The Perry Village PITCH In program is hoping to widen the territory in which it helps people who are unable to do tasks or chores inside or outside of their homes. North Perry Village could be the next community where PITCH In projects soon will take place. Village Council, at its Jan. 7 meeting, listened to a presentation about the program which consists entirely of volunteers. Rick Walker, who serves as the PITCH In Administrative Committee chairman, asked North Perry legislators if they’d authorize the program to conduct projects in the village. Walker also invited North Perry council members and administrators to play an active role in helping it operate in their community. “So we’re hoping if you allow PITCH In to work within North Perry, you will get involved and you will help volunteer, or get us volunteers, as well,” he said. Council asked village Solicitor James O’Leary to prepare a resolution that would permit it to function in North Perry. That measure also would allow North Perry Village residents to participate as volunteers. It’s anticipated that council will vote on the resolution at its Feb. 6 meeting. During the Jan. 7 meeting, Walker told North Perry government that Perry Village PITCH In was launched in 2019. “And then COVID hit in 2020, and shut us down for a while,” he said. PITCH In actually was created after discussions which took place during Perry Village Council meetings. Walker, who also serves on Perry Village Council, and the panel’s president, Jean Schonauer, spearheaded efforts to establish the program. Before going out into the community to perform projects, Walker and Schonauer sharpened the description of what the program is intended to do; developed an application and review and approval process for people who seek help through the program; and decided how to recruit and screen volunteers. The Perry Village PITCH In Facebook page states that the program’s mission is “To help neighbors live safely through the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors.” The first word in the program’s name stands for Perry Investing Toward Community Help. It was decided to add the word “In” to create a phrase that would attract attention and be easy to remember. The program conducted its first project in May 2021 when volunteers spruced up the yard of a woman’s home on Manchester Road in Perry Village. Since that time, some of the projects that volunteers have carried out include washing windows, lawn mowing and yard maintenance, cleaning gutters, shoveling snow and walking a dog. “As you know, when we started PITCH In, we did work only within the village,” Walker said. “But as word got out a little bit, people from the township started requesting projects, too.” However, Walker said it was unable to initially branch out its services because the group hadn’t secured formal permission to work in Perry Township. That situation changed in October of last year, when Perry Township trustees approved a motion authorizing PITCH In to assist residents in the township and use any volunteers from the community who wish to participate. “We started getting requests immediately after the township allowed us to expand,” Walker said. “Some of the earliest requests were for raking leaves, and while we were out there, the neighbors were inquisitive and it gave us a chance to talk about our program.” Residents who contact PITCH In for help typically can’t do yardwork, house cleaning or home-maintenance projects because of medical- or age-related limitations. But the program doesn’t have restrictive eligibility requirements, and every project request receives careful consideration, Walker added. “We’ll help anybody out if they need help,” he said. Although awareness about PITCH has increased over the past 5 1/2 years, Walker said the program hasn’t received any inquiries about projects from North Perry residents. “But that could change, and we’d like to be able to provide services in North Perry if we can,” he said.