Member of the Sponsor the Troops organization donate food and clothing items to the Colonial Gardens Guest House on Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Rob McGraw
PENN TWP — The residents of the Colonial Gardens Guest House got a surprise gift on Sunday, Nov. 24: an entire truckload of food, including 11 Thanksgiving turkeys, donated by the nonprofit organization Sponsor The Troops.
“We’re donating an entire Thanksgiving dinner for themselves and the staff,” said Ron Smith, the president of the Sponsor the Troops organization.
Sponsor the Troops is a nonprofit organization based in Saxonburg which provides charity support for veterans and for soldiers who have been actively deployed overseas. The donation to Colonial Gardens fits within the mission, as the residents of the guesthouse are primarily military veterans.
Colonial Gardens manager Kim Leroy says residents of the guest house were thrilled with their new bounty.
“They’re in there going through everything as we speak,” Leroy said. “These people are angels to my guys. It’s very much appreciated.”
According to Smith’s wife, Deanna, the idea for the Thanksgiving donation to Colonial Gardens came about last year, after a “Night at the Races” event held by Sponsor the Troops at the Saxonburg Veterans of Foreigh Wars.
“There was a lot of leftover food, so we donated more to (Colonial Gardens),” Deanna said. “I had come here with a couple of people to donate food, and it just touched my heart. So when my husband and I were looking for a donation for Thanksgiving, this was the first thing that came to mind.
Ron saiad Sponsor The Troops did not solicit any donations of food and paid for it all out of pocket on Sunday morning.
Ron recently took over as president of the organization after his predecessor, Sarge Saunders, retired earlier this year. For 2025, Smith is promising a “fresh start” with many new initiatives, including trips to the Mechling-Shakley Veterans Center in Cowansville, as well as Home Again Horses in Brockway.
“We’re starting over at the beginning of the year,” Ron said. “We have many, many more veteran endeavors in our future.”
Colonial Gardnes Guest House administrator Kim Leroy rolls a large cart of donations up a ramp to the Colonial Gardens Guest House by Sponsor the Troops organization from the Saxonburg Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7376 on Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Rob McGraw
Ron Smith shows off the donations made to the Colonial Gardens Guest House by Sponsor the Troops organization from the Saxonburg Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7376 on Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Rob McGraw
Donations including several turkeys were given to the Colonial Gardens Guest House by Sponsor the Troops organization from the Saxonburg Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7376 on Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Rob McGraw
Ron Smith lifts a large bag of potatoes as he unloads a truck of donations for the Colonial Gardens Guest House by Sponsor the Troops organization from the Saxonburg Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7376 on Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Rob McGraw
Ron Smith hands Kevin Criswell some eggs as they unload their truck of donations for the Colonial Gardens Guest House by Sponsor the Troops organization from the Saxonburg Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7376 on Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Rob McGraw
Deanna Smith helps remove donations for the Colonial Gardens Guest House by Sponsor the Troops organization from the Saxonburg Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7376 on Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Rob McGraw
Denna Smith, middle, helps load a cart of donations to be taken to the Colonial Gardens Guest House by Sponsor the Troops organization from the Saxonburg Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7376 on Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Rob McGraw
Ron Smith hold up a shirt as part of the donations made to the Colonial Gardens Guest House by Sponsor the Troops organization from the Saxonburg Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7376 on Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Rob McGraw
Denna Smith, middle, helps load a cart of donations to be taken to the Colonial Gardens Guest House by Sponsor the Troops organization from the Saxonburg Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7376 on Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Rob McGraw
Ron Smith give Mark Wise some bottle of orange juice as they unload their truck of donations for the Colonial Gardens Guest House by Sponsor the Troops organization from the Saxonburg Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7376 on Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Rob McGraw
Mark Wise put s a large bag of potatoes on a cart as part of the donations made to the Colonial Gardens Guest House by Sponsor the Troops organization from the Saxonburg Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7376 on Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
Rob McGraw
