For my Mitzvah Project I wanted to work on a project with which I could identify. I love sports and searched for organizations related to either baseball or basketball. I found Pitch in for Baseball and I was hooked. Pitch In For Baseball, located in Harleysville, PA, provides new and gently used baseball and softball equipment to boys and girls in the United States and around the world who want to play ball but lack the equipment to do so. They are the proven leaders in collecting and redistributing equipment resources to communities and organizations in need.
In July 2014, I began reaching out to my family and friends to organize a collection of equipment. I, along with my parents, contacted some of the training facilities I have used during the time I’ve been playing baseball. Rubbermaid containers were generously donated to me, so that I could drop them in certain locations for collection. We had bins placed in the All Star Baseball Academy in Warminster, Sluggersville Training Facility in Northeast Philadelphia, and Spring Mill Swim Club in Ivyland for the summer. We made monthly pickups at these locations while promoting other events using our Facebook page.
I set up collection days outside of Modell’s Sporting Goods and Menchie’s in Warminster. Every collection generated something positive. Modell’s was also gracious enough to offer a Team Week’s Coupon for the month of August which earned “Daulton is Pitchin’ in for Baseball” just under $200. At every location, I encountered such nice people who wanted to help me. We were contacted by the L’il Angels Consignment Shop who found us through a friend of a friend on Facebook. L’il Angels runs a very large Annual Sale in their Parkwood and Bensalem locations. The organizers of those sales emailed us that they wanted to help me. They each collected equipment and money on behalf of Pitch in For Baseball. They also both made a monetary donation using the website that the company provided for me. Northampton Baseball also found us through our Facebook Page. They were cleaning out their Baseball Equipment closets and were looking for a place to donate their equipment. They had more equipment than we could fit in our car, so they even delivered it to our house. They said they were fortunate enough to have too much!
My collection closed in mid-September and we delivered everything to the warehouse in Harleysville on Rosh Hashanah. We had an entire van full of equipment. The warehouse manager mentioned that they had never received a larger collection from an Individual, so we were very proud.
I learned a lot through my project. I learned that people are good and it’s pretty easy to make a difference in the world. This was the biggest charitable project I’ve taken on in my lifetime so far, but I am definitely interested in finding other ways to help people. I learned that there are many opportunities to help, but the key was to find a charity/cause that I felt connected to. Once I was connected, it was easy and fun to work on it. I was able to see that everyone is not as fortunate as I am and that just because you lack the equipment to do something, doesn’t mean you should be denied the opportunity. When we made the donation at the warehouse, it was heartwarming. I was able to give kids something they could have and use forever. It made me feel stronger about myself.I still think about where the equipment was donated to and who is using it. Pitch In For Baseball is going to track a few items and give me an update once the equipment is delivered. Baseball is a game I’ve always played and have always loved. It can be played alone or with friends, for fun or competitively. It just makes me feel good and I was able to share that with people I don’t even know. I became one of those generous people who was willing to help even though they didn’t know me.
https://www.facebook.com/DaultonPitchinInForBaseball?ref=hl
Submitted by: Daulton Zeaman, Bucks County, PA