Vermont | Ghost of Midnight

Caring about neighbors…

Posted on Monday, January 10, 2011 by Michael • Comments are off for this post

#BTV #VT — Many local online efforts focus on making information available to people… that’s a great start. But it’s just a start if your goal is building community and helping people get involved locally.

Burlington City Councilor David Berezniak posted this thoughtful message to his neighbors on Front Porch Forum yesterday…

There are many aspects to living in the ONE [Old North End] that are positive and it is nice to have the ability to share them with each other. Front Porch Forum makes this possible. This is a great service and well deserves our continued support. But please remember, this is not a substitute for meeting, talking with, or getting to know your actual next door neighbors. Ask them if they have joined FPF, let them know you read it and how easy it is to join. Begin to put real faces to some of the postings on here. Start using FPF with a core group of your neighbors as an icebreaker. You may find sharing a genuine feeling of caring about what happens to your neighbors and their stuff also gives them a reason to feel the same way about you.

FPF available in 60 #VT towns

Posted on Monday, January 10, 2011 by Michael • 4 comments

Don’t miss this Vermont-original community-building opportunity.
Another dozen Vermont towns can now benefit from Front Porch Forum thanks to e-Vermont, the Community Broadband Project, and the Knight News Challenge.

Front Porch Forum (FPF) was created in 2006 in Burlington and now more than 23,000 households subscribe across 60 Vermont towns.

If you live in one of the towns listed below, SIGN UP for your community Front Porch Forum today at: http://frontporchforum.com. Join in the conversations that are already happening in your community.

Also, please let friends and family in these Vermont towns know that Front Porch Forum is available, and encourage them to sign up! Only through more participation, will these towns realize the full community-building benefits of FPF. To sign up go to: http://frontporchforum.com

Why join Front Porch Forum?
FPF hosts online neighborhood/town forums where nearby neighbors connect and get involved in their local community. In this era of busyness and individual isolation, where it’s hard to find volunteers for local committees and people increasingly don’t know their neighbors, Front Porch Forum helps people meet those around them and talk about issues. And it’s free to residents in any of the Vermont communities below.

What if your town is not on the list?
Interested in bringing FPF to your community? Please add your town to the waitlist at http://frontporchforum.com/join

– Alburgh
– Arlington
– Averill
– Avery’s Gore
– Bloomfield
– Bolton
– Bridgewater*
– Brighton/Village of Island Pond
– Bristol
– Brunswick

– Buells Gore
– Burlington
– Calais*
– Cambridge
– Canaan/Village of Beecher Falls
– Castleton*
– Charlotte
– Colchester
– Dover*
– Essex Junction Village

– Essex Town
– Fairfield*
– Ferdinand
– Grand Isle
– Hardwick*
– Hinesburg
– Huntington
– Isle La Motte
– Jay*
– Jericho

– Lemington
– Lewis
– Ludlow
– Middlesex
– Middletown Springs*
– Milton
– Moretown*
– Morristown*
– Newport City
– North Hero

– Norton
– Poultney
– Pownal
– Richford*
– Richmond
– Sandgate
– Shelburne
– South Burlington
– South Hero
– St. George

– Starksboro
– Stewartstown, NH
– Sunderland
– Underhill
– Vergennes*
– Warner’s Grant
– Warren Gore
– West Rutland
– Westfield*
– Westford

– Williston
– Winooski

* e-Vermont communities newly participating in FPF

#VT’s new Lt. Gov. pushes Civic Engagement

Posted on Friday, January 7, 2011 by Michael • Comments are off for this post

New Vermont Lt. Governor Phil Scott (Rep.) was sworn in yesterday and gave a speech centered on civic engagement. I invite our new Lt. Gov. to see how Front Porch Forum is helping Vermont neighbors connect and get involved locally… e-Vermont too. Some choice quotes…

… as many of you know, 46 percent of registered voters didn’t vote in November. That’s 209,000 Vermonters whose only choice on November 2 was not to show up. They decided it wasn’t worth it, or it didn’t matter, or it wouldn’t do any good, to make their voice heard. My experience shows that’s just not the case… I don’t think any of us fully realized until November 2 what that frustration had turned into; it turned into 209,000 people who had apparently given up… Civic involvement isn’t something that’s only relevant on even-numbered years.

