Category Archives: Neighborhood
Pulled out of a ditch…. and thankful
Across the state, Front Porch Forum members are thankful for their neighbors help.
“A huge thank you to the many neighbors – 5 in 15 minutes! – who stopped this evening to see if I needed help pulling my car out of the ditch. I thank everyone for offering your help. I feel so lucky to live in this town, in this state, where people are truly kind.” • Martha in Shelburne
“Thank you so much to the kind, on-the-spot firefighter who just pulled me out of the ditch on the side of the road! Its dark and cold and you still stopped to offer assistance to someone you didn’t even know. Its people like you that keep our communities going and maintain my faith in the goodness of humanity.” • Charlotte in Hinesburg
“I got stuck in road-edge snow. At least a dozen neighbors stopped to offer help, and at least one called police, who came to stand by while I waited for the AAA tug out. Many thanks to the S Burlington police officer and to the many thoughtful neighbors.” • Mike in Shelburne
“Sliding into a ditch was made much easier thanks to the help of several good neighbors. My daughter and I are so fortunate to live in a place with good neighbors, ready and willing to lend a hand. SO grateful!” • Lesley & Molly in Plainfield
“My husband’s car ended up in the ditch at the bottom of our driveway after the recent storm. Our wonderful neighbor offered to pull us out, which he did successfully. Thank you Bruce for taking the time to stop and assist us. Your help was greatly appreciated!” • Roxanne in Starksboro
When your neighbors come to the rescue, give them a shout-out on FPF!
Suggestions beyond your own neighborhood
Reasons to scroll to the bottom of your FPF newsletter!
“When the first snows came this year I was desperate to find someone to clean our driveway, after 25 years the company that had done it could no longer do it. I got no response from posting it on our Front Porch Forum so I started looking at other neighborhoods. Joe A. from the neighboring neighborhood had someone and was recommending them highly. Joe was so helpful he actually brought the man to our house… I couldn’t help but give Joe a big hug, I had never met Joe! The man Joe suggested turned out to be very good…don’t just read your own forum get to know your surrounding neighborhoods as well.” • Shohreh from South Burlington
Read the “News from Neighboring FPFs”
Giving thanks for donuts, dinner and pretty lights
Stories of generosity abound on Front Porch Forum….
“My husband, baby and I were eating dinner tonight and when our check came the waitress said it had already been paid for. Thank you so much to the couple who bought our dinner and wished us a Merry Christmas on the way out!” • Nicole in South Burlington
“I went to the drive through window this morning and ordered coffee. When I drove around to pay, the young lady at the window told me a gentleman had left a bunch of money to pay for the next few cars’ orders until the money ran out! “ • Mary in Northfield
“The village looks so pretty at night now with all the lit Christmas trees. Thanks to the church and everyone who contributed to this lovely Christmas scenery. I don’t know who you are, but it sure is appreciated.” • Amanda in Cabot
Heralding the call for a trumpet
Neighbors respond to a post from a neighbor looking to buy a student trumpet for their fifth grader.
“Thank you, thank you Front Porch Forum users. The response was overwhelming. We now have a trumpet. For us, this use of FPF was truly amazing.” • Ted in Hyde Park
What gift can you provide a neighbor this holiday season?
Delightfully Vermonty and enriching our communities
Our members remind us of the value of our mission: Helping Neighbors Connect
“Our Front Porch Forum is delightfully Vermonty AND useful, so we urge you to join up!” • Roger in Warren
“FPF is a wonderful resource and way to stay in touch with what is happening in our community.” • Judy in Barre
“This forum is great – it has helped me find things and answer questions.” • Mary in Bennington
“Front Porch Forum is a fun means of staying in touch with my neighborhood and a resource when I want to offer something (usually a freebie) that I do not want to take to the landfill. It makes my life better.” • Sandy in South Burlington
“As a long time user of FPF I have used this forum to sell things, search for needed items, and even find a tutor. I am sending a small donation to show my appreciation and gratitude and to personally thank you for starting this forum!!!!” • Anne-Marie in Isle La Motte
Thanks to our FPF Supporting Members across the state! And if you’ve been meaning to make a year-end contribution… now’s the time!
Tales of the Christmas Spirit
Tis the season to share on Front Porch Forum…..
“The other day a young man arrived with his son and spotted a book he held reverently in his hands as out loud he wished he had some money to put this book on lay-away. Suddenly there was a small voice added to our conversation. His son asked me if one dollar would be enough to hold the book for his father. The father said to the boy, “This is why I love you so much.” And the bookseller agreed to hold the rare book for one dollar down. The youngster reached into his pocket, pulled out 4 quarters, and we sealed the agreement. If this isn’t a spiritual time of year I don’t know what is…..”
