Cranberry CUP brings community together
CRANBERRY TWP — The softball fields at the Cranberry Community Park were packed Saturday with supporters of the Cranberry CUP.
The 17th annual Cranberry CUP, Community Uniting People, had its softball tournament Saturday and Sunday in support of the Majcan family.
A significant portion of the proceeds from the event went to help to build a handicap-accessible bathroom for Jordan Majcan, a 17-year-old of Cranberry who was left temporarily paralyzed from the waist down from a car accident during the week of Thanksgiving in 2015.
Majcan's parents, Chris and Terri, and his brothers, Logan, 11, and Caden, 4, were present, and were grateful for the support.
“The Cranberry CUP and the community came into our lives and wrapped its arms around us in our darkest hours,” Terri Majcan told the crowd during the opening ceremony. “We wanted to say thank you.”
Peggi Schively, Jordan's grandmother, also spoke.
“He will bounce back,” she said of her grandson. “You will see him walking down the road.”
Jordan Majcan was not at the tournament because it would have been difficult for him, according to his parents and Schively
“Some of these things you just can't handle, and you can't make someone do that if they're not ready,” Schively said. “But I know his heart is full of thanks to the Cranberry CUP and all of you.”
The bathroom, which is being built in the back of the Majcan's home, will be completed in a few months.
The plumbing and electric work is done, as are the frame and roof. The heating, ventilation and air conditioning are being installed, and the interior needs to be finished.
Chris Majcan said his son is in rehabilitation.
“(The physical therapists) are trying different things,” he said. “Because he's young and because of the new technology, he's got it in his favor.”
Cathy Cortazzo, the founder and president of the Cranberry CUP, was impressed with the support this year.“This project that we're doing for the Majcans, it has been a true community of united people because there's been a lot of material and labor donations and help to get this done,” she said. “A lot of the community has come out to rally around them.”Cortazzo said the tournament turnout was about the same as last year. Thirty teams were in the open division, and 18 teams were in the neighborhood division.Returning neighborhood champion The Crossings was back, and it also was the top fundraiser again this year.“It's supporting the cause, but we also enjoy the competition of the tournament,” said Ted Fry, team manager of The Crossings.Another team, Net App, also was glad to support Cranberry CUP.“The main initiative is to support the cause, support the inspirational family,” said Dan Vallos of Net App. “The softball is secondary. We want to play and have fun but we're here to support the community.”Alex Muckle, who plays for the team Scabs, is proud of the community for the show of support.“I've lived other places and you never see anything close to this where a community comes together for one family,” he said.This year's winners are Bellevue Park in the neighborhood division and UPMC in the open division.Past inspirational people were honored, including 2015's family of the year Steve and Shelby Popson, Kim Long, Alex Poust, and the late Jason Koliscak, who recently died of cancer.Koliscak was chosen by Cranberry CUP in 2014. He raised $15,000 for the CUP.Proceeds that did not go toward the Majcan family will go to other families chosen by the Cranberry CUP as well as student scholarship recipients.