All of us here in the Legislature need to reach out to those folks and welcome them in, even when we might not agree with their views. We need to open our doors. In order to live up to the intentions and the expectations of our accessible government, we ourselves need to be more accessible. That will mean different things for each of us. For me, that means literally opening my office door downstairs a morning or two a week and inviting you in for coffee and conversation. It means opening my virtual doors…

When I challenge Vermonters to get involved, I’m not just talking about the work we do in Montpelier. Because I really believe we all want to help each other; sometimes we just need to know how… one theme that I’ve stressed… is self-reliance, and its partner, volunteerism. In my mind, those are two sides of the same coin. Being self-reliant doesn’t just mean looking after yourself, although that’s important… But self-reliance also means looking after our neighbors, and giving them the support they may need to get to the next step in their lives.

That has a lot of implications.

That means buying local, and supporting the merchants on Main Street instead of the website in California.

That means helping Vermont’s manufacturers to identify suppliers and trading partners who are here within our borders or close by in our region.

That means making it easier and more affordable for more of us to eat local food, supporting our farmers, reducing transportation costs, and getting fresher and healthier things to eat.

That means investing in energy policies that help us become more independent.

Personally, I suspect that a great deal of the collective frustration that caused those 209,000 people to stay home on November 2 was the sense that our elected officials and candidates kept talking about the goals — creating jobs, jump-starting the economy, and helping our most vulnerable — but didn’t talk enough about how we would get there. Buying local and encouraging innovative local partnerships are part of my vision for how we do it…

Our challenge in Montpelier is to come up with solutions that will strengthen Vermont. Your challenge is to come up with solutions that will help your neighbor and strengthen your community. If we all work together, we will strengthen the legacy of the state that we love to call home.

Zumba, Beer and Neighbors in Huntington, #VT

Posted on Thursday, January 6, 2011 by Michael • Comments are off for this post

Oh… this makes my heart sing. Enid Wonnacott shows what FPF can do. Love it! Posted today on FPF…

I just want to express my gratitude for Front Porch Forum in Huntington. There were 67 very diverse participants at Zumba class last night (little kids, teenagers, new residents, old residents, people I haven’t seen in a long time, neighbors and people I didn’t even know live in our community).

You could never do that kind of organizing, that quickly, and that successfully without the kind of networking tool provided by FPF.

It was so fulfilling to look at all of those faces in the gym at Brewster Pierce having fun dancing together on a snowy winter night.

My next organizing feat? A pub in Huntington, so we can go and have a beer together to replenish the calories! Zumba will be held Wednesdays in January from 7-8pm at Brewster Pierce. There is a lot of interest in starting a second class a week, so I will keep you posted (because I can…).

This kind of experience plays out time and again across FPF’s service area. We provide the platform and it’s wonderful to watch what people build on it. Go Enid!

Bristolites Rally Around Neighbor in Need

Posted on Wednesday, January 5, 2011 by Michael • Comments are off for this post

Just before Christmas, Bruce posted the following to his Bristol, #VT neighbors via Front Porch Forum…

Action needed now! I recently became aware of a neighbor in need of wood to heat his home. Like many of us who are just a paycheck away from financial hardship, this person suffered a loss of income due to illness and now is facing winter with a soon to be gone woodpile. I have a line on a free wood that needs to be split and is in downtown Bristol. Here’s my plan, I will spend my from 12noon – 4pm this Friday (Christmas eve), splitting, loading and delivering wood to this neighbor in need. I have a small pickup truck. I need 6 volunteers, a wood splitter and three more trucks to pull this off. If this post gets out there by tomorrow, you can just call my cell if you want to help.

No one in this area should be worrying about heat as Winter begins with such a bounty of natural fuel all around us. This year let’s say we care with wood 🙂

And now today, ten days later, he followed up with this…

Wow. What a heart warming response to my last minute request to help a Bristol neighbor who needed wood to keep his homefires burning!

Thanks so much to all the people who spent 3 hours of their Christmas eve making a difference. Especially to Phyllis, you saved the day with your splitter and expertise.

