For the past two months, our daily lives have been turned upside down.

The stresses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic are wide ranging and hard hitting, from financial concerns to keeping families healthy.

Undoubtedly, the strong mothers and women in our community and across the country have been at the forefront of keeping households running smoothly.

It could be as unassuming as having to prepare three meals a day for a hungry family, or as challenging as becoming a teacher for their children. The laundry has certainly increased, and perhaps they have been forced to become a caregiver for an ill or at-risk relative.

Still others have had to find the right words to explain to their children why Little League season won’t happen this year, or why they can’t visit their friends for a play date.

They’re doing this while also balancing careers, with office banter replaced by declarations of boredom and hunger.

It’s a challenge unlike any other in our history, and there is no playbook. Families have been forced to adapt and carry the weight of anxiety and fear. As they tend to do, mothers have stepped up to calm those fears, perhaps while ignoring their own.

As we celebrate a Mother’s Day unlike any other, it is more important than ever to let the special woman in your life know they are appreciated and loved. The celebrations may change, with in-person dinners replaced by virtual meetings. But the sentiment remains the same.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the wonderful women in the Cranberry community. We wouldn’t be where we are without you.

I'd love to hear your feedback. Email me at jerry.andree@cranberrytownship.org. 

We’re counting on you!

Or rather, we need you to be counted.

April 1 marks Census Day, the official push for gathering accurate data. Those filling out the Census are instructed to list their place of residence and number of people in their household effective that date.

This data is important to every American, and especially to Cranberry Township residents. Our community has grown by leaps and bounds in the last decade, with neighborhoods and communities popping up across the map.

Getting an accurate account of these new developments and the residents in them is crucial, as things like government representation and state and federal funding is based upon those figures.

That federal funding is tied to more than 100 programs, from schools to road construction projects to fire and EMS allocations. The numbers are critical in the formula that is used to distribute a portion of fuel tax you pay at the pumps back to the municipalities to maintain their streets

Additionally, businesses looking to open or relocate often use Census data to determine if an area is a good fit for their company. The Township always wants to present an accurate picture of the community to attract high quality employers on both the national and international arena and accurate data will help in that quest.

With the current stay-at-home order due to the coronavirus in effect through April 30, many of our residents find themselves with time on their hands. We encourage you to take a few moments and complete a Census document via mail or online at 2020census.gov. With just a few minutes, you’ll be helping our community address growth and prepare for the next decade. Make those minutes count!

If you have any feedback on the Census or anything else happening in our community, please reach out to jerry.andree@cranberrytownship.org.

In Cranberry Township, people care deeply about each other.

Initiatives like the Cranberry CUP (Cranberry Uniting People), the Cranberry Township Community Chest and dozens more showcase residents coming together to help each other in times of need.

We are in a time unlike any other we have experienced in our lifetime that is challenging all of us.

While there is uncertainty and fear, there is also an opportunity to focus on that common theme: Cranberry Uniting People.

The COVID-19 pandemic is the time to strengthen that resolve of pulling together to help each other. We are blessed to be served by world class health systems staffed with dedicated health professionals, many of whom are our family members and neighbors. We are fortunate to have very dedicated volunteers and staff ready to respond to any fire, police or emergency medical issues, under all circumstances. Your local government employees are working diligently to keep those important public services available to each and every home, such as sanitary sewer, water and solid waste disposal.

In the private sector, companies like MSA are stepping up in a time of need. They’re providing more than 65,000 respirators to local healthcare facilities. They’re giving back to the community that has sustained them for decades.

One of the ways we as a Township are strengthening that core value is working with the volunteers that have offered to assist our neighbors in meeting non-emergency concerns. Accordingly, we have formed a Community Response Team to help address those unforeseen challenges we may face as a community.

If you have any unique challenges that you may need help to address, please reach out.

This current crisis will pass. Until we reach that end, I encourage everyone to wash their hands, sanitize your immediate surroundings, and heed the advice of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

For now, practice physical distancing – but don’t forget your neighbors, family and friends. Reach out using technology and check in on one another. Maybe even use this as a chance to refresh an old relationship.

Just know the community will continue to practice caring for each other.

I look forward to seeing you soon at our next community gathering!

I’d love to hear from you and how you’re helping each other. Email me at jerry.andree@cranberrytownship.org.