GREENVILLE – Peter Cutarelli, of Greenville, has been honored for his impressive service to the community. Cutarelli was the bronze award winner in the Miami Valley Outstanding Senior Volunteers Award program on Sept. 26 at the Dayton Society of Natural History, sponsored by Medical Mutual of Ohio.
Cutarelli and three other area volunteers age 60 and older were honored for their incredible service to charitable and nonprofit organizations. Peter was nominated by Fish Choice Pantry.
In 2008, Cutarelli was working as a full-time production planner when he first volunteered to prepare taxes for community members at Evangelical United Methodist Church. The church’s outreach program partnered with The Ohio Benefit Bank (OBB) to connect Ohioans with free work support programs and tax preparation. Pete mastered OBB’s tax software and spent eight years volunteering up to 30 hours per month guiding people through the often-intimidating process of filing their taxes.
By the time Cutarelli retired in 2016, the church had ceased their complimentary tax services. Luckily, Fish Choice Pantry, an organization serving the emergency food needs of Darke County residents, opened an OBB site where he and many of his colleagues could continue sharing their tax expertise with neighbors. Cutarelli now volunteers close to 70 hours a month to train new tax counselors, answer questions and file tax paperwork. Clients appreciate his patience and knowledge and request his services year after year. He regularly offers to stay late, accepts unscheduled appointments or fills in for absent counselors. In 2019, Cutarelli completed tax paperwork for 172 households, the most of any of his peers.
In addition to preparing taxes, Cutarelli helps Fish Choice Pantry purchase and distribute perishable foods to those who need assistance. He is also a committee member of the Miami Valley Youth for Christ Golf Classic and assists with logistics for outreach events. His work ethic and character are beyond reproach, and he is happiest when helping others.