We had probably 10 people come by Park Place and three hours later we had split and delivered 3 cords of wood. Also special thanks to Chris for donating some of his already dry and split wood and trailer to the cause.

The rest of you made this a labor of fun, with three trucks and many hands.

I wish I could post a picture on FPF (not allowed) but for now just picture a wide grin and happy neighbor. Happy New Year!

An amazing 30% of Bristol has signed up for FPF in the first several months of service there. As of this week, FPF is available in 60 Vermont towns. Please encourage your neighbors to join and put it to work! Special thanks to e-Vermont.

Helping Vermonters Help Each Other

Posted on Tuesday, January 4, 2011 by Michael • Comments are off for this post

It’s such an honor to provide a platform for people to be their amazing selves. From a woman in central #VT today…

I just recently helped to move an 80 yr old homeless man into an apartment in Montpelier. When I was first presented with this opportunity, I wondered how are we going to furnish an apartment for someone who has nothing. My brain was working that day, and I immediately logged into Front Porch Forum and WOW! I managed to find the furnishings for an apartment just by using the archives on FPF. Needless to say, this gentleman was moved beyond words and is just so appreciative of what has been given to him. Thanks again, I love FPF.

Hiding in Plain Sight

Posted on Monday, December 27, 2010 by Michael • Comments are off for this post

Vermont Public Radio commentator Andrea Learned chimed in today with a piece called “Sustainable Waldo.”

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how to nudge more people toward sustainable living practices. While switching out light bulbs and recycling as much as possible are both easy ways to start that process, what comes next? … we may now need to focus on places where sustainability is hidden in plain sight… Remember the “Where’s Waldo” books? Darned if he wasn’t right in front of your nose and you didn’t see him. So where are some sustainability Waldos?

One great example might lie in urban density and community transportation planning issues… Gardening is another activity where sustainability may be hiding in plain sight.

And what about neighborhood involvement, as supported by services like Vermont’s own Front Porch Forum, which host networks of online neighbor-to-neighbor help and information. Communities built on stronger interpersonal relationships and citizen interconnections help build more long-term, sustainable views on big, challenging issues. Whether or not citizens see this as sustainability doesn’t really matter. They are responding to powerful, sustainability-promoting, shared values.

She’s got a point! Sometimes we talk about FPF’s larger community benefits… but most of the time when chatting with folks, we focus on the direct and obvious benefits… use FPF to find an affordable plumber or ride to Boston, to report a car break-in to neighbors, to sell a bike or give away a stroller.

e-Vermont and FPF expanding to 12 more #VT towns

Posted on Tuesday, December 21, 2010 by Michael • Comments are off for this post

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 12/21/10
Contact: Helen Labun Jordan, e-Vermont Project Director, 802 225-6091

e-Vermont Selects 2011 Communities

MONTPELIER, VT — The e-Vermont Community Broadband Project will bring digital tools and in-depth internet training to 12 additional rural communities in 2011. The twelve, announced today, will benefit from the expertise and resources of e- Vermont’s statewide partners as the local groups develop ways to take full advantage of the Internet for creating jobs and innovative schools, providing social services, and increasing community connection. These towns join the first 12 pilot e-communities, selected in spring 2010.

The 2011 e-Vermont communities will be Bridgewater, Calais, Castleton, Dover, Fairfield, Hardwick, Jay/Westfield, Middletown Springs, Moretown, Morristown, Richford, and Vergennes. “As we work with rural communities to support the best use of high speed Internet tools in business, government, community and education, we are bringing Vermont one step closer to truly eliminating the digital divide,” says Project Director Helen Labun Jordan, “Rural regions can’t be left behind in digital skills — we may be receiving high speed Internet later than more urban areas, but we’re going to make up for lost time through programs like e-Vermont.”

e-Vermont is one of the few national broadband adoption initiatives focused on rural needs and it is being viewed as a national model. These towns are among the first to explore how the Internet can be harnessed as a tool for community development.

