CRANBERRY TWP — The Cranberry Township Community Chest raised nearly $393,000 to help recruit and retain more volunteer firefighters in Butler County.

That effort was the group’s 2015 project of the year.

Since fundraising efforts began in July last year, the Community Chest raised $392,850.

The donations came from hundreds of individuals, businesses and organizations.

At least $150,000 of that money already has gone to buy two emergency trailers to be used for recruitment, training and educational purposes by all of the fire departments in the county.

Those trailers will be unveiled on July 2 at a ceremony at the Butler County Community College.

The rest of the money will go to establishing scholarships at BC3. Any student who pledges two years of service at a fire department will be eligible for a scholarship.

Bruce Mazzoni, chairman of the township supervisors and treasurer of the community chest, said he is thrilled with the positive community response to the project.

“There are a lot of issues in regards to declining numbers of firefighters in Pennsylvania, and I know what we did isn’t going to solve all those issues,” Mazzoni said. “But at least it’s putting a nice spotlight on it.”