Winter Bed Build breaks a record
Nye County Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP) wants every child in the valley to be able to lay down at night in their very own, comfortable, safe bed and it takes continuous effort to pursue that goal.
Countless hours are spent raising awareness, securing donations and purchasing supplies that can then be turned into brand new beds for kids who may otherwise be sleeping on couches, in shared beds or even on floors.
But it’s not a mission this nonprofit takes on alone. Twice a year, Nye County SHP hosts a community bed building event and their most recent, the Winter Bed Build, proved to be the most successful of any previous bed build hosted by this group.
Taking place Saturday, Jan. 10, the Winter Bed Build resulted in a total of 34 beds being constructed, each of which will then be fitted out with a new mattress, pillow and bedding before being delivered directly to the homes of children in need. Nye County SHP Treasurer Michelle Caird confirmed that the 34-bed amount broke the record for beds built in a single day by this organization.
“The volunteers were over the top incredible! Judge Kim Wanker, who was there overseeing the Drug Court volunteers, gave them the challenge that she wanted 34 beds built and they came through!” Caird enthused.
“We had 22 volunteers from Drug Court and there were 31 volunteers in all. Many of the volunteers belong to various organizations, such as Ms. Senior Golden Years, the Nevada Silver Tappers, Soroptmist International Pahrump Valley, the Pahrump Holiday Task Force and the Cub Scouts,” Caird continued. “Building 34 beds was an incredible feat from lots of hard-working volunteers. The weather was a bit chilly but it was great for all the work that was accomplished. Overall, it was a huge success. Thank you to everyone who donated their time to achieve our mission of ‘No kid sleeps on the floor in our town!’”
For those who may still be unfamiliar with its work, Sleep in Heavenly Peace is a nationwide organization with the sole goal of providing beds for children. “So many great charities provide clothing, meals and toys to families in need. But as wonderful as this aid is, few organizations offer suitable beds and bedding to the kids in these families,” the organization’s website details. “At SHP, we fully believe that a bed is a basic need for the proper physical, emotional and mental support that a child needs.”
For more information on the local chapter, contact Nye County SHP President Carmen Murzyn at 775-910-8921 or chapter bed delivery lead Steve Filarowski at 775-764-8726.
More on the national organization, as well as application forms for bed requests, can be found at SHPBeds.org
Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com
