On Sunday, Sept. 29, the First Baptist Church of Salem sponsored a bed build for the non-profit 501(c)(3) organization Sleep in Heavenly Peace, whose mission is to provide a new bed to children in need who do not have a bed. The build was organized by Lindsay Case, who attends and works at First Baptist. Lumber was donated by the First Baptist Church to help toward the goal of building 20 bed frames for children in need throughout the county. Patti McKeown, volunteer, shared that the organization expected a turnout of around 30 people—at the end of the day, 60 volunteers came out to assist in the organization’s efforts.
The weather forecast predicted rain, but the sun came out and so did plenty of folks eager to get to work cutting, sanding, and treating the lumber that would soon be part of a twin or bunk bed for kids between the ages of three and 17 years old within Dent County.
Sleep in Heavenly Peace is working to ensure that each child in need gets that well-deserved sleep in a bed built by volunteers in local communities around the United States (and Canada, too). In 2012, the organization saw its start in Twin Falls, Idaho by building a bed for one child – then it spiraled into more beds, more volunteers, and then an entire national organization with the slogan: “No kid sleeps on the floor in our town!” With over 393 chapters nationwide, there are 17 chapters located in Missouri. Rolla’s chapter serves six counties – Dent, Phelps, Maries, Crawford, Osage and Gasconade. A team of Dent County volunteers is working to establish a Dent County Chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace in the near future.
Of the 20 beds that were built on Sept. 29, there are already 14 children on a waiting list in Dent County, who will receive a bed. Two of those beds will be delivered the very same day they were built, along with new mattress, bedding, and pillows. Each bed frame built by SHP is built the exact same way—with the child’s safety and comfort in mind. When volunteers deliver the beds, they will also be making them so the children they belong to can enjoy them right away.
• Volunteer directly with the organization.
