PITTSBURGH (Oct. 22, 2009) – Toni Acri, a senior at Shaler High School, is following a three-year family tradition of good works that benefit The Western Pennsylvania Hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, where her twin cousins, Margaret and Emma Rooney of Shaler, spent 98 days after their birth in 2004.

For her senior project, Toni set out to collect and donate baby clothing to the West Penn NICU. She was following in the footsteps of her sister Rebecca Acri, who completed a similar project in 2007, and cousin Erica Vita, who took over the reins in 2008. 

Toni nearly doubled the number of outfits collected, to 1,000 this year from 600 last year. She solicited donations from a variety of individuals and businesses and also held a baby shower

The twins will celebrate their fifth birthday Wednesday, and will be back in the NICU to celebrate with cake and a party.