Warwick is getting closer to having one village based throughout the city.

Tuesday saw two meetings held by The Village Common of RI, which operate six villages throughout the state. Those villages consist of a group of volunteers aimed at helping primarily senior citizens- the villagers- with tasks such as IT support and transportation to doctors’ appointments.

Having communities for seniors, Village Common of RI Executive Director Caroline Dillon said, was important in order to help people age in their own homes and with combatting social isolation.

“The village is a great antidote to social isolation,” Dillon said. “It creates friendship, and it creates meaningful connections.”

The morning’s preliminary meeting saw great turnout, with 33 interested future villagers and volunteers filling the bottom floor of Tri City Elk Lodge #14 on West Shore Road. An evening meeting at the City Hall Annex saw a similar number, with 30 interested as well.

Preliminary meetings gauging interest in a Warwick Village had been held over the past summer. Since then, the Village Common of RI had held additional meetings, though Tuesday’s meetings had seen the greatest interest of any held.

One thing that has been set in stone, according to Dillon, is that the village will encompass the entire city of Warwick. Previously, the village’s Steering Committee had considered splitting the village to focus on a specific community- such as the Edgewood village in that neighborhood of Cranston- but ultimately decided to make it city-wide.

“Every time that they did a community survey, when they looked through where the potential volunteers are, they were from all across Rhode Island,” Dillon said. “So what was suggested and talked to them about was so long as you have volunteers from [different parts of the city] to ensure they’re supported, then you do what you need to.”

Also in attendance was Mayor Frank Picozzi, who said that the Village Common of RI had been great to work with since their first meeting.

“They came in and said ‘We want nothing from you,’ and that’s the first time that’s happened,” Picozzi said. “Warwick has no shortage of people who want to volunteer and help the community.”

Picozzi also jokingly challenged Providence mayor Brett Smiley upon finding out that Providence currently has the largest village in Rhode Island, with around 150 members, saying that Warwick could reach those numbers as well.

Before Warwick Village can think about rivaling Providence Village in size, though, the city needs 20 volunteers and 10 villagers to become official. Dillon said that the organization is well on the way to those numbers, and Village Development Coordinator Susan DeRita took down the information of interested volunteers.

Prospective volunteers must also take a federal background check, in order to ensure the safety of the villagers. Villagers can also volunteer themselves for certain tasks, and according to Dillon, many do.

“It reminds us that we all have a gift to share,” Dillon said. “Maybe you don’t drive anymore, but you’re really good at a chat on a telephone or having tea with someone. Maybe you can still drive, but you need your tech support. Or maybe you’re not comfortable with your hip climbing that ladder or shoveling that walkway. That’s why a village works so well.”

The organization has already taken other steps to make the village official, such as the creation of the aforementioned Steering Committee. In addition, three Warwick residents- Maureen Maigret, Steve Horowitz and Sarah Cote- serve on the statewide board. Dillon said they had been looking forward to the creation of a Warwick Village for quite a while.

“We have folks in Warwick who have been volunteering for years, never having a village in their own community, but still giving themselves because the mission spoke so strongly to them.”

Warwick Village is likely to be either the seventh, eighth or ninth village in the state, as Cumberland and Aquidneck Island are on the path to creating villages at approximately the same time. The six currently existing villages are Providence, Edgewood, Barrington, Westerly, Glocester and Burrillville.

Other communities currently in the process of setting up a village are Jamestown, Woonsocket, a Spanish-language Providence village, and a statewide village for LGBTQ+ seniors. Dillon said that recently, the Village Common of RI had been approached by officials in Exeter and Richmond as well about helping provide services for seniors there, which had not previously happened.

While Dillon didn’t want to put any pressure on future Warwick volunteers and villagers as to when it would officially begin, she said that the official start of the village would likely be this summer.

“We do whatever works for your community,” Dillon said. “Fast, slow, doesn’t matter. We will be there to support you whenever you are ready. We work at your pace, we work with you.”