Category Archives: Social Media

Facebook for Grownups?

Posted on Wednesday, July 25, 2007 by • No comments yet

Julie from the Huntington Neighborhood Forum writes to us today…

You’ve done an amazing thing with [Front Porch Forum]. I have avoided all of those other social sites including linked-in (I have way too many contacts for business), etc, but this is really grounding.  Do you have many forums outside of Vermont yet? What happens when this turns into the grown up facebook?

Members say it best

Posted on Tuesday, July 24, 2007 by • No comments yet

Since its launch last fall, Front Porch Forum has attracted wonderful people who join and put the service to great use.  Then the praise flows in.  Here are couple from today…

I joined this forum about a month ago but have been “lurking.” So, belatedly, “Hi, I’m Here”

The magic of the internet has made me feel much more connected to many of you whom I have never met.  I tried to help find Jim’s laptop (never even knew the name behind the Smithy sign until then) and cheered (and blogged it) when it was recovered. I have been admiring the mailboxes along the main road, knowing the source of their new found beauty. And I have frequently passed on your queries to folks who are not on the list but I think might be able to help.  -Julie, Huntington Neighborhood Forum

And from the stream of FPF comments on the PBS blog MediaShift…

Is there an echo in here? There oughta be for the Front Porch Forum in Burlington, VT. Not only is it a source for hyperlocal news, but it is also a record of our times a la Studs Terkel. All history is personal – isn’t that the premise. What Michael Wood-Lewis and family have created is nothing short of a perfect marriage between technology and community, from the banal to the profound – and everything in between.  -Richard

Wow!  Thank you Julie and Richard.

PBS wants Front Porch Forum comments

Posted on Tuesday, July 24, 2007 by • 2 comments

Gotta love surprises! At least good ones. Last night I noted a post by Mark Glaser of MediaShift, a PBS blog, that put the question to his readers… “What’s your favorite way of getting hyper-local or neighborhood news?”

I wondered how Front Porch Forum members would answer that, so I asked a group of them, specifically the FPF Neighborhood Volunteers. The surprise arrived this morning when I checked the comments on MediaShift… Nine of 12 remarks are from happy FPF members… lovely and insightful comments to the one. Here’s a sample from Jeff in Richmond…

Front Porch Forum is a local e-mail based newsletter in and around Burlington, Vermont. We use it to share whatever is in our garage, learn who is sick in the neighborhood and find out what is happening in local politics.

Why would an entire neighborhood need a canoe in every garage, when we can share, reduce consumption and create community by loaning our canoe to our neighbors.

We have collected 150 sets of silverware from garage sales and tag sales and let our neighbors know through Front Porch Forum that they can borrow our bucket of silver whenever they have a large gathering. So much better than using those petroleum based plastic forks and spoons.

We found out through Front Porch Forum when our neighbor’s son was shipped out to Iraq and were able to contribute to weekly care packages sent by another neighbor.

We find out about everything from public hearings to lemonade stands through this service and as a school board trustee I get direct feedback from my constituents.

We love Front Porch Forum.

Thanks Jeff and all who have and will add their two cents. Now I see that the PBS blogger has added a question specifically to FPF members…

Welcome all you folks from Front Porch Forum! Glad to have you on the blog. I’m curious if some of you can explain how you first heard about it, and why you trust the information there. Also, what new features would you like to see on that service or similar ones? And finally, can Front Porch Forum or other services really call out public officials or businesses if there are problems, or are they too tied in to those local power centers?

If you care to respond, add your comment at MediaShift. Also, if you’re an FPF member and so inclined, please share this link on your own neighborhood’s forum.

UPDATE: And respond you did! Thanks to all the FPF members who answered the PBS.org reporter’s questions. Here’s the latest one from Lorinda who participates on the Milton Neighborhood Forum…

My neighborhood Front Porch Forum is still in its baby step stages, but it is still the best way for immediate news. I also am connected to the Volunteer section of the forum which contains selected messages that may be of wider interest than just one neighborhood. I heard about it from my daughter who works in the neighborhood of the original forum.

I trust the news the same way I do when I meet someone in the grocery store (Vermont is still the kind of place where you ALWAYS meet someone you know at the grocery store). These are truly MY neighbors — and why would they lie to me about a lost cat, the time of the school board meeting, or wanting to borrow a garden tractor, for Pete’s sake?

And what was that about being tied in to the local power base? You have to be kidding, right? It’s people like us who ARE the local power base, whatever that is and if we have one. How is anyone going to tie up the collective voices of thousands of reporters, each speaking from her own heart and his own home? This is the most free form of expression and the absolute best use of the internet I can think of.

