Police plan October fundraiser to help a colleague fight cancer
The event benefitting Tia Manchuso and her family will be held in an effort to “arrest breast cancer, one donation at a time.”
Tia Manchuso not only protects the town as a police sergeant; she also devotes an abundance of energy to helping Concordians of all ages in multiple ways.
“She’s a great person, very family-oriented,” says police Inspector Cara Paladino. “She cares a lot about her job and is always volunteering her time.”
Now colleagues are rallying around her as Manchuso, 42, the mother of one college-age child and one grade schooler, battles breast cancer. She was diagnosed in June and is on leave while undergoing treatment.
“Everyone here knew we needed to do something for her,” says Paladino. She says the whole department is on board to help.
The Police Relief Association will hold a “family fun” fundraiser for Manchuso and her family on October 11 (rain date October 12) at Emerson Field. It’s billing the event as an effort to “arrest breast cancer, one donation at a time.”
The noon-4 p.m. festivities will feature music, food trucks, and a raffle of gift cards and baskets from Acton businesses. Kids can check out face painting, a bouncy house, pumpkin carving, and a “touch a truck” opportunity that allows kids to explore official vehicles and interact with the people who drive them.
Acton-Carlisle High School students will pitch in at the event as part of their community service activities.
The department’s comfort dog, a black Lab named Thor, will be there to greet visitors, Paladino says.
Devoted to service
Manchuso was appointed Acton’s first-ever female police sergeant in 2021, after joining the force as a dispatcher, being hired as a patrol officer in 2014, and serving as a school resource officer beginning in 2019.
She became a detective in 2021, six months before being promoted to sergeant.
Manchuso isn’t the only one in her family with a career in public service. Her husband, Bob Musto, is a school resource officer in Westford, and her sister is a Maynard police officer.
Dedicated to the Special Olympics, Manchuso helps coordinate events year-round in the area, assists with elder affairs, and runs the Police Youth Academy summer program, a weeklong session for middle schoolers to show them “what it’s like to be a police officer,” says School Resource Officer Samantha Simpson.
The Acton Police Relief Association was created to help officers in need, including those who are injured, recovering from surgery, or dealing with illness.
The association is soliciting donations and business sponsorships to support the effort. Cash, check, or Venmo donations can be made at the event or via the QR code on fliers around town. Checks can be made out to the Acton Police Relief Association and mailed to or dropped off at the police headquarters at 219 Walden Street. For more information, call (978) 318-3400.
