Category Archives: Vermont
Reporter needs story? Listen to neighbors on FPF
#VT #BTV – In this week’s Seven Days (Vermont’s excellent free alt. weekly), I’ve already counted three stories that stem from postings made on various Front Porch Forums…
- Silvio’s Silver Lining (3:20 mark).. crime in Cambridge
- Weinberger Wants Year-Round Waterfront Action, But Some Neighbors Are Wary… Burlington politics
- UVM Sets Kill Traps for Dam-Building Beavers in Centennial Woods… wildlife controversy
And they’re not alone… ABC22/Fox44 local news covered a Burlington break-in via FPF this week, and the Burlington Free Press, VPR, WCAX, and many community newspaper frequently turn to FPF.
We love it. FPF helps local traditional media find story leads. And we help grow the audience for the stories that they report. We’ve heard many times from FPF members who rarely tuned into local news before signing up for their Front Porch Forums… and now they pay more attention to community issues. Strong and vibrant local media… it’s crucial for our democracy and we’re honored to play our role.
UPDATE: Just saw these tweets…
This is how Bristol rolls…
#VT – How do Bristol folks use their Front Porch Forum? Here’s a request Martha posted for her neighbors a week ago…
Looking for scrap fabric to make bags to be hung on walkers. RSVP has just sent me their pattern and I’m willing to make bags for them to pass on to hospitals and nursing homes. Most of my scraps are too lightweight. The fabric needs to be heavier than quilters’ cotton. Denim would be good. Or corduroy. Please let me know if you have any that you’d be willing to part with.
And she shared this update today…
A huge thank you to the three ladies who donated fabric for making walker bags. Your generosity is so appreciated! Seven bags completed and six more are just steps away. I’ll deliver them to RSVP on Friday and I’m sure they’ll easily find homes for them.
Christmas Spirit Contrast in Cambridge
#VT – Bad news posted on the Cambridge Front Porch Forum:
The Ornament Studio was robbed last night. How do you wrap your head around this? The loss reaches beyond the actual stolen items. It changes something intangible.
Followed by this gem of good news:
I was at the school Tuesday afternoon picking up my great grandson and visiting with a mother of one of the students that used to ride my bus, as her son came down the hall he saw me and started running to me calling my name , he gave me a huge hug told me how much he missed me, he told me he and his father were selling Christmas trees again this year and he wanted to give me a tree, he kept telling me that he really wanted to give me a tree , in the meantime the tears begin to flow for the wonderful thoughtful thing he wanted to do for me , so Sat. morning I am driving to Simons store at the end of the 289 and 2A to get my tree . This is especially wonderful as I did not have the money for a tree this year, I will never forget this special young person and his Christmas gift to me. Thank you Douglas I LOVE YOU, you are a very special young man. -Barb
Neighbor house switcheroo…
#VT – Sadly, I will soon be selling my large house in the village. I very much want to stay right here. If you are selling, or know of anybody who is or might be selling a small (2 bedroom?) house or condo in Richmond Village, please contact me. Thank you.”
Posted by Joanna on the Richmond Front Porch Forum. The next day, she received from Christy…
Hi Joanna – We have a 2 bedroom townhouse that we love, but that we will eventually outgrow. We’ve been looking for homes in the village… we’d love to stay here. Have you already sold your house?
Joanna shared with us just today…
I am thrilled to report that, two months after my initial FPF posting, I purchased the townhouse and Christy and her family purchased my home. Amazingly we each found the perfect home and we were able to sell our homes without ever putting them on the market. Thank you, Front Porch Forum!
More powerful than a locomotive…
#VT – Wow, Front Porch Forum is powerful. I received many responses to my posting for a pet sitter within an hour. Thank you to all who responded. We found a sitter!
Posted today by Dean on the Underhill FPF.
Overwhelmed by neighborliness…
#BTV #VT – Thanks to all the people who replied to my post. I was overwhelmed. I’ve made arrangements with someone and am now all set. Thanks again… FPF works very well.
Posted today by Emily on the Downtown Burlington Front Porch Forum.
How to stir up your FPF…
#VT – Dan posted the following to the Huntington FPF the other day, and the responses have been loads of fun…
A couple weeks ago the residents of Upper East Street woke to the sight of a wooden step ladder bravely standing upright and proud just across the ditch on the edge of the woods. It’s a lonely looking step ladder with no houses nearby and no apparent purpose in life such as a large tree nearby to to help someone climb into.
I am hoping readers will post a response answering one or all of the following questions:
1.) The real answer as to how it got there and what it’s purpose is,
2.) The most logical explanation you can come up with,
3.) The most whimsical explanation, or most importantly
4.) What it’s thinking as it silently watches all the busy humans buzzing up and down the road.I would appreciate your help with this as ever since it appeared I’ve been struggling with getting a good nights sleep.
Mad River Valley compost to heat greenhouse
#VT – Great video clip…
Glad Front Porch Forum made the match between those with excess wood chips and those seeking same.
Librarian rescues Robin Hood from roof…
#VT – Posted on FPF by a town librarian…
Folks may weary of seeing missing animals on the Starksboro Front Porch Forum, but after this evening I can report that they can be worthwhile. Thanks to a listing on FPF we were able to reunite a missing cats with his owner. He was a mile from home and on the roof of the town offices — most likely trying to get high enough to see how far he was from home!
And from the climbing cat’s owner…
Ohhh Happy Days!! Thank you so much to all who helped with the rescue mission!
I received a call asking what my kitty looked like as there had been a cat perched on top of the town offices all day, and they had fetched a ladder and had retreived him from the roof and had him safely in the library.
Thank you so much to everyone who helped Robin Hood return safely home!! I am in heaven! Thank you FPF!
Danby brings FPF to town…
#VT – Thanks to the Danby, Vermont, selectboard, citizens in this small Rutland County town may now join Front Porch Forum!
Please spread the word to anyone you know in Danby.
FPF is now available in about 85 Vermont towns. Here’s a full list and map.
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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