At FPF, we don’t see how many off-Forum replies members get to their postings. We see a lot of responses in individual Forums, or we get hints, like the one below, revealing just how much activity is happening off the Forum between members.
“My recent request for hearing aid recommendations was a rousing success. 30+ people responded! (Costco was the overwhelming favorite.) Thanks one and all.” • Fred in Brandon
Wow! And, no, Costco did not pay us to share this 😉
Even as extremism and disinformation have pushed their way into political discourse across the United States over the past several years, Vermonters continue to use Front Porch Forum to engage in constructive conversation leading up to Town Meeting Day and local elections.
Here are some recent unsolicited FPF postings from various parts of the state:
Sheila posted on her Greensboro FPF to see if anyone in town could turn her grandmother’s old fur coat into a Teddy Bear.
Journalist and podcaster, Erica Heilman, picked up the story and aired it on her podcast, Rumble Strip.
Fun fact… “Rumble Strip was named #1 Podcast of 2022 by The New Yorker and among the top 10 podcasts of 2022 by The New York Times.”
FPF has helped people find their cats, dogs, keys, wallets, and even livestock, but this is a new one. Carol in Burlington writes…
and later…
Neighbors engage in productive, meaningful discussions every day on Front Porch Forum in communities all across Vermont. In addition to finding lost dogs, selling used bikes, and recommending mechanics, FPF is a popular place to tackle local issues in respectful and neighborly ways.
For example, Connie shared on her Williston Forum this week…
“I am very grateful to FPF for allowing all of us the opportunity to vent mutual concerns and come together as a group to discuss potential ways to resolve these shared concerns. Thank you FPF!!! I now don’t feel alone in my discontent and I have learned new ways to address the USPS issues. Our shared concerns matter. Let’s keep communicating!”
Add your voice to your local Forum. Join and post at FrontPorchForum.com!
Everyday across Vermont, neighbors come together to fix problems, have fun, talk, and share. Increasingly, they use their local Front Porch Forum to get the conversation started. Here are some recent examples…
In Essex Town and Essex Junction this week, neighbors are meeting at the local police station to organize neighborhood watches in response to property crime incidents. Notices for this meeting reached 10,377 FPF members out of the 9,310 households in these communities!
In Charlotte, folks there are using their FPF to organize a backgammon league. The member’s posting below reached 4,037 FPF members in a town with 1,499 households!
In Morrisville, one neighbor is looking to find a local running group. Shannon’s posting reached 4,852 FPF members in a town with 2,810 households!
How about in your town or neighborhood? Any new hobbies or meetups popping up? If you’re trying to get people together, Join FPF (if you don’t already have a free account)! Click compose and post your message to nearby neighbors.
Happy organizing!
Two days before Christmas, Vermont braced itself for a Nor’easter. The storm brought snow, ice, rain, and strong winds taking out power in many parts of the state. In Middlesex the Town Clerk turned to Front Porch Forum to share daily emergency info and updates.
Later, members wrote in applauding their Town Clerk and all the utility workers that got them through the storm. We’re impressed by all of them, too! Here are some highlights…
We are always impressed to see how neighbors come together to navigate difficult situations. Storms like these are what FPF and Vermont community is for!
Kindness is no stranger to Front Porch Forum‘s members. Every day we see neighbors posting appreciation for the people in their community. We’re sharing a few recent stories of gratitude this week. We are grateful for all the people making neighborly connections happen. ♡ Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Today a large tree fell across our steep, twisty driveway. Carey, a friend and neighbor, offered to send her husband to clear the obstruction. A new neighbor, Doug, followed me up the driveway and attempted to move the tree. Eight hours later, Dakota and Andrew, a young couple and future neighbors, skillfully attacked the tree and opened up access for us. Our gratitude to all of them for demonstrating the kindness and neighborliness that makes Vermont a special place to live.
• William in St. Johnsbury
Thanks to all the folks who had seen hubcaps in the area, I got mine back! Yay for FPF!!!
• Sue in East Montpelier
Many thanks to all who reached out to provide a dog crate for my daughter’s visiting puppy! I have secured a crate for the week (and actually longer)! I am grateful to live in such a giving community where people reach out just to lend a hand. It’s a good start for Thanksgiving.
• Terry in Randolph
A couple weeks back I requested donations for a young couple that is new to the area, relocated from the deep south. They’ve never experienced winter in New England before. The donations were dropped off to them and they are warm and cozy as can be while navigating daily life with snow! Thank you so much to everybody who reached out and orchestrated getting donations to them, the generosity from this community is outstanding.
• Tanya in Randolph
Sometimes you need just a little bit of something to finish one small project. For this neighbor, it was leftover paint.
Thanks to everyone who donated spray paint for my small projects! What a great way to get rid of unused paint cans. If people are clearing out their garages, consider posting things like this. There’s always someone with a half-finished project that could use your unwanted paint/nails/scraps of wood/etc. What a great forum we have here!
•Catharine in Brandon
What a lovely reflection of FPF’s use in this recent posting:
Need fulfilled, money saved, carbon footprint reduced, and neighbor connection created.
Many thanks for all the suggestions and offerings regarding my query about getting myself another Garden Way Cart. Mine lasted 43 years, and doesn’t owe me a thing, but is now saying “goodbye” by falling apart. Thanks to Donna, I now have an even larger cart that will allow me to get garden jobs done just that much faster. When hubby and I went to pick up the cart, we had a nice time chatting as a thunderstorm rolled in! It’s nice to get to know our neighbors and also nice to not have to shell out full price for something new when something used is right near by! Thank you!! • Devin in Grand Isle
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