“In our small town of approximately 350 homes, we have identified more than 140 people who have volunteered on at least one local committee. Many individuals serve on multiple committees. It simply astounds us that there is that much commitment to our small community! Please stop by our “Thank You Breakfast” Saturday at the Marlboro Town House to thank all those who work to make our community great! We’ll have coffee, tea, baked goods, a free raffle and a grateful hug or handshake! Please see our website at: www.marlboroalliance.com”
• Lynna, Marlboro Front Porch Forum
Category Archives: social capital
Front Porch Forum ““ An Underutilized Community Resource in NEK
Posted on Thursday, December 8, 2016 by Michael • No comments yet
Lost your pet? Need to sell or borrow something? Looking for service provider recommendations or starting your own small business and want to spread the word? Front Porch Forum (FPF) can help with all these things and more.
I recently moved to the NEK from central VT where FPF provided me a long daily listing of local information, neighbors needing or providing resources, free items, school and selectboard updates and more.
FPF is only as good as the people using it. To be a great resource, a healthy percentage of a town or towns’ residents need to join and use it.
We are lucky in Vermont to have this FREE resource available in every community!
In some communities as many as 90% of residents participate, but in Essex and Orleans County the average participation is less than 20%.
Because we are more rural and isolated than other parts of the state, having an active FPF is even more beneficial.
To join your local forum go to frontporchforum.com and sign up. It’s easy and you won’t regret it!
• Rhonda Shippee, Morgan, VT
iPhone rescued from Stowe toilet
Posted on Thursday, December 8, 2016 by Michael • No comments yet
“Yup! Cap dropped his iPhone in the toilet today so what do you do? … Post on Front Porch Forum to beg, borrow or steal an iPhone 4 or 5 from anyone who might have one hanging around! Thanks.”
• Ginny, Stowe FPF
“Thanks to all who suggested the rice method of drying out an iPhone. Special thanks to Jenny Lawson from BunyaBunya who gave me a plastic bag full of those little Silica gel desiccant packets. I added some rice too and…. Voila… it is working this morning!”
•Ginny, Stowe FPF, next day
Problems solved: Succulents, zipper repair, DTWOF, home for Frank the Cat, film-to-DVR conversion, lawn mowers, computer help
Posted on Saturday, December 3, 2016 by Michael • No comments yet
“Thank you all that responded to my request for succulents. I got so many generous responses I have more than enough at the moment. We live in a cool town. Good job, Front Porch Forum.”
• Alicia, Charlotte FPF
“Thank you to all who jumped in with suggestions for someone to replace a parka zipper. I Think , with that list of possibilities, I’m all set 🙂 Isn’t FPF the absolute best!!”
• Betsy, Randolph FPF
“Thank you Montpelier: I had so much response to my request for the Alison Bechdel Seven Days issue, from people I knew and people I didn’t. Someone even wrapped and dropped a copy on my porch, a secret donor? Thank you so much for sharing with me, thank you Front Porch Forum. Found: a great community with a great forum.”
• Karen, Montpelier FPF
“We found a wonderful home for our cat, Frank. I feel very good about the young woman who has brought him to her home. Thank you Front Porch Forum!!!!! I love this community.”
• Jill, Calais FPF
“Thank you to everyone who responded to my inquiry about finding someone who could transfer old home movies (over 50 years old!) to DVDs. I found a wonderful gentleman in Plainfield who did a fantastic job and had super reasonable pricing. I am so excited to share the movies that none of my family has been able to view for many many years and one family member who has never seen them. What a gift!! Happy Holidays!”
• Pamela, Middlebury FPF
“Thank you so much to all those you responded to my quest for a MacBook Pro computer savvy helper. Hands down it is Melissa at Orchard Road Computers. She will be hearing from me shortly. FPF is such a great resource and much appreciated.”
• Margery, Charlotte FPF
“Thanks for all the lawnmowers! It looks like everyone had an old lawnmower but me! I really appreciate all your offers. I got what I needed. Thank you so much FPF people!”
