CRANBERRY TWP - There are a few new changes for this year's Cranberry Community Uniting People Neighborhood Charity Softball Tournament, but one constant remains: the money raised through the tournament will go to help local families dealing with serious or life-threatening illnesses.

Recipients of this year's event will be 7-year-old Isabelle Christenson and 9-year-old Dakota Dore, both living in Cranberry Township.

The event will kick off with the Cranberry CUP Golf Classic Aug. 5 at Cranberry Highlands. The annual kickoff party will take place at 7 p.m. at the clubhouse following the golf event.

Because of the time and space limitations, the number of teams will remain about the same as last year. There will be about 36 neighborhood teams and 12 business teams, said Cathy Cortazzo, Cranberry CUP board president .

The Cranberry CUP softball games will be played Aug. 6 and 7 at the Cranberry Community Park off Route 19.Last year, the tourney raised $45,000 for the Alex Poust family. This year's event is hoping to surpass that total."It has grown exponentially over the past few years. It wouldn't be a success without the help of a community," said board vice president Pierre Khoury.Township supervisor Dick Hadley described the Cranberry CUP softball tournament as an example of "what Cranberry Township is all about."Even though the event has been successful in raising thousands of dollars to help offset medical expenses for a number of local families, the event hasn't been without its sadness in recent years.Two of its former recipients passed away. Last year. Alex Poust died Dec. 3, 2004; while a year earlier, Kayla Sansone passed away from complications from her illness.This year, the tournament is raising money for two families.

Isabelle Christenson is a 7-year-old girl has been battling illnesses since her birth. She has spent more than half of her life in hospitals and has overcome ordeals that most people would not have survived, including a multi-organ transplant, a stroke, septic shock and being on a ventilator for several weeks.Isabelle was born with chronic pseudo-obstruction, a condition where there is a mal-absorption of fatty acids.Treatments damaged Isabelle's liver and spleen and gave her life-threatening blood infections.Isabelle was placed on the transplant list in August 2003. She received her transplant on Oct. 21, 2004. She received a new stomach, small bowel, liver and pancreas.Isabelle has had numerous difficulties following the transplant, including rejection, and is currently being treated with massive doses of steroids and anti-rejection drugs.Isabelle's mother, Michelle, was born and raised in Cranberry Township and her grandparents are still residents.

Isabelle and her family have lived in Columbus, Ohio, with her mother, father Dan, and sister Madeline. The Christenson family has lived at the Residence Inn in Cranberry Township for nearly the last two years to be closer to Children's Hospital. Madeline attends Haine Elementary School.This year's other recipient, 9-year-old Dakota Dore of Cranberry, has been battling cancer since he was 5. The battle began in November 2001 with a persistent cough and a tumor the size of a softball that was discovered behind his heart during an X-ray.After chemotherapy and a lot of time in the hospital, Dakota went into remission.In April 2003, doctors discovered cancer cells in his bone marrow. Dakota experienced his first bone marrow transplant in July 2003. Again, Dakota went into remission until January of this year.The cancer grew back very quickly in his abdomen and he once again had to go through chemotherapy. The doctors said he needed another bone marrow transplant in order to survive. He received his second transplant in March 2005.Dakota is recovering with his mother, Tracy, by his side. Tracy said Dakota has never complained about all of the suffering and pain, and that he gives her strength.Tracy is a single parent and spends most of her time at the hospital or at doctor's appointments with Dakota. She has been trying to work and go to school to provide for herself and Dakota.Community members coordinating the charity events include Cortazzo, Khoury, treasurer Bernie Herman, secretary Dawn Abbate, director Mark DeNapoli, kickoff party chairwoman Lynn Sterling, golf classic chairman Anthony Bertolino and finance committee chairwoman Jill Deitch.

WHAT: Cranberry CUP Gold Classic charity golf tournament and kickoff party, open to the publicWHEN: All-day golfing with kick-off party at 7 p.m. Aug. 5WHERE: Cranberry Highlands Golf Course, Cranberry TownshipINFORMATION: www.cranberrycup.org---WHAT: Cranberry CUP softball gamesWHEN: Beginning at 10 a.m. Aug. 6 and lasting through Aug. 7, when championship games and a raffle drawing will begin at 6 p.m.WHERE: Cranberry Community ParkINFORMATION: www.cranberrycup.org