Volunteers Help ‘Sleep in Heavenly Peace’ Build Beds in Manchester

Dozens of volunteers showed up in Manchester on Wednesday night to help build beds for kids who don’t have one.

It’s the mission of an organization called Sleep in Heavenly Peace. The idea started in Twin Falls, Idaho – and about three years ago, local banker and Hopkinton resident Keith Kramer led the efforts to start up a local chapter in Delaware County.

Fellow Hopkinton resident Lynn Chestnut made the trip to Idaho with Kramer to learn about the organization – and since then, their group of volunteers has been able to build and deliver over 260 beds to kids in Delaware County.

Wednesday’s Bed Build event at the Delaware County Fairgrounds brought out around fifty people who wanted to help – and it didn’t matter how old they were or if they had any woodworking experience. Chestnut says they’ve got a system in place that welcomes anyone to help out.

Chestnut says they try to build up an inventory of beds and host Bed Builds as needed, usually two or three times a year. On Wednesday night, their goal was to build forty beds. When an application comes in from a family who has a child needing a bed, Sleep in Heavenly Peace will deliver the bed to the home – with brand new mattress, bedsheets and pillows and a donated handmade quilt. And Chestnut says that’s always a rewarding experience.

photos courtesy of Janelle Tucker/KMCH