Neighborhood rallies around family facing deployment

Posted on Sunday, July 22, 2007 by • No comments yet

Under the heading “Babysitter Needed – Urgent” this moving message circulated through the Village Green Neighborhood Forum a couple days ago…

Hi – We have a 14 month old and are looking for a baby sitter for tomorrow night. It’s my husband’s last night in town before he deploys to Iraq, and the baby sitter we had arranged for tomorrow just called and canceled.

I never know how neighbors will respond to various messages, especially postings that go out over a lovely summer weekend when people spend less time online. But now I see this follow up…

Two nights ago I posted a desperate request for a baby sitter, as my husband is deploying to Iraq, and our originally scheduled sitter had canceled. I wanted to take the time to thank everyone for the outpouring of support and help that was offered. We were able to find a sitter, and enjoyed a nice night together before he leaves.

The generosity and kindness of this community has helped reaffirm our decision to move to Vermont, and we feel lucky and grateful to be in such a great neighborhood. Thanks everyone!

I needn’t have worried! Not only was a sitter found, but the family was swamped with support from the neighbors, many I’d guess who didn’t know about the imminent deployment previously. That’s neighborhood and Front Porch Forum at their best.

Good Neighbors in Condo Developments?

Posted on Friday, July 20, 2007 by • No comments yet

Beverly writes in the West Kennedy Neighborhood Forum today…

I moved to South Burlington from Essex a year ago. My dog June and I have met a lot of other people with dogs. I have a piano that is sitting in my condominium waiting for someone to play it. It belongs to my daughter who doesn’t have room for it at this time in her life. I wondered if anyone (child or adult) in the neighborhood would like to use my “practice space.” Maybe you always wanted to take piano lessons but didn’t have a piano. Now you could use mine (no charge). I work during the day, but June is here and would love company. I’m sure we can work out the details to satisfy all of us. I look forward to hearing from my musically inclined neighbors.

Now that’s lovely… mighty neighborly. I’ve had several folks assume that condo associations are less amenable to Front Porch Forum… that somehow condominium dwellers are all hermits or otherwise uninterested in their immediate surroundings. The early evidence goes against this theory, with the message above the latest example.  People are people and most of us want some connection to our immediate neighbors.

North vs South – The Rumble at the Ramble

Posted on Friday, July 20, 2007 by • No comments yet

This sounds fun. From a posting on today’s ONE Central Neighborhood Forum.  I’m pulling for the South End!

Field Days – North End Ramble – South End vs North End

Hey folks – as many of you know the North End Ramble is taking place this next coming weekend. JULY 28th. I believe the Studio STK people know a lot about the events – and the Crombie Street Block Party always rocks.

My particular part is helping to organize the Field Day Event. Where the North End hosts the South End in what is called “The Rumble at the Ramble” – or “War of the Wards” – whichever you like. Don’t let the names scare you though, last year was one of the most friendly competitions I have ever seen – water balloon toss – 100 (aprox) yard dash – hula hoop perseverance – standing long jump – shotput with a bowling ball – the mile – sack race – a race I invented called “20-20” where you spin around 20 times and have to run 20 yards and back – arm wrestling – possibly more events – and all culminating in a giant tug-of-war.

Last year the South End won – the trophy is at the Muddy Waters. Could the North End win this year and see the trophy displayed at the Radio Bean?

Details – meet and sign up and High Noon at Battery Park on Saturday. We will do some warm up exercise and get going around One. Stay for as long or as little as you want. To volunteer to help email me – ( we do need some things brought to the event still). Bring some watermelon! Last year it all took about two hours, was a ginormous amount of fun, and everyone went on the enjoy the North End Ramble, which is what we are shooting for this year too.

Will the South End rise again? Will the North End bring its “side pride”?

Confused about which End of Burlington you live in? Bank Street is the deciding line we decided on. Also – out of town guest are welcome – which side of (44°28’N) Longitude they live decides what team they are on.

Thanks!
Michael J. Nedell

“Why I Love Front Porch Forum”

Posted on Thursday, July 19, 2007 by • No comments yet

A wonderful note from Rosemary to her Starr Farm Neighborhood Forum today…

To all in Starr Farm neighborhood: While browsing one day I discovered FrontPorchForum.com when it was just the “Five Sisters” of the South End. I was curious because I was born there (Catherine Street) and lived there with my children later. I expressed an interest in Starr Farm neighborhood, and lo and behold, became the founding member!

I was ready to begin my contribution if, and when, the sidewalk snowplows once again tore up the front lawns, but it didn’t happen this year!

Meanwhile I love hearing how many neighbors have joined and love watching the “happenings” of this end of town. It is reassuring in this day that people are still generous, kind and caring about the people who live in this town. In short they are still “Neighborly.”

Hope I can someday be of real help to someone in need.

Thank you, Rosemary… what a lovely sentiment.

