CRANBERRY TWP — More than $13,000 in donations were made this week to the Cranberry Township Community Chest’s 2015 Project of the Year designed to recruit more volunteer firefighters.

The community chest is more than halfway to its $500,000 goal less than five months after the project started at Cranberry’s Community Days celebration in July.

The most recent round of donations includes gifts of $5,000 from the Housing Authority of the County of Butler, $2,500 from the Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau and $2,500 from the Cranberry Supply Co.

The fund is at $342,022.

This is a $500,000 initiative to recruit and retain more volunteer firefighters in the county. That money will go to buy a $130,000 emergency trailer that will be used by every department in the county for educational, training and recruitment purposes.

The rest of the money will go to establish about 20 scholarships at Butler County Community College. Anyone who pledges two years of service to a volunteer fire department will be eligible for a scholarship.

The most recent round of donations includes gifts from:

The Robert and Gail Hunter Foundation, $500; Matthew Klabnik, $250; the Manipole family, $250; Ralph and Maryann DiLuigi, $125; JoAnn Westover, $125; Ken and Lori Ross, $125; Lisa Caughey, $125; Robert D. Lyle, $125; Harry and Janet Dick, $100; Jack Valentine, $100

Steven D. Marino, $100; Kathleen and Mark Prazer, $50; Anita Shaheen, $50; Rod L. McDonald, $50; Debra Guity, $50; Linda L. Johnston, $50; Thomas Boyd, $50; Judy Roura, $50; Larry and Janet Heckathorn, $50; Mr. and Mrs. Edward J. Alo, $50

Cheryl W. Fera, $50; Marcia Hall, $50; Gary and Holly Nowicki, $50; Joan Rauso, $25; Clint Clark, $25; Jeff and Bonnie Davis, $25; Dr. and Mrs. Robert C. Wheatall, $25; Eileen Quinn and Richard Nussbaumer, $25; Dr. and Mrs. Jason Choorapuzha, $25; Jeannine Lehman, $25; Jan M. Prentice, $25; Jane Snebold, $25; Michael and Maxine Botti, $25; Weinel family, $25; Lloyd and Joan Tuttle, $25

Grace Smith, $25; K and D Stenger, $25; Anna Plut, $25; Fred Parsons, $25; Robert and Cheryl Rosek, $25; Ernest and Rita Pinyot, $25; Robert and Jennifer Murnock, $25; Judith Wazenegger, $25; Laura and Rick Walters, $25; Mark and Mary Richner, $25; Michael and Gerra Gembarosky, $20

James and Ann Pazur, $20; Dolores and Daniel Creedon, $20; Eugene and Corina Taylor, $15; Leo A. Malloy Sr., $15; and John and Dorothy Francis, $15.

Bruce Mazzoni, treasurer of the community chest, said that he’s thrilled with the community’s response to the project.

“The response has been incredible, and I want to thank all our donors this week and again those who have sent donations in the past,” he said.

Mazzoni still is urging residents to contact their employers about giving to this project, as some companies at this time of year are looking for a charitable project to donate to.

However, money isn’t the only thing the community chest is looking for, he said.

Mazzoni said, “Besides financial support, we also would like to discuss creating an internal program that creates incentive to their employees to become a volunteer firefighter, to help their local fire companies.”

Anyone wanting to learn about the project or to donate can visit the community chest’s website at www.ctcchest.org.