Category Archives: social capital
Two lost Golden Retrievers found
“The boys are back, one showed up and the other was found and kept safe by a nice couple. I’m so grateful for this sweet nook in the world… such amazing people who really know how to come together and support each other. Thank you to all who helped spread the word and bring my boy back! Much love.”
• Meg, Underhill Front Porch Forum
Do your neighbors know how to come together and support each other? Practice makes perfect. Organize a block party, multi-home yard sale, or a winter potluck. Or use your local FPF to convene a group to work on a community project of your choosing. Towns and neighborhoods with rich social connections from this kind of activity tend to be better places to live and are more resilient when hard times arrive.
Kids today… Waterbury young folks not afraid of a little hard work
“To all, I found help moving the boxes. To those who responded, thank you very much. I can’t believe the number of offers!!! Apparently, there are still many folks, especially the young and healthy, who are willing to help out a neighbor, do a bit of manual labor and make a few bucks. This is very refreshing as ‘we’ often hear that the ‘kids’ just want to play with their electronics and not work as most of us ‘Baby Boomers’ did in our youth. Kudos to all of the young folks who responded and especially their parents who have taught them that a little hard work is good for them.”
• Thomas, Waterbury Front Porch Forum
South Albany horse wanders from home
“Found in South Albany on Hartwell Pond Rd… a young riding horse with halter. Call Stephanie and describe halter color.”
• Stephanie, Craftsbury FPF
“Young horse found his owner the same day! So glad for Front Porch Forum!!”
• Stephanie, Craftsbury FPF
Bill McKibben and neighbors helping neighbors
“Thanks for posting the link to the Bill McKibben article. It reminds us of the real purpose of Front Porch Forum… to act like neighbors. Neighbors helping neighbors… red, blue or green. The article inspired me to sign up as a supporting member.”
• Megan, Pownal FPF
Hearts of ice in Milton? UPDATED
“I wasn’t sure where to go with this, so I thought I would bring it to our Front Porch Forum. Around 7:30am this morning, my 87-year-old mother fell on the ice while walking out to get her newspaper. I was saddened and disheartened when she later informed me that as she was laying in her bathrobe at the end of her driveway on Ellison Street unable to get up and she watched five cars drive by her. I was then angry and disgusted when I found out that her neighbor, a lovely older woman, saw her, and came out to help and tried waving down three cars for help… and all drove past… My mother’s in the ICU tonight, but she’s in good spirits and I’m sure that she’ll be alright. I feel worse for those poor lost souls who drove by. Shame on you.”
• Janet, Milton FPF, yesterday
“I am very sorry to hear about your mother and her ordeal. I’m glad that her neighbor was able to get her assistance. I think this should be a lesson to us all to slow down and not be so preoccupied in our own worlds… I, for one, have had my eyes opened by your FPF posting and will try to be more vigilant. I pray your mother continues on the road to recovery.”
• Vickie, Milton FPF, today
“I am so sorry to hear this. I sincerely hope that this is not representative of Milton residents, of which I am one. Healing wishes to your mother.”
• James, Milton FPF, today
“Wow – that is SO awful! I’m so very sorry your Mom and her neighbor had to go through that! You’re right – shame on them! I hope your Mom is soon out of the hospital!”
• Diane, Milton FPF, today
When people ask “do we really need a service like Front Porch Forum?” I’ll point them to this story and I’ll respond “Yes, we do!” Each community in Vermont needs more efforts to increase connection between neighbors and build community so that this kind of thing won’t happen again.
UPDATE:
“Quick update regarding my mother who fell on the ice… Five people drove by her, but more then double that amount responded to my post and sent thoughts and well wishes. These messages meant so much to her. Thank you. She left the ICU last night and hopes to discharge any day. My mom usually goes for a walk around Milton every morning and every afternoon… Feel free to wave and say hello. She’s feeling so much better about our community. Thank you for that.”
