Proceeds from the Cranberry CUP will benefit families in need and the Forsyth family of Cranberry Township, above, photographed on Friday, who lost their patriarch, Bertram Forsyth, 46, in 2022 in a car crash. Irina Bucur/Butler Eagle

CRANBERRY TWP — Volunteers darted across the banquet hall in Cranberry Highlands Golf Course to make final arrangements ahead of the 24th annual kickoff party for the Cranberry Community Uniting People (CUP) on Friday, where philanthropy and long-standing friendships were on display throughout the evening.

“We’re all here because we help our community members,” Cranberry CUP vice president Robin Shaffer said. The Cranberry CUP — which includes golf, softball, cornhole tournaments and more — raises money for families in need, including an “Inspirational Family” named each year by the board of directors.

Anywhere between 300 to 375 people could be expected to come in and out the door, Shaffer said before the event. Nearly all the fixings — from the food to the decor to the plates and silverware — were donated by board members, volunteers, business sponsors and restaurants, she said. Each year, Shaffer added, the event takes months to organize.

Proceeds will go toward supporting the Forsyth family of Cranberry Township. Bertram “BJ” Forsyth, 46, died in a crash on Dec. 4, near the intersection of Route 19 and Ehrman Road. Police said Forsyth’s vehicle was struck by an alleged drunken driver.

“He was the main breadwinner. They were just moving into their home,” Shaffer said. “They were just getting things together, and he’s gone. So we step in, and we just lift her emotionally with the community — spiritually, emotionally, financially.”

Since the inception of the organization, Cranberry CUP has raised about $2.2 million for families in need, she said.