Cranberry Township resident Mike Schultz, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2020, and his family will benefit from this year's annual Cranberry CUP fundraising event. Schultz is shown with his wife, Becky. Submitted photo

The Cranberry Community Uniting People (Cranberry CUP) nonprofit will hold its annual fundraising event Aug. 5 to 7.

Cranberry CUP, which describes its goal as “providing hope, support, and encouragement to individuals and families who are experiencing life’s hardships,” has held fundraisers through an annual softball tournament since 2000. The organization works to support an “inspirational family” in need each year, often someone with medical expenses, while helping with other projects for families throughout the rest of the year.

“We try to come in and assess what their need is, and we meet the needs of the family,” said Robin Shaffer, Cranberry CUP vice president. “Our goal is to add support to them, and our goal is to make sure that we get them back on their feet, that they don’t go in a hole while they are trying to get healthy.”

Eligible families fill out an application, and a recipient is selected by Cranberry CUP’s board. Families within Seneca Valley School District are eligible to apply.

This year, funds will benefit the family of father and grandfather Mike Schultz of Cranberry, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2020 and is recovering.

“What’s really great about CUP, is that we are an eight-person board, and none of us get paid a penny,” Shaffer said. “All of the money that we raise goes straight to the families.”

Cranberry resident Mike Schultz, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2020, and his family will benefit from this year's annual Cranberry CUP fundraising event. Submitted photo

The fundraising event will begin Aug. 5 with a golf classic event, with registration at 8:30 a.m. and tee-off at 10 a.m. at Cranberry Highlands Golf Course. A kickoff party will be held from 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. The evening includes a light dinner, cash bar, and entertainment provided by local band 56 East. Tickets to the party are available for $20 each.

Aug. 6 and 7 will feature the nonprofit’s signature softball tournament, divided into open and neighborhood divisions. Opening ceremonies for the event are scheduled for 10 a.m. Aug 6. Player registration is $25, and all teams are required to sell $500 in raffle tickets. Approximately 40 teams are already registered for the event.

Tickets for the kickoff party are available until the day of the event, and softball teams can register until July 27.

A community cornhole tournament was added this year in honor of late board member Michele Moore, who was a fan of the game. Participants can register for the cornhole tournament in advance or day of the event.

Since the start of Cranberry CUP in 2000, the organization has raised more than $2 million, Shaffer said.

“I think the reason we can raise so much money is most of everything we do is donated by the community. This is a fabulous community,” Shaffer said. “We rely on businesses’ donations and people’s donations, and for 23 years, they have always come through.”