PENN TWP — When members of the Craft & Chat group at Gospel Fellowship Presbyterian Church heard some of the male veterans living at Colonial Gardens guesthouse on Steppland Road had no family members or friends who visit them, they decided to jump in and take action.

The results of the group’s nimble needling was presented to the 25 veterans last week on Thursday, Nov. 14.

Several ladies from the group, which meets at the Middlesex church every week in the summer and once per month in the winter, visited Colonial Gardens to interact with the veterans and bring the quilts.

They even whipped up 10 homemade pies for the vets, who wasted no time in enjoying slices of apple, peach or pumpkin.

Craft & Chat member Sharon Benke, of West Deer Township, Allegheny County, said the group brought 19 lap-sized quilts plus a handful of throw blankets stitched by members.

She explained the ladies sew the quilt tops at home and bring them to the group meetings, where batting and backing are added.

“Since it was close to Veterans Day, we thought we would donate these quilts to the veterans and make some pies too,” Benke said.

She said meetings average six women. In addition to quilting, a craft project is always available at the meetings.

“And if you don’t craft, you can come sit and chat,” Benke said.

She was surprised to hear 25 American heroes are housed at Colonial Gardens.

“I didn’t even know it was here,” Benke said as she stood near the large stack of quilts.

She said once the group members decided to take on the project, they took the recipients into consideration when choosing fabric.

“We tried to make them more masculine,” Benke said.

Darker colors and fabric with deer, for instance, were chosen for some of the veterans’ quilts.

“We’re showing God’s love and that we care for other people,” Benke said of the reason for the project. “For all their service, it’s the least we can do for them.”

Linda Barton, of Adams Township, who has been a Craft & Chat member for 15 years, said the group has produced quilts for mission trips to foreign countries, baby quilts for anti-abortion groups and, most recently, 20 quilts for Hurricane Helene victims in Ashville, N.C.

The group also has made quilts for residents of Butler County’s senior centers and local nursing homes.

“I can share God’s love through my skill,” Barton said.

She said the fabric for projects like the one at Colonial Gardens is mostly donated to the group.

“We do have past members and current members who purchase batting,” Barton said.

She said she learned about Colonial Gardens through an article in the Butler Eagle in the summer.

“It’s the first time (donating quilts to the veterans), but we’ll probably keep it going,” Barton said. “For the service they provided to our country for freedom and defense, we want to show our appreciation to them as individuals.”

Jan Jenny, also of West Deer Township, said the donation of the quilts was a small way to show appreciation for the veterans at Colonial Gardens.

She was happy to participate in the project, as her father is an Army veteran of Korea and Vietnam.

“We wouldn’t be a free country without them on the front lines for us,” Jenny said.

She also was unaware that Colonial Gardens existed, and is happy it is not far from Gospel Fellowship Presbyterian Church.

“We can help them more often,” Jenny said.

Ron and Marti Pristas also attended the donation event at Colonial Gardens. The couple has performed landscaping at the residence as well, and Marti told a Craft & Chat member she knew about the place.

She baked one of the apple pies enjoyed by the veterans, having used apples from trees on her property.

Ron was happy to interact with the veterans, as he served in the Air Force from 1967 to 1971 during the Vietnam era.

“Many of them don’t have family connections,” Marti said. “More people need to reach out to those who are alone during the year and the holiday season, especially.”

Richard, a Colonial Gardens resident who served in the Army from 2007 to 2010, tucked into a hearty slice of apple pie laced with cinnamon.

“It’s very kind of people to bring things at Christmas and donate food,” he said in between bites. “I like when someone buys us pizza. On Veterans Day, we had pizza from Papa John’s for dinner.”

He looked forward to choosing a handmade quilt to help keep him cozy during the upcoming winter.

“They are compassionate and care about us and appreciate us,” Richard said of the Chat & Craft group, “and we appreciate them.”

Lewis eschewed a slice of pie, but was thrilled to receive a quilt.

“It means a great deal, because they are thinking of us,” he said. “They do it out of the goodness of their hearts.”

Kim Leroy, administrator at Colonial Gardens, called the ladies who made the quilts and pie “angels.”

“It makes the residents’ day,” she said. “They all came running to get their pie.”