Getting a good night’s rest is key to both physical and mental health but the sad reality for many youngsters is they do not have a bed to call their own.
Some sleep on couches, others on air mattresses, even the floor sometimes acts as a bed and this is a problem that one nationwide organization, Sleep in Heavenly Peace, is working to eradicate. By building and providing free beds complete with mattresses and linens to families in need, Sleep in Heavenly Peace strives to ensure that every child has a comfortable, safe bed to snuggle into at night.
Right here in the Pahrump Valley is the Nye County Sleep in Heavenly Peace chapter, headed by local resident Carmen Murzyn.
“Things have been alright over the last year but it’s been kind of up and down,” Murzyn replied when asked how the organization has fared recently. “It’s gotten busy and then it slowed down and now we have all our beds out and it’s starting to pick up again, so we’re trying to bring in the funds we need to keep fulfilling the requests we get for beds.”
In order to generate much-needed cash to purchase building materials, sheets and more, the Nye County Sleep in Heavenly Peace team will be holding a donation car wash fundraiser this coming Saturday and Murzyn encouraged anyone with a heart for youth-related causes to drive on down.
“We’re inviting people out and if they bring us a new set of twin sheets, or make a donation, they will get a free car wash, compliments of XPress Detail and Auto owner Stephanie Shelton,” Murzyn detailed. “We’ll also be having a raffle, a little bake sale and we’re going to sell cotton candy, thanks to Carol Smith.”
Murzyn remarked that one of the most crucial things for the group is awareness and she’s always looking for ways to educate the community on Sleep in Heavenly Peace’s mission.
“I’ve been meeting a lot more people so I have been getting the word out right now more and more. I mean, with the election this year, I’ve been talking to the candidates and see how they can help, just trying to draw in as many community resources as possible,” Murzyn said, noting that the group itself has shrunk somewhat in recent months. However, she will not be deterred, she emphasized, but will continue to push forward to keep Sleep in Heavenly Peace running strong.
“It’s a lot of hard work and sometimes I just want to say, ‘I give up!’ But in the end, it is all worth it. Seeing the smiles on the faces of those kids who now have a bed of their own, that is so rewarding. It just makes my heart smile, so I’ll keep at it. Every bed we build, every kid we get off the floor, is worth it.”
Anyone interested in lending a hand or getting involved can drop by the car wash on Saturday or call Murzyn directly at 775-910-8921.
The Sleep in Heavenly Peace Donation Car Wash is scheduled for Saturday, June 4 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at XPress Detail and Auto Spa, 980 Pahrump Valley Blvd., just south of the roundabout on Highway 372.
Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com