More than 50 service-minded people from Eureka and the surrounding areas spent their morning last Saturday helping a new nonprofit organization handmake beds for children in need.
Janet Koth, communications director for the Eureka chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace, said the volunteers managed to make 15 wooden twin-sized beds during those two hours on Sept. 13.
The Sleep in Heavenly Peace chapter serves the Eureka, Fenton, High Ridge and Valley Park areas.
The volunteers used The River at Eureka’s parking lot to make the beds. Temperatures spiked to a brutal 96 degrees that day, but Janet said the extreme heat didn’t deter the volunteers.
“Those volunteers worked so hard in the brutal heat,” Janet said. “Our first community build was a resounding success.”
The organization’s mission is to ensure that no child must spend another night sleeping on the floor.
The chapter’s first service day was Sept. 13, when volunteers set up numerous stations and worked assembly-line style to efficiently create the beds. Carpentry experience wasn’t required to help build the beds.
Janet said the nationwide organization has about 350 chapters, with some in all 50 states, and has delivered 300,000 beds to children and families since its inception in 2012.
Based on applications filed with the nonprofit, more than 160,000 beds are currently needed for children nationwide. The charity accepts monetary donations, along with donations of wood, tools and new, twin-sized sheet sets, comforters, and beds-in-a-bag (bedding sets).
Measure, cut, sand
Chapter president Kurt Koth, Janet’s husband, told volunteers at the start of the day that the building process is fairly simple: Wooden boards are precisely measured, cut to size, sanded smooth and drilled together to create headboards, footboards and slats to hold the mattress. The individual beds can be put together to form bunk beds.
“The beds aren’t going to be perfect, but the kids who get these beds are going to love them, because they’ve been sleeping on the couch or on the floor,” Kurt said. “We’re not constructing the beds today; we’re just making all the parts. When we deliver it to the home, that’s when you put it together. We can put one of these beds together in the home in 10 minutes, including the mattress and all the bedding. The kids come in, and really, they are just thrilled.”
Sarah Keithly of Eureka worked with her daughter, Becca, at the first station, measuring wooden boards to create bed slats that will hold up a mattress. Keithly’s husband, Brian, and their daughter, Emma, worked at stations further down the assembly line.
Sarah said it was Becca’s idea to help the nonprofit. The family heard about the service day through The River, where they attend church services.
“She asked if we could do it because she wants to help other children,” Sarah said. “It is fulfilling. We know we’re helping here in our own community to bring smiles and comfort to children. It’s fulfilling that our children can be a part of this and know that they’re very blessed – not everyone has the same comforts we do.”
Becca, a third-grade student at Eureka Elementary School, said she has a comfy bed at home and would be sad if she didn’t have one.
“I feel happy that nobody has to sleep on the floor (because of the group’s efforts),” she said.
Tami Weiner of Wildwood is one of the founding members of the Eureka Sleep in Heavenly Peace chapter. About 10 people at her station sanded all the wooden boards, removing as many imperfections as possible, including staples.
“I’ve been involved in other organizations that help find homes and household goods for people,” Weiner said. “When we first started talking about this, I thought it was perfect; it’s an extension of that. I’m very proud of the turnout, especially with the temperature.”
Al Boedges of Wildwood, left, and Tom Heard of Fenton help assemble children’s beds as part of the Sleep in Heavenly Peace project at The River Church in Eureka on Sept. 13.
Drill, assemble, brand
Kurt told the volunteers that the holes drilled into the wood must be straight – no angles – or else the group will have trouble assembling the beds in the homes. For the assembly of the headboards and footboards, Sleep in Heavenly Peace provided a handy template to guide the volunteers.
Each station had a detailed printout of instructions to further help volunteers.
David Lucky of Wildwood was at the assembly station. He is a board member for the Delta Gamma Center nonprofit group, which serves children who are blind or visually impaired. He said the service day “was another opportunity to help out.”
“Since I retired, my wife and I both try to make sure we’re giving back to the community,” Lucky said. “There’s a nice template (for assembly): Slot the board here, slot the board there, put the screws in, flip it over, re-slot it, put the screws in. They keep it pretty simple for us.”
Once the boards are stained and quality checks are completed, the final step is to brand the footboard with the Sleep in Heavenly Peace logo.
Janet said the next challenge is making connections – finding families, groups and organizations to take the beds. A few people have reached out to the chapter so far, requesting beds, and are going through the application process.
For more information about Sleep in Heavenly Peace or to apply for beds, go to shpbeds.org/chapter/mo-eureka or call 314-690-8228.
Janet has spoken with several school social workers, food pantries, other local service organizations and the Eureka Chamber of Commerce to spread the word about the nonprofit group. Chapter members will also walk in the Eureka Days parade on Saturday, Oct. 4.
“We’re going to put a bunk bed on a trailer and hopefully have a couple of kids there to throw candy out (at the parade),” Janet said. “We need people to know we’re here – not just to volunteer, not just to donate, but we also need to provide beds for these kids. There are absolutely no strings attached. None. This is our gift to our neighbors.”