HELPING KIDS IN NEED
Sleep in Heavenly Peace hosts first bed build of the year
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. >> “No kid sleeps on the floor in our town!”
That’s the motto of Sleep in Heavenly Peace, the nonprofit organization that builds beds for children in need. The local chapter is based in Mechanicville, and will serve children aged 3-17 within a 17-mile radius of the town. That area covers most of the capital district.
Last Saturday, the Mechanicville chapter hosted their first bed build of the new year. They try to host one every month. This month’s theme was “new year, new start.” Next month, on the 15th, they will host the “sweetheart build.” The June build will be part of “Bunks Across America,” a day when every chapter of SHP across the nation builds bunk beds on the same day. This year, the date is June 13.
The Mechanicville chapter is only about a year old. It got started when president Jim Welch, retired after 26 years as a flight medic, was looking for something to give his life some more structure. He was a fan of the FaceBook video series “Returning the Favor,” and one day happened to watch an episode about Sleep in Heavenly Peace as a national organization. Welch knew right away that he wanted to start a chapter.
He signed up, went through the training, and got the Mechanicville chapter up and running out of his own house.
Last year, SHP-Mechanicville built 112 bunk beds, giving 224 area children a place of their own to sleep. 36 of those beds went to children in Saratoga county. This year, the list of capi
tal region children waiting for a bed of their own is 230 names long.
SHP is 100% volunteer and sponsor driven. No one gets paid a dime for what they do, and all funding and materials come from donations.
It costs $350 for a complete bunk bed, including construction and everything that goes on the bed from the mattress to the linens. When a donor gives enough to fund 5 beds, they get a build party scheduled in their honor. A fullyequipped and experienced team gathers on the designated day and time and gets to work, and the donor and anyone else who wants to help out is invited to attend.
This month’s donor was Michele Riggi, who was very enthusiastic about helping the organization. She was one of the first people to arrive at the Saratoga work station, and involved herself as much as she could.
“My friend Dave from Mechanicville informed me about it, and I wanted to get involved,” Riggi said. “I got here at 8:15a.m. ready to rock and roll. What a great organization, giving kids beds to dream in.”
Riggi, who has done lots of charity work around the capital region, helped out with construction as long as she was able, until she finally had to return home to care for her 27 pets. Riggi is an animal enthusiast - 18 of her pets are shelter rescues. By the time she was getting ready to leave, she had come up with a brand for the beds she had funded.
“Mic’s Posh Paw Picks” will come complete with sheets and pillow cases featuring animal paw prints. Riggi also announced that she was going to sponsor another six beds for a future build party.
“Anything for the kids pay it forward!” she said enthusiastically. “I can’t wait to help deliver them, and I’m going to go home and buy the paw print bedding sets right now.”
Riggi’s friend Jeremy Ganisin was glad to be there with her. “I think the awareness that she’s bringing to this great charity is amazing,” he commented.
SHP welcomes anyone and everyone who wants to get involved. Woodworking skills can be taught, and everyone can have a role to play. Students of any age are encouraged to participate though children under 12 are required to take assistant roles, working alongside an adult. The Mechanicville chapter gets a lot of teen volunteers, who get credit hours for national honor societies, youth groups, and sports clubs through their work.
Cousins Reese Pinheiro, 8, and Bella Roberts, 10, were enjoying getting their hands dirty at Saturday’s build party. Bella has been to three builds so far, and this was Reese’s first time. Under the watchful eye of their grandmother, the girls sanded, carried, and cleaned up. Reese was even brave enough to assist with the branding process.
“It’s a good deed,” she commented.
“It’s a good feeling when you know that you’re helping someone,” added Bella. “Plus, I want to get better at woodworking, because my grandma has tools in her basement. So this is good practice.”
It takes about 45 minutes to build a single bunk bed, depending on factors such as work space and volunteer skill. To make the construction process more efficient and very beginnerfriendly, chapter member Gus Dering built jigs that make it easy to see where to clamp, where to drill, and exactly how long a piece of wood needs to be. Dering, who has been part of SHP for about 8 or 9 months, is a retired cabinet maker who is happy to continue putting his skills to good use.
Once all the pieces of a bunk bed are sanded, cut to size, and the head- and foot-boards assembled, the pieces are finished with a solution of vinegar and steel wool. This sanitizes and seals the wood, and keeps away bed bugs. Before the head- and foot-boards get their finishing coat, they are branded with the SHP logo. Then all the pieces get put into the chapter’s storage locker until it’s time to make a delivery.
On delivery day, the bunk bed pieces and everything needed for a good night’s sleep are driven to the recipient’s home and assembled in the bedroom.
“For some kids, it’s their first property,” said chapter member Tara Morelli. “They love to help us putting the beds together. It’s pretty cool going on deliveries and seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces, and the relief on the parents’ faces.”
Donations can be made to SHP-Mechanicville by mailing checks or bedding materials to PO Box 664, Mechanicville, NY 12118.
To request a bed from SHP, visit the organization’s main website at www.shpbeds.org.