Category Archives: Neighborhood
“I thought I was alone until I reached out for help… “
“O wonderful Front Porch Forum – Thank you so much! I am disabled and unable to drive or shop. After much resistance (Why? Who knows?), I posted on FPF and within 24 hours was inundated with offers of help. I couldn’t believe it! What a loving community! I reconnected with old friends and have already made new ones. And my daily aching anxiety (How do I GET THERE?) is GONE! God bless you.
“I thought I was alone until I reached out for help… and found I was surrounded by friends.
“You brought light into despair and I thank you so much.”
• A treasured member of the Montpelier FPF
“She is she for whom we searched…” in Hyde Park
“Seeking an able bodied, time flexible, altruistic person who enjoys providing a helping hand to those in need. We are an elderly couple looking for someone to clean off our vehicle and shovel a short pathway from the house to the vehicle. Pay is $20 per hour.”
• Andrea, Hyde Park Front Porch Forum a couple day ago
“We have found our snow shoveler! Well qualified, flexible, a desire to assist those in need. She is she for whom we searched. Thank you FPF.”
• Andrea, Hyde Park FPF yesterday
Fairy strikes Ferrisburgh Town Hall
“Sometime very recently our Town Hall had a visitor – not the ‘tooth fairy’ but perhaps the ‘wreath fairy’ who once again has hung beautiful balsam fir wreaths on our two front doors for everyone’s enjoyment. And so to our ‘wreath fairy’ – hope you are on Front Porch Forum and see this heartfelt THANK YOU!”
• Gloria, Ferrisburgh FPF
Stolen weathervane recovered thanks to alert Barre neighbor
“Our weather vane has been recovered and returned to us, thanks to Front Porch Forum! An alert FPF reader recognized the cast iron horse at a local second-hand store. Thanks to this Barre neighbor and the Barre City Police Department, the relic from my childhood is back home. There is no doubt it was stolen from our yard before making its way to the store, so please keep this in mind as you decorate outdoors, no matter how “safe” your neighborhood may be.
“Many many thanks to the alert neighbor who acted on his suspicion. And thank you also to the people who emailed me to express their concern for the incident, and also for my personal feelings of loss. You brought me a lot of comfort with your messages.”
• Cindy, Barre City FPF
Randolph neighbors offer crash-course in Spanish
“I may be going to Mexico for a week in the spring. I can count to 10 in Spanish, and say “good morning” and that’s it. Although I won’t be entirely on my own, it seems prudent for me to have some grounding in the language. Can anyone recommend a source for lessons, or would anyone be willing to teach me once a week or so? I hardly know where to begin.”
• Elizabeth, Randolph Front Porch Forum, Dec. 1
“Thanks to all the FPF members who filled my mailbox with suggestions for learning Spanish and offers to have “conversation time” with me. One email came from the director of the Spanish immersion program at the Randolph Tech and Career center. He has set me up with one of his advanced students, he and she are providing me all sorts of ideas and resources (many online)… The first phrase I asked to learn was “More slowly, please”! (“Mas despacio, por favor!”) I so appreciate everyone’s interest and ideas. What a great forum!”
• Elizabeth, Randolph FPF, Dec. 8
Gun-frightened Gracie on Jericho Road
“A huge thank you to John T. for finding our frightened dog Gracie on Jericho Road and taking her back to his house. He then promptly posted to Front Porch Forum and we were quickly reunited. She had been frightened by gunshots and had taken off. After calling and calling for her, for over an hour, I knew that I needed to watch the Forum for news. And the good news came quickly. Thank you to our wonderful neighbors and to Front Porch Forum for providing such a valuable service to our community.”
• Deb, Jericho Front Porch Forum
VPR: Front Porch Forum turning 10
From Steve Zind’s recent piece about FPF…
Nearly 10 years after it was created, the online community known as Front Porch Forum is a well-established statewide service.
It’s a unique model that hasn’t been duplicated on a statewide level elsewhere, but Front Porch Forum CEO and co-founder Michael Wood-Lewis says the business is viable without expanding beyond Vermont.
The free online community message board was started by Wood-Lewis and his wife Valerie when they were looking for a way to communicate with people in their Burlington neighborhood.
The business grew steadily. Then, in 2013, Front Porch Forum received a grant under the Vermont Council on Rural Development‘s Digital Economy Project that allowed it to essentially double its coverage area to include every town in Vermont.
Today the business has a dozen employees and is financially sustainable…
Hearts warmed by Hardwick and Walden neighbors
“Thanks to all the folks who offered to lend me a stroller for my visiting granddaughter. Especially on Thanksgiving it was heart warming that strangers would extend themselves to reach out to me. Front Porch Forum is an excellent way of making connections and building community.”
• Marsha, Hardwick Walden FPF
Chocolate lab injured by car reunited with family after 7-day run
“Much to be thankful for today, including the kindness of strangers and the power of community. Cooper, who has been missing since hit by a car one week ago, survived his ordeal and was just reunited with his owners. Thanks and blessings to the FPF community!!”
• Karen, Barre Town Front Porch Forum
Underhill neighbors save Thanksgiving
“All Set with Creme De Menthe and Cocoa! I Love FPF! Thank you all who replied to my plea. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!”
• Lisa, Underhill Front Porch Forum
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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