Apr 4, 2018 By Harry Funk staff Writer hfunk@thealmanac.Net 4 min read

After finishing a year of art school in 1965, Chuck Percherke and two friends in his native Somerset County figured they’d get the inevitable out of the way and enlisted in the military.

He had the opportunity to finish his education and embark on a career in art after returning home from seeing combat in Vietnam as a member of the U.S. Marine Corps.

Half a century later, the now-retired Baldwin Borough resident is putting his talents to use again as a contributor to “Coloring to Combat PTSD: A Coloring Book By Veterans For Veterans,” a project of the nonprofit No Crayon Left Behind organization to help sufferers of post-traumatic stress disorder.

“I’m a firm believer in occupying your time, especially if you’re a veteran with PTSD problems,” he said. “And one of the best ways is to try to create something. It doesn’t have to be a drawing. It could be getting involved in pottery, or flower arranging. But as long as you’re doing something with your hands and taking your mind off whatever is troubling you is the best way you can get through your time.”

Percherke was among those in attendance at the coloring book’s unveiling on March 27 at Christ United Methodist Church in Bethel Park as part of a Veterans Breakfast Club event. Mt. Lebanon resident Todd DePastino, who co-founded the club, invited No Crayon Left Behind founder Emily Skopov to share the special event with his group.

“I have several friends who are veterans who were struggling with PTSD, and I also have several friends who are veterans who are artists,” Skopov explained. “And it dawned on me that so many people find relaxation, whether you’re experiencing PTSD or not, through art. So I had the idea to have some veterans get together, do some original artwork, and then hopefully those who might want to color those pages would understand that ‘This was drawn by someone who’s been through what I’ve been through.’

“No one but a veteran knows what a veteran has been through,” she said. “I certainly don’t.”

Skopov started her organization with the goal of preventing tons of crayons from ending up in landfills, instead making sure they end up in the hands of people who can use them. The coloring book project was a recipient of a Grand Ideas Grant from the Sprout Fund, a Pittsburgh group that helps projects and programs in the early stages of development.

Assisting with the effort was Bridgeville resident Justin Thomas, No Crayon Left Behind manager of partnerships and programs, who served in the U.S. Army from 1999 to 2007. Also an artistic contributor to the book, Thomas helped area veterans’ organizations get involved with the project.

“It seems simple, but it’s a good way to get your mind to relax and talk about things you need to talk about, or just take your mind off what you’re thinking about,” he said.

Among the artistic contributors was 12-year-old Jordyn Herman, granddaughter of Vietnam-era veteran George Haught of Monaca.

“I would bring the little giveaways home that No Crayon Left Behind passed out at our breakfasts,” the frequent participant in Veterans Breakfast Club events said. “She asked me, ‘How come you get these all the time?'”

He told her about the project, and she had another question: “Can I do one?”

“They were actually kind of happy to have someone other than a veteran put one in,” Haught said. “I was very proud that she wanted to do it and did such a great job on it.”

The book, which Skopov said she hopes is the first in a series, is free to veterans and being made available through various organizations.

For more information about No Crayon Left Behind, visit www.nocrayonleftbehind.org.