Save the date: Join the nation to help build beds for kids who don’t have them

Sleep in Heavenly Peace will be undertaking its annual nationwide effort known as Bunks Across America this Saturday and anyone with a desire to help children get a good night’s rest in their very own bed is encouraged to join in.

Here in the Pahrump Valley, the Nye County Chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace will be spearheading the national build day initiative, with chapter members ready to set any and all volunteers to work building brand new beds for youth in need. Experience with carpentry or construction is not necessary, as training will be provided on site by those who already have the skills to tackle the job. Age is no issue, either, with both young and old invited to lend a hand in making a real difference in their community.

It’s no secret that sleep is key for social, emotional and cognitive development and sleeping conditions directly affect a child’s ability to slumber in peace.

“Sleep in Heavenly Peace is a 501(c)3 national nonprofit whose mission is to end child bedlessness and ensure that ‘no kid sleeps on the floor in our town’,” the organization’s website details. “Children deserve a comfortable place to lay their heads. In Idaho (where SHP was founded) and across the U.S., too many boys and girls go without a bed - or even a pillow - to sleep on. These children end up sleeping on couches, blankets and even floors. This can affect their happiness and health.”

The Nye County chapter has been operating in Pahrump for several years now, crafting beds from scratch and fitting them out with mattresses, bed linens and pillows, before delivering them to the homes of children in need.

Current chapter president Carmen Murzyn has been doing all she can to raise awareness about the group and expand its reach as far as possible. Since taking over the chapter roughly two years ago, Murzyn and her team have created a variety of fundraisers and events to support their mission and have drawn in other organizations, such as Nye County Juvenile Probation, to bolster their efforts.

Murzyn said she is now looking forward to another chance to get more area residents, businesses and organizations involved with the Bunks Across America National Build Day.

“The Nye County chapter is having our build on Saturday morning, starting at 10 a.m., and we would like the community to come out and give us a hand to assist us with building as many beds as we can! We’ll have refreshments for everyone and a barbecue, too, to make sure we keep everyone fueled for the effort,” Murzyn enthused.

“The most profound way to end the national crisis of child bedlessness is to unite the country in one common goal of building the most amount of beds possible and getting thousands of children off the floor. And that’s the story behind SHP’s National Build Day,” the SHP website details.

“Bunks Across America is an annual event where local chapters across the nation participate in the largest bed building event in a single day. Through local and national sponsorships, SHP is able to put a real dent in the national child bedlessness crisis,” the website continues. “During Bunks Across American 2020, 118 SHP chapters joined forces with over 6,200 volunteers to build 4,637 beds… Bunks Across America 2023 will take place Saturday, Sept. 9 and SHP’s goal is to build over 7,500 beds with up to 15,000 volunteers and we need your help to make it happen!”

The Nye County Sleep in Heavenly Peace Bunks Across America build is set for tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 9 at 10 a.m. at 2731 Woodchips Road.

For more information contact Murzyn at 775-910-8921.

More on SHP can be found at www.SHPBeds.org

Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com