MSA donated $20,000 to the Cranberry Township Community Chest's 2015 Project of the Year. From left are Zane Frund, MSA director of research; Bruce Mazzoni, Community Chest treasurer; and Bill Lambert, CEO of MSA. The project looks to boost the number of volunteer firefighters in the county.

CRANBERRY TWP — More than $38,000 in donations were made to the Cranberry Township Community Chest in the past week as fundraising continues for the 2015 Project of the Year.

The biggest donation came from MSA, which gave $20,000.

Other large donations came in the form of $10,000 from an anonymous source, $5,000 from Butler County Community College President Nick Neupauer and $2,500 from Sherwood Oaks in Cranberry Township.

The total amount raised so far is $324,777 toward a goal of $500,000.

All of that money will go to the project of the year, which is an initiative to recruit and retain more volunteer firefighters in Butler County.

Mark Deasy, a spokesman for MSA, said that donating to the project was a “no-brainer” because the company develops technology used by fire companies worldwide.

Also, the project will aid fire departments in Butler County where MSA’s headquarters is located.

“We work with fire departments every day in the nature of our business and I think because of that, we have a really good understanding of the many challenges fire departments face every day,” he said. “We understood that this is something we needed to be involved in.”

The $500,000 will pay for a $130,000 emergency trailer for education, training and recruitment purposes. The trailer will be used by every fire department in the county.

The rest of the money will go toward establishing about 20 scholarships at the community college. Anyone who pledges two years of service to a fire company will be eligible for the scholarships.

Bruce Mazzoni, treasurer of the Community Chest, said it was a “great week” for the project, and he specifically thanked MSA for its large donation.

“I am obviously thrilled with the level of support we have been getting for the firefighter initiative from all areas of Butler County,” he said.

“I want to thank all our supporters and again remind our businesses and residents of the importance of reversing the decline of volunteer firefighters and ask them to consider volunteering, and, if they cannot, to consider supporting this initiative.”

The most recent donors include: the American Legion Post 117, $150; David and Theresa Elkin, $125; Ray and Lynn Ballantine, $125; the Inman family, $125; the Heery family, $125; J & J Fire Protection Co., $100; Don and Margaret McGee, $25 and C.T. Yannotty, $25.