CTCC nears $600,000 project goal
CRANBERRY TWP — The Cranberry Township Community Chest's 2016 Project of the Year is close to being funded.
The project, announced last June, is to raise $600,000 to replace the surface on the baseball diamond in Graham Park used by the Miracle League of Southwestern Pennsylvania.
The money also will be used to build a new baseball-themed playground in the park adjacent to the field. The playground will be all-inclusive so that children of all ages and abilities will be able to enjoy it.
The campaign has raised $525,000 with more donations expected to come in, said Community Chest Chairman Bruce Mazzoni. Donors have until June 15 to make a donation and be recognized with an engraved paver at the field.
The Community Chest also has applied for about $200,000 in grants from foundations and will apply for $100,000 more in hopes of getting contributions for the Miracle League.
The league is for children and adults with special needs that allows them to play on a specialized field. The group was founded in 2007, and had its first season in Graham Park in 2009.
This spring the Miracle League has about 400 players, making it one of the bigger leagues in the country, said president and founder Mike Sherry.
The players are excited about the improvements.
Sherry said, “It's been a fantastic experience. The support that we continue to get from Cranberry Township and the surrounding communities is extremely impressive.
“Our players and their families are thrilled that they will not only be able to play on a new surface, but also have this new playground to use before and after the games.”
Excavation of the playground site has already begun and construction of the playground will begin Wednesday.
The Miracle League has spring and fall seasons, so resurfacing will be done in July and August when there is a gap between the seasons.
The Community Chest expects to reach its fundraising goal and to have a grand opening celebration in September, Mazzoni said.
The 2017 Project of the Year will be announced in June and will officially kick off with Community Days July 7-9 in Cranberry Township Community Park on Route 19.
The Community Chest is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. The annual project effort has grown and become important to residents, Mazzoni said.
“I think it grows every year. The Project of the Year now has a lot of meaning to people. They understand what it is, and they see the results of the project each year,” he said.
There are more than 500 donors who regularly make contributions to the effort.
The Community Chest will put out an annual report in June to thank the donors and to recognize the people, companies and organizations that have funded scholarship or charitable programs through the Cranberry Legacy Endowment. The endowment, now in its sixth year, has about $1.5 million in assets.
For information about the Community Chest, visit www.ctcchest.org.