• Janet, Milton FPF
Southern Vermont ramping up FPF connections
“I was introduced to Front Porch Forum while living in northern VT… it was used for everything! Rental property, yard sales, items for sale/free, local employment and even loose chickens! I have bought and sold items, found childcare and a place to live… all through FPF! No more scam-filled Craigslist. This is such an incredible resource for our community, if only people would start using it more in southern Vermont. It’s all local, so opportunities and info will be used within our community, therefore strengthening local connections. Please spread the word and let’s just start using it for everything!”
• Kim, Grafton Windham Athens FPF
In most of Vermont, > 75% of households participate on their local FPF. In various southern Vermont towns, membership rates are closer to 20%. That’s changing now, though, thanks in large part to folks like Kim above. People sign up for FPF most often due to word-of-mouth… a friend, co-worker or neighbor telling them to check it out. So… please spread the word! Here’s a collection of flyers, social media links, etc. to put to use in your area.
Essex neighbor assists EMT
“I responded as an EMT two nights ago to a medical problem on Logwood Circle. As I pulled up to the residence, a neighbor, who was out walking by, asked ‘Is everything all right?’ I told him ‘I don’t know, I haven’t evaluated the patient yet.’ He said ‘Can I help?’ I said ‘Sure, can you clean off the stairs so other responders and the ambulance crew can better access the home?’ Awhile later, I came outside to find that he had shoveled the ENTIRE driveway(!) and then went about his walk. Thank you sir for your efforts… it helped us immensely in getting the patient to the ambulance and the hospital. I never got his name; he was just a neighbor helping a neighbor… gotta like it.”
• George, Essex Center Front Porch Forum
Have you seen examples of neighbors stepping up in times of need? Share these stories on your local FPF. This type of news tends to inspire other acts of kindness and builds community.
“Who was that masked man?” Snow mysteriously cleared from neighbors’ driveways
“Many thanks to the man on the tractor with the voracious snow blower attached who cleaned out the front of our driveway, and those of several neighbors, this morning at 5AM. I, for one, wish that you would take off the mask and identify yourself so that I could assist you in the bills you have from that great machine. I guess we should just feel content to know that someone enjoys blowing this white stuff somewhere less intrusive. THANKS AGAIN!!!!!”
• David, Essex Center Front Porch Forum
This is one of dozens such postings on local FPFs across the state lately, with neighbors thanking neighbors for help clearing snow after last week’s storms. In Vermont, it’s easy to lose touch with neighbors during our long, cold winters. But this act of neighborly kindness is a sweet reminder of the kind of community that many of us are blessed with. Thank your neighbor by posting on your FPF today.
Lost Golden Retriever and Chocolate Lab back home
“Great news: Lost Golden Retriever has returned home safe and sound!! Thank you to our wonderful friends and neighbors on Front Porch Forum for all of your help and support!!”
• Dana & Susan, Johnson FPF
“Our sweet Chocolate Lab, Ellie, is home again! Very grateful for social media and for our wonderful neighbors in Jericho.”
• Sarah, Stephen, Calvin & Violet, Jericho FPF
“In Disaster Recovery, Social Networks Matter More Than Bottled Water and Batteries”
A strong argument for building social networks among neighbors — more important than ever — is made by Daniel P. Aldrich in The Atlantic this week. He opens with…
Standard advice about preparing for disasters focuses on building shelters and stockpiling things like food, water, and batteries. But resilience the ability to recover from shocks, including natural disasters comes from our connections to others, and not from physical infrastructure or disaster kits.
Almost six years ago, Japan faced a paralyzing triple disaster: a massive earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear meltdowns that forced 470,000 people to evacuate from more than 80 towns, villages, and cities. My colleagues and I investigated how communities in the hardest-hit areas reacted to these shocks, and found that social networks the horizontal and vertical ties that connect us to others are our most important defense against disasters.
We saw this play out in the wake of Tropical Storm Irene in Vermont. Communities with pre-existing vibrant use of Front Porch Forum rebounded more quickly after the flooding than those without.
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
- Crisis Response
- Donations
- Lost & Found
- Gratitude
- Best of FPF
- 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