents communicate with neighbors. In the process, participants feel more connected to each other and their communities, says the project’s founder… [click to read full article]
A block party for the Five Sisters neighborhood in Burlington, Vermont, which was Front Porch Forum’s launch neighborhood. Photo: Carolyn Bates
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 🙂
Neighbor helps school kids by sharing old magazines
Judy shared on the the Barre City Front Porch Forum…
In hopes of making spring come early, I am cleaning like crazy. I have several years of Guidepost magazines and many Good Housekeeping, Woman’s Day, and Vermont Life. Great articles, recipes, decorating tips. Come and get them. They are all in good condition.
And then she followed up yesterday with…
Thanks FPF. I found someone who wanted my magazines. She is a teacher and will make good use of them. What a great resource!!!
Problem solved for Judy, the teacher and her kids got free materials, and some neighbors met and now will be able to greet each other next time they see each other… good stuff. This kind of thing happens through FPF hundreds of times each day across Vermont, helping neighbors connect and build community.
Another case where email trumps social media
The Washington Post reported recently that email still trumps social media in political campaigning… “and it’s not close.”
When are neighbors better than family?
(Photo: Joshua Brown)
“A study by University of Vermont (UVM) sociologist Thomas Macias found that people who socialize with their neighbors would switch to more planet-saving measures than people who kept to themselves or associated mainly with family and friends,” according to TakePart.com. “Macias lives in an area where people take the time to get to know their neighbors and stay connected via online communities like FrontPorchForum.com.”
UVM reports “The study, published by Environment and Behavior journal, finds that people who socialize with neighbors are more likely to ‘keep up with the Jones’ on green behaviors, including water and energy conservation, buying organic fruits and vegetables and driving less. ‘These findings suggest that our neighbors play a unique and crucial role in getting people to act on climate change,’ says Macias. ‘Green outcomes were surprisingly higher for neighbors than family relatives or close friends.’
Very old, mostly deaf and blind dog finds self
Posted on the Huntington Front Porch Forum on Wednesday…
Our orange and white Brittany spaniel Emma is still missing. She’s very old, mostly blind and deaf. With the help of several neighbors, we spent yesterday, a chunk of the night, and again this morning searching the Camels Hump ski trails to no avail. Our best hope is that she wandered out onto a road and took refuge in someone’s shed or barn… She’s wearing a green collar that has our phone number on it.
And the happy-ending follow-up on Friday…
Some 20 minutes after yesterday’s Front Porch Forum was published, I stood at the window, as I have done so many times over the last several days, staring into the darkness, picturing in my mind Emma walking across the yard as she used to do. All of a sudden, the motion sensor light clicked on, and there she was! Exactly as I was picturing in my mind!… A mirage? Hallucination from lack of sleep? I yelled, we all yelled, and ran out the door to scoop her up. She was skinny, her paws were iced up, but she looked pretty normal and happy… and determined.
Our neighbor, a vet, stopped by a little later to look her over and she checked out pretty well… cold, a few raw spots on her feet and legs, but Wow.
We want to thank our neighbors, friends and family who helped in the search, although it was Emma who got herself home, several folks put in hours and miles in the woods and roads to help look for her. And thanks to the community for some many hopeful and encouraging words. We were close, but we didn’t give up hope. And more importantly, Emma didn’t give up!
“Thanks for being a digital Town Meeting prep station”
It’s Town Meeting season. We get plenty of questions about how to use Front Porch Forum to address local issues this time of year, so we thought we’d share the following.
Postings about local Town Meeting topics, elections and ballot measures are welcome on each FPF. We ask that people who submit postings keep their tone civil one person’s witty remark is another’s cutting insult. Also, please focus on the topic rather than on specific neighbors. If you think someone is abusing this opportunity for open community dialogue, feel free to contact us with details.
Every single town in Vermont now has Front Porch Forum, and many of them become more lively this time of year as neighbors ask questions and share facts and opinions leading up to Town Meeting Day. We’re grateful to be able to make this contribution to Vermont’s centuries-long tradition of local and democratic decision making. We’ve heard repeatedly that people feel more informed and better able to participate and vote on Town Meeting Day thanks to their neighbors’ postings on their local FPFs. Please feel welcome to join in.
Of course the best way to participate is by showing up at Town Meeting and/or the ballot box!
P.S. From Susan in Montpelier today… “Thanks for being a digital Town Meeting prep station (ugh)… but you know what I mean, right?”
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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