Cranberry girl helps helpers with fundraiser
CRANBERRY TWP — While the October attack on Pittsburgh's Tree of Life Synagogue was traumatic and a dark day for the region, the fallout of that event also served as inspiration for a local girl.
Miranda Larson, who turns 13 Saturday and will celebrate her bat mitzvah, said the actions of first responders Oct. 27, were the catalyst for a community project aimed to raise money for the Fraternal Order of Police Benevolent Fund. Miranda recapped the project Thursday during a meeting of Cranberry Township supervisors.
Miranda said her family lost three friends in the shooting, which made an impact on a personal level. However, she said it was the actions of those arriving on the scene in the minutes after the shooting that stood out.
“Seeing the first responders rush toward the chaos and then later learning their dire condition moved me to act,” she said. “I wanted to help the helpers and raise money specifically for people who risked their lives to stop the bloodshed.
“It takes a special person to rush toward danger.”
Miranda created Mustache Mania Days, a fundraiser at Ryan Gloyer Middle School. Students paid $1 or $2, depending on the mustache they wanted to wear. According to Mike Manipole, a township supervisor who also teaches at the school, students wore the mustaches for two days to help raise awareness.
Additionally, 16 officers with the Cranberry Township Police Department donned mustaches and sent in photographs and words of encouragement.
In total, Miranda raised more than $400, which will go toward covering medical care for officers injured during the shooting. She said she will continue the effort and hopes to involve others in the township.
“I wanted to do more than just say 'thank you' to the heroes of our community,” she said.
Manipole praised Miranda for her efforts and pointed out that it is an example of how one gesture can affect an entire community. “As a young adult, to think outside the box and do something like that is truly amazing,” he said.
He also commended the police officers who took time out of their schedules to support the cause.
