The idea behind the organization Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP) is to build beds for community youth between the ages of three to 17 who don't have a bed to sleep in, sleep on a floor, or couch surf.
The first branch to form in B.C. three years ago was in Vernon, which has built more than 180 beds since their formation for area youth.
Tucked into the idea of building beds is Coldstream's Knights of Columbus Saint Teresa Council which drew a number of volunteers from the Our Lady of the Valley Church congregation, along with SHP members, to build 20 beds at the church Saturday, June 22.
"Our Knights of Columbus Supreme Council out of the U.S. donated $9,000 to this event," said James Lockwood with the Coldstream Knights of Columbus. "There are two-to-three per cent of kids in Vernon and area that go to sleep every night without a bed. This will go toward helping with that, and we're very happy to be part of it."
Leo Campeau is the Vernon branch of SHP's community sponsorship relations, and was thrilled the church paired up with the Knights. Volunteers, said Campeau, are always needed when building beds, and no experience is necessary.
"We do quality control, we have several stations around each build, and we show the volunteers what's needed," said Campeau, taking a break from helping out at the church, his blue T-shirt covered with sawdust.
"Anybody between the ages of 12 and 112 can help out, as long as they can operate a drill, a sander, and can do this job."
SHP is an international organization responding to a real community problem of child bedlessness.
As such it is dedicated to building, assembling and delivering bunk beds to children in need. The SHP motto is No Child Sleeps On The Floor In Our Town and believes in providing each child with a comfortable bed to improve their sleep quality and restore dignity to families.
SHP is an inclusive, diverse, 100 per cent volunteer run, donation-based, non-faith based community organization that endeavours to accommodate all children in need of a bed. Another Okanagan chapter recently opened in Kelowna. There are more than 230 chapters in the United States.
On its local website (https://shpbeds.ca/chapter/bc-vernon/), SHP Vernon ballparks about 350 children needing beds within the boundaries of the Regional District of North Okanagan.
"We believe that with a good night's sleep, children awake more ready and capable to take on the challenges of each day," said the group. "We aim to accomplish this goal through initiating an ongoing fundraising campaign that accepts monetary and in-kind gifts to aid our efforts in manufacturing new twin and bunk beds, obtaining new mattresses and new bedding, and building and delivering the beds."
