Frank Petrone

CRANBERRY TWP — One of the founding members of the Cranberry Sunrise Rotary and an advocate for the township continues to have his legacy honored through the group's annual golf outing.

Cranberry Sunrise Rotary is hosting its annual Frank Petrone Golf Outing May 4 at Cranberry Highlands Golf Course. Registration begins at 8 a.m. The shotgun start is at 9 a.m.

Before his death in September 2013 at age 90, Petrone served as a township supervisor, planning commission member and a founding member of the Cranberry Township Rotary clubs. He was also instrumental in setting up the township's original Community Chest.

“He was always devoted to his community until his last breath,” said Jerry Andree, township manager and Sunrise Rotarian. “He cared deeply about Cranberry. He was active on many fronts.”

The outing is the Sunrise Rotary's major fundraiser for the year, said Vic Conrad, a Sunrise Rotarian. The outing brings in about $10,000 to $12,000 each year.

It supports the Rotary's various outreach projects, like Gleaners Food Bank, the dictionary program, Victims Outreach Intervention Center, international Rotary projects to eradicate polio and scholarships for local high school students.

“The biggest dollar that comes out of our annual budget is scholarships for Seneca Valley students,” he said.

The scholarships were a point of pride for Petrone, Andree said.

“He looked after the interests of the youth, advocating for scholarships for our kids,” Andree said.

Petrone was first a founding member of the Cranberry Noon Rotary, then the Sunrise Rotary when it formed later. He was in Rotary for more than 40 years.

He also was on the committee that advocated for Cranberry Township to get its own post office, which it finally did in 1994.

For more information on the golf outing, visit cranberrytwpsunriserotary.org or contact Vic Conrad at vconrad@pinnaclestrategies.org.