Category Archives: MacArthur Fellows
Community groups get the word out
#VT – I can’t believe that we have over 400 Hyde Park Front Porch Forum neighbors!
Last night, we had a Hyde Park Community Collaborative Group meeting, and we all talked about how often we use Front Porch Forum to get the word out about what we do… the Library, the Hyde Park Community Circle, Hyde Park Partners in Education (P. I.E), the Second Congregational Church, Hyde Park Energy Committee, Village Improvement Association, the Board of Trustees of the Village of Hyde Park, the Town of Hyde Park… as organizations and as individuals in the community.
The more neighbors who read FPF, the more we can keep people informed in an easy, unobtrusive way about what is going on in Hyde Park. Please encourage your friends and neighbors to join FPF, simply so that they may know about all of the amazing things our community has to offer… we’ve had great fun on Front Porch Forum and hope that more friends and neighbors will too!
Posted recently on the Hyde Park FPF by Amy from the town library.
Speeding White Hummer
#VT – Thanks everybody who posted or emailed with ideas for keeping our backroads safe for the all of us. Because of Front Porch Forum, the word got out, and community pressure seems like it is going to have an effect on changing the reckless driving. I am hopeful about it. We’re lucky to have this forum and lucky to live here in this great community.
Posted by Diane on the Moretown FPF today in response to an ongoing conversation about speeding there. This is a popular subject on several FPFs around the state. Vermonters continue to impress with their ability to tackle challenging topics with civility… while getting results.
One Vermont bookstore blessing…
#BTV #VT – From Josie Leavitt of Flying Pig Bookstore in Shelburne… originally posted on the ShelfTalker blog:
I am blessed to live in Vermont for many reasons, but as a bookstore owner, one of them is access to an amazingly responsive free [service] called Front Porch Forum. FPF is an internet-based “regional network of online neighborhood forums.” It connects people with their neighbors.
It’s so simple, it’s brilliant. Make it easy for neighbors to talk to each other and they talk. You can only join the forum for your town, and this is great because then I’m reading about my town. I’ve gotten to know my neighbors from this. I’ve posted about a swarm of bees in my tree and what to do about them, asked for mechanic recommendations, and more importantly, used FPF as way to talk about the bookstore to people who live close enough to care.
This kind of targeted discussion is so beneficial to the bookstore. We can announce events, book talks, parties, etc. to just about every household in five towns because everyone on staff is a member of their neighborhood forum… There is something about the friendly nature of this type of free-ranging discussion with your neighbors that makes the FPF one of the [things] everyone reads daily. You can follow the saga of the missing Malamutes from the frantic posting that the dogs were lost on the coldest night of the year to the triumphant “they’re home!” posting three days later.
All of our events get posted to the forum and it generates a lot of attendance at events. The nature of the forum works best for spontaneous folks who only need three days notice to come to an event. What’s so great is the wide range of people who read the forum. Folks who’ve never been to the store will come to events because of a posting and then get on our mailing list to find out about future ones. This is a win-win.
Local democracy starts with neighbors talking to each other
#VT – Neighbors are using their Waterbury Front Porch Forum to discuss their new municipal civic center. This type of potentially controversial topic often elicits conflicting responses from FPF members.
Member A: “The Waterbury Forum was NOT meant for politics; the newspapers, radio and TV take care of that… Now lets all get back to basics and the purpose of this forum – to help each other NOT preach at each other. I and most of us could care LESS about your opinions. I for one will discontinue use of this forum if it continues.”
Member B: “It’s been great to watch the discussion about our new Municipal Civic Center take hold here on FPF. This is really what Front Porch Forum is all about, the (civil) conversation!… Thanks everyone for weighing in and keep those thoughts coming! We believe in a community where everyone has their say.”
FPF encourages the neighborly exchange of facts, opinions and ideas about local issues. FPF is a great place to introduce this information and increase interest in the topic (since so many people read their FPF). In some cases after the initial discussion, moving off-line to in-person facilitated dialogue is recommended.
UPDATE: Here’s one more perspective shared today…
Member C: “I am in favor of using this forum for information, political or otherwise. This isn’t just a neighborhood Craigslist. There are views in this forum that you just don’t get in the newspaper or the news. Sometimes there are topics that I am not interested in reading about, so I don’t read them. I think FPF is a great thing!”
Neighbor helping neighbor… but how about debate?
