Fran Rostas of Slippery Rock has fond memories of growing up on a farm, and dreamed of publishing her book based on her childhood.

Rostas, 82, is the first Butler County resident to have her wish granted by the Twilight Wish Foundation, a national organization that grants wishes to senior citizens.

She began writing the book in 2000 after the death of her husband, Stanley.

“I approached publishers in New York City, but they all said no, they get too much,” Rostas said.

Despite the rejections, Rostas held onto her dream.

Soon, she learned about the Twilight Wish Foundation from a senior newsletter and sent in her request.

“I thought, why not?” she said with a shrug.

Rostas contacted the foundation and got a reply in late summer. She was promised the book would be published within months and sure enough, about 24 copies of Rostas' book were sent to her by Christmas.

Her book, “Grandma Had a Teddy Bear, Too,” is a collection of her memories from growing up in the 1930s.

“It's just about my life as an only child, living on a farm and playing with the animals,” said Rostas, who grew up between Slippery Rock and Grove City.

Rhyming verses accompany Rostas' watercolor illustrations of herself and her teddy bear enjoying life on the farm.

After a busy day catching tadpoles and tending the garden, the little girl in the book settles down for the evening.

“This is how I took my bath, in a tub in the kitchen,” said Rostas, whose mother would then sit at the piano to play her “Love's Old Sweet Song” before bedtime.

She worked page by page to capture her memories with words and pictures.

“I love art, I've always loved art,” said Rostas, who has taken art and writing classes at Slippery Rock University.

The Twilight Wish Foundation was established in 2003 in Bucks County and has fulfilled more than 1,500 wishes since then. Chapters exist in nine states, including Pennsylvania.

Requests are divided into two categories: simple needs like new dentures or “living life to the fullest” dreams, like attending an opera.

Wish recipients must be at least 68 and unable to make the wish come true because of low income or the complexity of the wish.

The Butler County chapter was founded in 2009 by Tariogh Crawford, director of sales and marketing at Newhaven Court.

“I wanted to be able to help the people I work with and live with in the community,” said Crawford, who has worked with seniors for about 13 years.

The chapter has organized three fundraisers with another planned for May to help grant the wishes of Butler County seniors.

“It's nice that there's an organization out there to make something special happen for them,” Crawford said. “They're the Depression-era people that maybe didn't have a lot, so we can give back to them.”

According to the foundation website, recipients should have a documented history of giving back to the community.

Rostas was manager of Slippery Rock Senior Center from 1989 to 1995, but stepped down to enjoy its offerings.

She now volunteers at Slippery Rock Elementary School, helping teachers set up projects for the first graders.

Rostas' book is on sale through Amazon.com and a portion of the sales supports the Twilight Wish Foundation.

Her goal was not to sell books or become famous, but to share her memories with her family.

Rostas said her family has supported her all the way and her son-in-law even has an idea for her next book.

Because her daughter and son-in-law have a dog and a cat who avoid each other, the suggested title is, “The Downstairs Dog and the Upstairs Cat,” Rostas said.

“I'd like to try,” Rostas said about writing the story. “I don't know what could bring them together.”

The book is dedicated to her daughters — Cindy, Cheri and Carol — and her four adult grandchildren.

“They're special,” Rostas said. “I'm an only child, no brothers or sisters, so they're my family.”