Cranberry event returns July 7-9
CRANBERRY TWP — Attendees coming to this year’s Cranberry Community Days will again be treated to a traditional carnival along with the usual favorites such as the Lions Club Pancake Breakfast and the Rotary Club Chicken BBQ.
This year’s event will be July 7 to 9 in Community Park off Route 19 and culminates with the traditional fireworks display.
The three-day event is organized by the Cranberry Township Community Chest, which helps promote nonprofits and helps fund community projects.
Michele Skubak, Community Chest president, said the nonprofit midway returns this year with a host of games and prizes, and it provides the groups an opportunity to introduce themselves and their mission to families.
There are sports-related games including golf putting, football and baseball tosses and traditional spin-the-wheel games.
On July 7, the Cruisin’ Cranberry car and motorcycle cruise will be one of the kick off events.
The Cranberry Township Athletic Association’s Softball Tournament, the American Heart Association Bean Bag Toss, the Cranberry Lions Club pancake breakfast and concerts return this year.
Entertainment includes The Buffetman Concert, Johnny Angel & The Halos and the Corbin Hanner Band.
Donation parking for $5 on Saturday will benefit the Victim’s Outreach Intervention Center (VOICe).
The recycled art contest returns for its second year and judging will take place in the Cranberry Municipal Center on July 8.
New for this year, replacing the Chamber Chase 5K will be the Run for Your Library 5K on the morning of July 8 to raise money for the library of the runner’s choice.
This is the fourth year the Community Chest has been involved with Community Days, and third year it has been charged with its organization.
In 2008, Community Day was moved from its traditional Fourth of July date to the following weekend and expanded to two days. A year later the Community Chest expanded the event to its current three-day celebration.
Bruce Mazzoni, Community Chest treasurer, said the community is beginning to see the results of the organization’s efforts to raise money for community projects.
The new community sign, in operation at the corner of routes 19 and 228, and the 100th anniversary of Scouting Monument and fishing pond in Graham Park will be dedicated before the start of Community Days on July 7.
Nonprofits also are benefiting, Mazzoni said, with a number of the groups seeing increases in membership and participating, which is contrary to national trends.
Mazzoni said the real key to Community Days is getting the word out about the nonprofits.
This year’s Community Chest annual report, which will be published before Community Days, will give people information on how to join nonprofit and civic groups and how much time is involved with volunteering.
“We’re still growing,” said Mazzoni. “Someday, it might not be Community Days, but Community Week.”
Information on how to get involved with the contests and buy online tickets to the BBQ and other events can be found at CTCC’s website at www.ctcchest.org.