Although the e-Vermont Community Broadband Project can only bring in-depth services to 24 communities, it will be offering tools and resources to all of Vermont through workshops, conferences, webinars, online tools, and the continuing programs of its partner organizations. e-Vermont updates are posted at www.e4vt.org. Contact e- Vermont with any questions at 802-225-6091 or helen@vtrural.org. e-Vermont is not stringing cable or fiber, but is working to make better use of broadband where it is available. The 2010 communities are already seeing benefits.

In Middlesex, almost 60% of the households are using a new community e- newsletter called Front Porch Forum to buy and trade household items, learn about local special events and volunteer needs, share wildlife sightings, and support area businesses.
Five towns (Bristol, Ludlow, Poultney, Newport and West Rutland) are exploring the feasibility of creating public access Wi-Fi zones in their town centers in order to promote their communities and provide visitors with information about local events, services, entertainment and hospitality.
Small business owners in West Rutland are getting one-on-one analysis and advice on how to update and grow their e-commerce from the Vermont Small Business Development Center.
Sunderland – Arlington – Sandgate are adding technology as part of their celebration of their 250th Town Charter Anniversaries in 2011. High school community service students will create a website based on the historical holdings of Martha Canfield Library’s Russell Vermontiana Collection.
In Canaan churches, sports teams, and community groups are implementing an online calendar which will allow for greater event coordination, promotion, and cross-pollination.
Bristol’s 5th graders are learning to create podcasts and other interactive projects as the teachers integrate technology into their classroom. Digital Wish brought new computers for these students along with the training to unlock their potential.
Libraries in all the e-Vermont towns are trying new ways to offer the public better access and training, as computers become essential to obtain social services, find jobs, and keep up with research.

e-Vermont’s partners include Digital Wish, Front Porch Forum, Vermont State Colleges, Vermont Department of Libraries, Vermont Small Business Development Center and the Snelling Center for Government. The Vermont Council on Rural Development is overseeing e-Vermont, and will bring its expertise in community organizing to help each town connect its schools, government, businesses, and nonprofit providers in new and exciting ways.

The 2010 e-communities announced last spring are Brighton, Bristol, Canaan, Cambridge, Grand Isle County, Ludlow, Middlesex, Newport, Poultney, Pownal, Sunderland-Arlington-Sandgate, and West Rutland.

Grand Isle Co. + FPF = iPod?

Posted on Sunday, December 19, 2010 by Michael • Comments are off for this post

Do you know someone who lives in Grand Isle County, #VT… or spends significant time on the Islands? If yes, then please share this…

Join your Grand Isle County neighbors at FrontPorchForum.com and win an iPod!

Sign up today for your town’s e-newsletter: Front Porch Forum. If you live in The Islands you’ll be entered to win an iPod shuffle!

Front Porch Forum is building community in the Islands by helping neighbors connect. Need a babysitter, electrician, or snow plow guy? Just type a quick message and it goes out to your neighbors. Want people to attend an event, or know about a break-in? FPF is a great way to get the word out.

It’s easy to sign up… just go to FrontPorchForum.com and fill out a quick form. Then start reading and posting!

Do it soon! Only new sign-ups received by December 31, 2010 will be eligible to win the iPod shuffle. Sign up at: FrontPorchForum.com

Sample messages:

Group rate for fuel oil
Seeking reliable plumber
Break-in report
Free bookcase and table
Childcare available
Keys found
Community supper in the works
School board member responds
Casseroles for sick neighbor

Front Porch Forum is available across 50 Vermont towns, now including all of Grand Isle County. Thanks to the e-Vermont initiative for sponsoring FPF in The Islands.

New Tool to Survey Vermonters

Posted on Wednesday, December 15, 2010 by Michael • Comments are off for this post

Many local government entities subscribe to Front Porch Forum’s pilot in northwest Vermont. Hundreds of public officials are on board.

One municipality, a regional authority, used it this month to conduct a survey of the public and got about 300 people to complete their online questionnaire… about 1.5% of those who were asked. To the question — What’s your preferred way to hear news from us? — nearly half answered Front Porch Forum… outpacing other options, such as the newspaper. Of course, I’d expect a good response, given that they found these survey respondents through FPF. Regardless, glad to hear the results. And interested to see folks using FPF to survey Vermonters.

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