Nearly a year after expanding into Western Pennsylvania, a group of volunteers inspired by the Make-A-Wish Foundation has made dreams come true for a number of low-income senior citizens.

Think flat screen television. Think autoharp.

Now members of the nonprofit Twilight Wish Foundation want to do more for more seniors here.

Founded in 2003 in Doylestown, Bucks County, Twilight Wish aims to provide meaningful gifts or experiences that aren't medical necessities, local chapter Director Michael Pellas said.

Make-A-Wish, of course, helps grant dreams to children with life-threatening illnesses.

Local volunteers are working to get the state's second Twilight chapter off the ground in a region with one of the highest populations of senior citizens in the country.

Chapters also have been formed in Arizona, California, Florida, New Jersey and New York.

Mr. Pellas, 34, of Murrysville, came on board more than a year ago. Current membership is around 50 people, most of them involved in health care or services for senior citizens, Mr. Pellas said.

But chapter members continue to work to boost their numbers, visibility and activities.

Some 40 volunteers in August went to a series of meetings with representatives from the staffs of federal and state Congress members, asking for grants to expand Twilight.

"With the senior demographic in southwestern Pennsylvania, we wanted to put the word out to local politicians,'' Mr. Pellas said.

At a gathering last month in the Whitehall Library, volunteers met with event planner Alexis Parker, of Brighton Heights, who is donating her services to help the chapter raise funds needed to grant wishes. The chapter's next meeting is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. Oct. 21 at Amber Woods, 715 Freeport Road, Cheswick.

"The wishes of seniors are so mild,'' said volunteer Cathy McGinley, of Whitehall.

Twilight Wish grants different levels and categories of wishes, including "quality-of-life wishes" for hearing or visual aids, chair lifts and dentures, and "one-more-time wishes" for hometown visits or family reunions.

Granting "shining-moment wishes" involves arranging events such as rides on a motorcycle or hot air balloon. Recipients of "comfort wishes" have received treats such as lap blankets, stuffed animals, clothing or a banana cream pie.

The national Twilight Wish organization has approved about 850 wishes. Mr. Pellas said the local chapter has fulfilled several wishes and is working on carrying out others. Sometimes, granting those wishes has required flexibility.

Among the first local nominees for a Twilight Wish were Chuck Gilmore, 91, and his wife, Ordell, 87, who live at the Little Sisters of the Poor home on the North Side. Sister Agatha, who oversees the household where the Gilmores live, initially contacted Twilight Wish to seek a limousine ride and fancy dinner to celebrate the Gilmores' 66th wedding anniversary last year.

But Mrs. Gilmore became ill and wasn't well enough to go. Since then, Mrs. Gilmore's health has improved significantly but her husband, who once went to the gym daily, has suffered a devastating stroke.

So, instead of a night out, the Gilmores received a flat-screen television to watch together.

Twilight Wish also arranged for Mavis Williams, of Wilmerding, to receive an autoharp, a stringed musical instrument, to play while she entertains residents of nursing homes.

A native of Jamaica, Ms. Williams, 93, enjoys playing the piano from memory but needed a more portable instrument for her visits. When she nominated Ms. Williams for a wish, her friend, Gail Niermann, noted that Ms. Williams still lives alone and "lives to help others."

"She is truly a miracle and she is much more of a blessing to me than I was to her," said Ms. Niermann, also of Wilmerding.

The local chapter now is wrapping up plans to deliver a machine that would scan written texts and convert them to speech for a 77-year-old woman from Penn Hills who is losing her sight. That woman, who did not want to be identified, would no longer be able to use her computer without that equipment, Mr. Pellas said.

Twilight Wish recipients must be age 68 or older, or be residents of nursing homes. They must have financial needs or wishes that cannot be accomplished on their own; have physical and cognitive ability to experience their wishes; and have histories of contributing positively to the lives of others.

For more or to nominate someone, contact Twilight Wish at 877-893-9474 or go to www.twilightwish.org.