“Eleven folks who read my story came forward and wanted to help this family purchase the books on hold. We have a truly generous and thoughtful community and I am proud to be a part of it.”
• Ben at the Country Bookshop in Plainfield
From the outpouring of generosity in this community of book-lovers an idea developed to generate a fund to help other needy families to purchase books. What tales can you share on FPF that can help others?
Recommendations for home projects
“I am in need of a carpenter… Can anyone recommend a reliable and competent person?”
“Thank you once again to FPF for the great response in my recent search for a carpenter. Thank you all for your emails and suggestions. How thankful I am to be a part of this wonderful community.” • Jodi in Waitsfield
“Seeking Sheetrock Person….”
“AMAZING! First thank you for all the recommendations, Front Porch Forum Rocks! We found a gem who was able to come and finish up projects that needed to be done. He was fair, honest, reasonable, and without a doubt a fabulous contractor!”
• Coleen in Wolcott
Our disconnects in values, relationships and social fabric
danah boyd was quoted on Wired yesterday…
“[W]e have a cultural problem, one that is shaped by disconnects in values, relationships, and social fabric. Our media, our tools, and our politics are being leveraged to help breed polarization by countless actors who can leverage these systems for personal, economic, and ideological gain.”
She went on to state “How do you reknit society? Society is produced by the social connections that are knit together. The stronger those networks, the stronger the society. We have to make a concerted effort to create social ties, social relationships, social networks in the classic sense that allow for strategic bridges across the polis so that people can see themselves as one.”
“Part of what is really collapsing here is that the networks have become too fragmented and too polarized. Technology doesn’t help; it simply magnifies the poles. This is dangerous and cyclical. Polarization leads to distrust and tribalism which leads to more polarization. So for me, the path forward, which requires business and the public sector and civil society working together, is about reconstructing the networks of America.”
In our own small way, this is Front Porch Forum‘s work… helping neighbors connect and build community… reconstructing networks of neighbors across political, class, racial and other boundaries.
Man’s best friend, found!
Missing pets get an immediate reaction from FPF members! Just ask these dog owners:
“A genuine Thank You to the kind folks of Jeffersonville and Front Porch Forum for the concern and information provided. If Schwartz was hiding, it was hopeless. I got calls, and picked him up before the frost was off the lawn. Much appreciated.” • Stephen in Jeffersonville
“I’m happy to say that my lost dog Haley is back home. A good Samaritan found my name and number on the collar and kept her there until I could retrieve her. Thanks to those on the Forum who offered me good advice on how to look for the dog.” • Keith in Northfield
“Due to FPF and Tony, a wonderful neighbor, Boggie is back at home resting from his adventure. I can’t thank Tony for the concern and wonderful care he gave Boggie!! Thank you to the people that sent emails of concern!” • Andy in Colchester
“Thanks to all those who helped Otis find his way home! Very grateful to our community forum and our supportive neighbors.” • Selina in Hyde Park
“Thanks to the power of FPF, the sweet little jack russell that followed my wife home has been reunited with her owner. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit with that sweet pup, but we enjoyed seeing owner and dog back together again even more.” • Billy in Huntington
Loving and paying thanks to our communities
Front Porch Forum members share their love of their neighborhoods.
“Our neighborhood is the best! A very BIG THANK YOU to all who donated items to our Annual Food Drive to benefit the Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf. We collected a total of 500 pounds of non-perishable items! You should be proud of that. Volunteers at the Food Shelf were asking what neighborhood contributed all this?” • Terri & Dave, Burlington
“We are very grateful for all of our Neighbors and our Lovely Community!!! • Rebecca in Shelburne
“Community is so important and tonite Kids, Parents, Neighbors all got together for yet another year to celebrate and have family/community fun. Thank you all for making my nite, for making my heart sing, for making my community.” • Holly & Bob, Monkton
“We just moved here, and could never have guessed at how wonderful and welcoming the people would be. You’ve made us feel like Vermont is our home, despite how short a time we’ve been here.”
• Myles in Morrisville
Organize your neighbors for good on 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
Post Categories
- Uncategorized
- PDF2009
- Calendar
- Northeast Kingdom
- podcast
- Big Tech
- Peer Rental
- Events
- Localization
- PDF2007
- Web Traffic
- Google AdSense
- Pay It Forward
- Elections
- berkmansunlight
- Maps
- Video
- Upstate New York
- Coupons
- Wildlife
- Mobile
- Viral Marketing
- Raffle
- Donations
- Crisis Response
- Best of FPF
- Lost & Found
- Gratitude
- Real Estate
- College Students
- Social Responsibility
- Orton Family Foundation
- Start ups
- 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