“It seems like a small thing, but it is indeed a huge thing,” Bertha Scanlon said. Sleep in Heavenly Peace is a completely voluntary organization that builds and delivers beds to children who do not have a bed or may not be sleeping in peace. Greg Watts started the LaGrange chapter of the national organization in 2018 and since then has put 1,300 to 1,400 kids in beds in Troup County. They build and deliver twin-size beds to children who have no bed to sleep in at home. “My personal favorite is kids. It’s important for the kids of today to realize that not everyone has a bed,” Scanlon said. The organization furnishes the bed, mattress, all bedding and pillows; and when the delivery team leaves, the child can crawl into his or her very own bed.
Individuals in need of beds for their children can go to shpbeds.org and follow the steps to request a bed. People can also go to the website and volunteer to build and help complete deliveries. The organization relies completely on volunteer work from the community members who dedicate their time to make these projects happen. “We work hard to try to get everyone to help build and deliver beds,” Scanlon said. Recently, there was an event with over 250 volunteers who turned out to assist with building the most beds in a single event to date: 110 beds. Bunks Across America National Build Day is held each year by Sleep in Heavenly Peace chapters across the United States and Canada for a coordinated effort to ensure children have their own beds to sleep in at night. Sleep in Heavenly Peace has 400 chapters across the country, and LaGrange was the 38th chapter formed.