• Pat, Middlesex FPF
Giving back at Thanksgiving in Derby
Posted on Thursday, November 17, 2016 by Michael • No comments yet
“Hey neighbors! I’m around for Thanksgiving but family is far far away. That being said, I wouldn’t mind helping out those who need some help. So if you know a family, person or organization (charity, nursing home, etc) that could use some help this Thanksgiving (food being purchased, food prepared, someone to eat with, someone to clean up the mess) please shoot me a message with your idea or person you know who could use some help. Thanks!”
• Tim, Derby Front Porch Forum
Real-world connections build community resilience to face uncertain times
Posted on Wednesday, November 16, 2016 by Michael • No comments yet
“Dear friends – A few days ago, I posted on our Front Porch Forum asking if anyone might be willing to share some fresh sage leaves with us — Jasmine and I were making food for friends and I’d run out of fresh leaves. I thought maybe one or two folks might be willing to help.
“Fifteen of you replied — several within minutes — offering to share your abundance with us. I’m sure that several more FPF readers have been thinking “oh, I need to email that guy about the sage plant!”
“It was really touching to see people reaching out with practical help.
“I’ve been feeling pretty despondent about the polarization I’ve seen in our nation over the last months and, particularly, the last week. It’s clear that we have a lot of reaching out to do, and a lot of working to understand each other, if we’re to get through the next parts of our nation’s history.
“I believe that connections between real people are absolutely critical to finding consensus and building resilience, and that those connections thrive in an atmosphere where people share and help each other.
“Thank you, friends, for reminding me that I live in one of those places.”
• Hollis, Burlington neighborhood FPF
Walden neighbors use MealTrain.com to help family with new baby
Posted on Wednesday, November 16, 2016 by Michael • No comments yet
“Peter and Casey welcomed in their son this week. I set up a MealTrain.com for them to help them out through that initial stretch of babyhood. If you know the Cliffords or just like to help out young families, here is a great way to do something kind for our neighbors. Thanks everybody!”
• Saveria, Hardwick Walden Front Porch Forum
P.S. Check out MealTrain.com… another great Vermont-based community-building online service!
Post about national politics on FPF: Yes or no?
Posted on Wednesday, November 16, 2016 by Michael • No comments yet
“Thank you to the dozen or so neighbors who emailed personal notes of appreciation for my post on last week’s Really Big Thing that happened.
“I take Front Porch Forum literally for its ‘front porch-ness.’ So when a Really Big Thing happens — like a storm, crash, or national tragedy — the first place I want to go is the front porch. To look around the neighborhood and ask, ‘How’re you doing? Everybody in your house okay?’ And if possible, offer any solace or help.
“I understand why some folks wouldn’t want national politics on our local Front Porch Forum. But last Tuesday’s election left many in our community reeling.
“I think it’s important to recognize this and resist the urge to limit what can and cannot be said here. If for no other reason than to support our neighbors who might have been left feeling particularly vulnerable.”
• James, posted on a Burlington neighborhood FPF
Shelburne girl gives up birthday presents to help hungry neighbors
Posted on Friday, November 11, 2016 by Michael • No comments yet
“Good deeds are often overlooked. Yesterday, while working at the polls, a mother came in with her three or four children with bags and bags of food for the food shelf. They filled up two blue boxes, and, when asked why so much, the reply was that it was a birthday party that gave food instead of presents. My thought was that it must have been one of the older kids who would understand what they were giving up. When asked whose birthday it was, it was the youngest one with a big smile pointing to herself.”
• Phyllis, Shelburne Front Porch Forum
Gratitude and rhubarb pie in Starksboro – How do you use your FPF?
Posted on Tuesday, November 8, 2016 by Michael • No comments yet
“I want to thank the Starksboro Conservation Commission for once again hosting a delicious, congenial and well-attended Harvest Turkey Dinner to benefit the Four Winds program at the Robinson School. The dinner was fantastic, but I came away with one complaint: Someone made a fantastic strawberry rhubarb pie with a gluten free crust but I couldn’t find out who…and I would love to learn to make a tender crust like that myself. Please ‘fess up and send me an email with the recipe or I’ll be wondering forever! Thanks!”
• Lausanne, Starksboro 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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