#VT – Most FPF postings are simple items among neighbors… lost dogs, babysitter tips, car break-in reports, free couches and the like. Many people find this very useful. Occasionally, neighbors will dive into a controversial local topic on their FPF and the tone will grow heated. Just as often, people will use their Front Porch Forum for wonderful ends, as demonstrated by this recent Underhill FPF posting from a couple whose house was demolished a few days ago by flash floods…
To all of our family, friends, neighbors, perfect strangers, and fellow community members: We want to take this opportunity to express our sincerest and most heartfelt thanks for the kindness, support, and pure generosity that you have expressed toward our family. From the tireless assistance of the Underhill/Jericho fire department, to the cupcakes, prayers, smiles, maple syrup, and donations provided by all of your caring hearts, we can honestly say that the past five days of picking through wreckage, shoveling muck, and breathing moldy air has been nothing short of amazing. Thanks to you all! May your generosity be returned ten-fold.
So, of those three classes of postings, most people appreciate the (1) neighborly exchange of announcements, tips, transactions, and stuff. And nearly everybody loves (2) a heart-warming tale of neighbor helping neighbor. But some folks are really turned off by (3) neighbors discussing or arguing about hot local topics. Lots of different perspectives out there!
Enlightening the local electorate…
#VT – The discussion on Front Porch Forum about the upcoming town meeting vote has been enlightening, not only for what’s been said about the issue, but also for the medium in which it’s been said. Being one who likes to think things over, I appreciate having the time to hear and digest different opinions before voting. I also appreciate the fact that more people have spoken up on-line than might have in person.
Submitted by Polly to the New Haven FPF today.
Help by the truckload…
#VT – Just a quick thank you to all the awesome people I’ve met since moving to Plainfield less then a year ago, amazing to think that each time I ask FPFers for help, I get it by the truckload.
A quick thought as well, I have asked for help with flooring and cleaning, I received so many offers and then I received so many other folks asking if I would share the names/numbers of people who responded so they can call them. I am uncomfortable giving out info without the person’s permission and I don’t have enough time to contact each person to ask. I would say this, if you have a skill and are looking for new clients, POST IT HERE on Front Porch Forum!
Shared by Jill on the Marshfield-Plainfield FPF today.
Neighbors rally for Dave the Mailman
#BTV #VT – Hi neighbors. Many of you may have noticed that Dave the mailman for our neighborhood has been absent. I found out that he had a knee injury, and probably will be retiring.
This simple post by Nancy on a Front Porch Forum for a South Burlington neighborhood has led to 20 more postings in support of doing something to recognize their long-serving postal carrier. And, per usual, each posting leads to more direct conversation among neighbors off FPF. This particular FPF covers a 150-household neighborhood and has 195 members… and they’ve been discussing this issue for about a week now. Lucky Dave… I’m sure he’ll get some lovely and well-deserved expressions of gratitude in the coming days.
New Local Leaders Connecting with Constituents
#VT – A fresh batch of local elected officials took office this month in towns across Vermont and many of them are embracing Front Porch Forum to connect with constituents. Posted today on FPF by the newly elected mayor of Vergennes…
Dear Friends and Neighbors – FPF is a great way to keep abreast of local issues and create an atmosphere for the productive discussion of municipal business. I urge all citizens of Vergennes to join FPF as a way of communicating concerns to your municipal officers and the public at large. Please tell all your friends to join.
I will be posting questions and comments as well as notifying folks of volunteer opportunities for the upcoming spring and summer. I hope everyone can find the time to offer their time or expertise in helping our city move forward. Thanks.
Bill Benton, Mayor
City of Vergennes
After 24 years, community connection blossoming
#VT – My husband and I have been living in Cambridge, VT for 24 years. We don’t have children of our own which has made it difficult to get to know people in our community and the events that happen here. Front Porch Forum changed that for us… thank you.
The Cambridge FPF covers all 1,500 households in this small rural town, and it has about 1,300 members who use it in wonderful ways. No wonder FPF packs such a wallop for the member quoted above.
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
Post Categories
- Uncategorized
- PDF2009
- Calendar
- Northeast Kingdom
- podcast
- Peer Rental
- Localization
- Big Tech
- Events
- PDF2007
- Web Traffic
- Google AdSense
- Pay It Forward
- Elections
- berkmansunlight
- Maps
- Video
- Upstate New York
- Coupons
- Wildlife
- Mobile
- Viral Marketing
- Raffle
- Crisis Response
- Donations
- Lost & Found
- Gratitude
- Real Estate
- College Students
- Social Responsibility
- Orton Family Foundation
- Start ups
- Best of FPF
- Make It Your Own Awards
- Online Civility
- Clay Shirky
- Newspapers
- How To Use FPF
- Humor
- Online Classified Ads
- Peer Reviews
- Politics
- Community Management
- Economic Development
- Local Reviews
- Case Foundation
- Borrow and Lend
- Neighborhood Watch
- Good Government
- Small Business Advertising
- Citizen Journalism
- e-Vermont
- Democracy
- Local Search
- Knight Foundation
- Burlington
- MacArthur Fellows
- Civic Engagement
- Social Media
- social capital
- Social Networking
- Vermont
- Neighborhood
- Community Building
- Local Online
- Front Porch Forum