Category Archives: MacArthur Fellows
100,000 Front Porch Forum members in Vermont!
We’re excited to announce that Front Porch Forum now has 100,000 members across Vermont. More than one-third of the households in the state participate in their local FPFs. Thanks to all who have helped achieve this milestone.
To share FPF with other Vermonters, please send them to FrontPorchForum.com to check it out and sign up.
FPF’s mission is to help neighbors connect and build community. We do that by hosting a statewide network of online neighborhood forums where Vermonters post about lost pets, borrowing ladders, recommending plumbers, sighting moose, reporting break-ins, discussing school budgets, and much more.
It takes a village to find llamas on the lam
“Have you seen our llamas? They went missing from our home on Falls Hill Road this past Sunday. We have driven, and walked and searched high and low but have not had any luck. They are 6-year old females, one dark brown and one lighter blond. If you have any information, please email or call 889-3739. Thank you!”
• Amy, Tunbridge Chelsea Front Porch Forum
“They were seen yesterday morning grazing in an open pasture on the ridge above Ward Hill Rd/old 4th class Kelsey Mountain Rd. For those in this area, please keep your eyes open and let us know if you see them. They are standoffish so don’t expect to ‘catch’ them. Notifying us is the best way. We are getting closer!”
• Amy a few days later
“Dear Friends – Our llamas are home! They enjoyed themselves for nearly 2 weeks in the wild but today the party ended and we were able to corral them safely and soundly off the ridge and down Ward Hill Road and into their pen. Thank you everyone for your emails and thoughts and help and offers of help. We are grateful and relieved to have them back and appreciate the support from the community. May they stay put for the foreseeable future!”
• Amy one last time!
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.
Foster child overwhelmed by neighbors’ care
“Many, many thanks for the fabulous response many of you gave to our foster child’s search for a bike. K is overwhelmed by his sense that so many people out there care and we are excited that he’ll have a bike to ride this spring (it is spring, right? As an Englishwoman, the seasons have me a little confused!!) We feel fortunate to live among you all – and thanks also to Front Porch Forum for allowing this kind of communication and community-building to take place.”
• Zoe, Underhill FPF
Above and below are a handful of the postings we get every day on Front Porch Forum. What will you post to your neighbors?
“I’ve enjoyed your comments on Front Porch Forum. They remind me of how messy and important free speech and citizen journalism are to a functioning democracy.”
• Bill, Hinesburg FPF
“Golden Retriever Found! I knew I could count on FPF. Thank you everyone for the phone calls and assistance. Lulu is home and although she looks pretty guilty, she had an eventful day! Thank you!!”
• Alison, Bristol FPF
“Hi – I’m looking for someone to roll my yard to help smooth out the bumps. I can contact lawn services in town, but FPF seems to be a better place to start. If you’ve hired someone to do this for you, and were happy with the work, i’d really appreciate the recommendation. Thank you!”
• Mary, Montpelier FPF
“My pet sitting business is a success! ‘Found you on FPF’ is the first thing I hear when a new client comes my way.”
• Deb, Middlebury FPF
Great response to post on yard clean-up… Many people responded and I’ve got someone to help. Thanks FPF! What a great way to connect!”
• Anne, Bristol FPF
“Just wanted to let you know that Andy and I secured housing in Essex this afternoon! Yippeee!! Thank you again for your help! The owners found out about us through your FPF posting – we probably never would have found an opportunity like this otherwise.”
• Karen, Essex Center FPF
Need local survey respondents?
A Burlington business reached out to the community with a survey this month and got more than 500 responses. They used social media, their own popular e-newsletter and Front Porch Forum to get the word out. Here’s where they got their respondents:
45% Front Porch Forum
40% Company’s e-newsletter
8% Facebook
7% Twitter
Richmond officials communicate with public
Richmond Rescue posted a report to the citizens of Richmond, Vermont, on their local Front Porch Forum this week. It started…
Each quarter I will be posting a number of statistics about Richmond Rescue to help you stay more informed about our business.
In the first quarter of 2015 we went on 173 calls and transported 109 patients for a transport rate of 63%. Our average for this period in the last 3 years was 160 calls and 106 transports and a transport rate of 66%…
A Richmond FPF member responded today with…
I really liked seeing the Richmond Rescue statistics posted in Front Porch Forum. It gave me an even greater appreciation of the work these valuable volunteers provide our community.
With all of the talk about break-ins in town, I wonder if the police department could provide us with some up-to-date information in Front Porch Forum about what is going on. Are our crime statistics going up? Have any perpetrators been caught? What neighborhoods are being affected? What is the police department doing about the situation?
Front Porch Forum is a wonderful vehicle for getting out information to the community about current issues and concerns. The Town Clerk uses it frequently. The Rescue is now using it. I would like to see the police department use it as well to keep us informed and up to date.
Woodbury considers Town website
The tiny Town of Woodbury, Vermont, asked its citizens yesterday on the Woodbury Front Porch Forum if it should create a Town website. Since three-quarters of the Town’s 400 households participate on their local FPF, this was a sensible move.
The feedback is starting to come in. Here’s one person’s perspective…
If you decide to have a website, which is probably a good idea, please continue to post selectboard agendas and minutes on Front Porch Forum. It is convenient at this site and has visibility.
Many Vermont towns post public meeting agendas and minutes on their local FPF because so many people tune in there.
Neighbors find and deliver wheelchair for neighbor in need
Ruth posted the following on her neighborhood Front Porch Forum in South Burlington the other day…
Am looking for a manual-drive wheelchair for outdoor use on lawn & in garden. Appearance not important but must be in good condition, which at present, I am not. Thank you.
She followed that a couple days later with…
My new wheels… Thanks to The Forum & member Paula, I have a loner wheelchair from the Samaritans at Fanny Allen Hospital to use while my new Cyborg hip heals & I learn to walk again. Thanks to St. Mike’s senior, Kristen, for driving me to Winooski to bring it home.
This is a wonderful example of community building. Ruth, by asking for help, Paula, by supplying information, and Kristen, by offering hands-on assistance, combined to show their neighborhood how to pull together and solve a neighbor’s problem.
Most popular info source for road project updates?
WCAX reported recently that a VTrans survey found Front Porch Forum is the most popular source of information for updates about the Waterbury road projects.
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
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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