When Bonnie Bender received her first family heirloom, a marble-topped table, she began a quest to learn as much about her family’s treasures as possible.

That journey has led her to form a circle of people who came together through their love of antiques and collectibles and have bonded to become friends.

That circle, a newly formed local chapter of The Questers, serves as a vehicle for the members to share their knowledge of antiques and collectibles with others.

The members are a diverse group who collect everything from primitive furniture to delicate glassware to dolls. They are united in their desire to share the joy they find in their collections with others.

The Questers, based in Philadelphia, is an international organization that strives to promote awareness of historical preservation, research and education. The concept is simple: assemble people who love antiques and collectibles and encourage them to share their knowledge with others.

There are 10 members of the John Augustus Roebling Chapter, based in Saxonburg, but the group is hoping to recruit new members. A desire to learn and share that knowledge is all that’s required.

“It’s a learning thing,” Bender said recently of the group. “We all study what we have so we can give lectures on it.”

The Questers, formed in 1944 by Jessie Elizabeth Bardens, is for collectors of virtually any antique or collectible. Bender says while antiques are items that are at least 100 years old, collectibles can date from more recent years.

There are more than 900 chapters of The Questers, with more than 15,000 members throughout the United States and Canada. In addition to supporting preservation projects, the group also awards graduate scholarships to students in historic preservation and art conservation.

Although Pennsylvania has more than 100 chapters, only a handful are in the Western Pennsylvania area. The John Augustus Roebling Chapter is Butler County’s first and only chapter, according to Bender.A native of Avalon, N.J., Bender was involved in The Questers there before starting the Saxonburg chapter.Named for Roebling, Saxonburg’s founder as well as the inventor of wire rope cable and designer of the Brooklyn Bridge, local chapter meetings are held monthly in members’ homes.Meetings may include a presentation by a local expert, a member’s personal collection or a video presentation. The Questers members also have the opportunity to go on field trips and antique tours and attend district, state and national group events.“Each member brings their own expertise to the group,” said Carol Foster of Penn Township. Foster is a professional appraiser, yet says she still learns from Questers members. “Each member has their own collections or heirlooms for show and tell. No matter how much education you have, there’s always something more to learn.”Bender agrees. Although she notes a number of social organizations she could join, she said the learning aspect is what draws her to The Questers.“I like to learn. When I meet with a group of people, I like to learn something. I’m still learning.”Because The Questers doesn’t focus on any particular type of antique or collectible, the monthly topics cover a wide range, depending on what the members themselves may have in their collections.

Local experts and Questers members from chapters in neighboring counties may also present programs. A sampling of upcoming meeting topics include decorated eggs, antique valentines, dolls and country antiques.Bender’s contribution at the November meeting will be “Heritage from My Mother,” highlighting family treasures passed to Bender from her mother, an accomplished artist and avid doll collector.“My mother was very talented,” Bender said, showing a photograph of her mother with some of the paintings that now hang in Bender’s home. She also proudly shows a small table, that although beautifully refinished, still has an old nail protruding from the underside.“I said don’t you dare take that nail out. That’s where my grandmother hung the washbowl — the ones with the hole in them. That’s where she hung it. I still remember her washbowl hanging off that nail.”These are the kinds of stories that Foster loves to hear.“Lots of times it has nothing to do with monetary value,” she said. “It’s the family heirlooms as well as the stories behind them.” She said these are “personal history lessons. There are always stories that go along with the objects that make them more interesting.”For more information on the John Augustus Roebling Chapter of The Questers, call 724-352-1246. Information about the national organization is available at www.questers1944.org.

WHAT: Antiquing Along the Allegheny, the sixth annual antique and craft fair sponsored by the Kit-Han-Ne Chapter of The QuestersWHEN: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 10WHERE: Riverfront Park in KittanningCOST: Appraisals will be available for $5 per item. Proceeds will benefit local historical preservation projects.