Today’s Sample Success Story

Posted on Thursday, July 19, 2007 by • No comments yet

Sharon of the NE Winooski Neighborhood Forum writes today…

A great guy to know… A few weeks ago I posted a message about needing someone to help with removing some shrubs.  That’s how I met Josh N., one of our great neighbors.  He did a great job and I keep finding more things for him to do.

I wanted to recommend Josh to all of you who need landscaping or carpentry.  He’s professional, friendly, knowledgeable, honest, and charges reasonable rates.  I think he’s terrific and I think you will too.  Hiring Josh is a sure way to get quality work and a great opportunity to keep your business in Winooski.

That’s just how Front Porch Forum is supposed to work… meet an immediate need and get to know the neighbors in the process.  Another small success!

Front Porch Forum Team Earns Award!

Posted on Wednesday, July 18, 2007 by • 2 comments

As reported by the Burlington Free Press yesterday…

South Burlington – This year’s recipient of the Community Appreciation Award, which is given out each year at National Night Out, will go to Michael and Valerie Wood-Lewis, who founded Front Porch Forum. The Front Porch Forum is an email based service organized by neighborhoods, where neighbors talk about topics from baby-sitting to vandalism.

The Community Appreciation Award “recognizes someone in the community whose efforts have made a difference in our community” and who has worked toward crime prevention and youth services, said National Night Out coordinator Catherine Welch. The Wood-Lewises will receive the award at 7 p.m. on Aug. 7 at the Dorset Park band shell. Gov. Jim Douglas will present the award.

“After only a half-year of operation, more than 5,000 Chittenden County households have joined Front Porch Forum,” Michael Wood-Lewis said in a press release. “FPF hosts 130 contiguous online neighborhood forums covering the entire metro-Burlington area. People use the free service for many ends, including finding a babysitter or lost cat, selling a canoe, recommending a plumber, announcing a school play, reporting a car break-in, organizing a block party and so much more. And, the best part of it, all of these activities are done with clearly identified nearby neighbors, so the sense of community in each neighborhood grows.”

Wood-Lewis said he and his wife are “humbled” to be nominated for the award and they will share it with the thousands of local Front Porch Forum members, volunteers and sponsors.

By all means, this award is shared with the more than 5,000 local FPF participants… definitely a group effort.

I encourage local folks to attend the various National Night Out events… sounds like a fun bash (and free!) taking shape… carnival, parade, fireworks, live music, rides, food and more. We’re taking our kids. August 6 at 6:30 PM at Dorset Park, and then the main event on August 7 from noon until 10:00 PM at the park (rain date is August 8 ).

Update:  Details about the event are now available on the South Burlington Police Dept. website.  Also, Sgt. Tom Fraga and organizer Catherine Welch recorded a Channel 17 TV show about it all the other day.  Click here and then select “South Burlington’s National Night Out Preview Show (7/17/07)” under Special Events.  They mention Front Porch Forum at 22:40 into the 30-minute program.

What if 90% of people blogged?

Posted on Tuesday, July 17, 2007 by • No comments yet

Cathy Resmer writes about a couple failed local citizen journalism sites today, the Winooski Eagle and…

iBurlington — “Burlington Vermont’s Blog” — a local citizen journalism site, launched in 2005.

Creator Brian Brown had high hopes for the project, which he modeled after the successful CJ community iBrattleboro. In March of 2005, Brown told Seven Days he expected to sign up more contributors and get more traffic than iBrat, if only because Burlington’s a bigger city.

But it didn’t happen that way.

She adds…

Front Porch Forum founder Michael Wood-Lewis was also at the [local bloggers] BBQ. FPF is a neighborhood email newsletter, not really a web-based tool, but it’s definitely succeeding in some respects where iBurlington failed. That just occurred to me as I was writing this post, and it’s definitely something to think about.

Thanks Cathy. I agree. Front Porch Forum seems to defy pigeon-holing… it’s not a blog, not a wiki, not a mail list… what is it?!?! I guess we should come up with some technical term for FPF… but it’s really just something new and different… and successful. While email is our primary distribution method currently, that’s not really what FPF is about… just a vehicle we’re using now.

In a way, FPF is hosting 130 group-written blogs, each focused on a neighborhood and written by a host of contributors/neighbors. Our most active neighborhood forums have 90% of the households on board.

Blogs are small, independent, decentralized, self-appointed, low-capital, etc, compared to traditional media. Well, FPF takes it another step, giving the masses an online platform to share their thoughts and needs with their neighbors through its neighborhood forums. So while starting a blog is much easier to do than starting a newspaper, it’s still not doable for many, if not most, of the population. On the other hand, anyone who can handle email can participate in Front Porch Forum and add their voice to the online conversation.

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

Search the Blog

Yearly Archives

Post Categories