By Beth Sluys
Northside News
Upon meeting Dale Schultz and Jim Dalton, I couldn’t help but notice how they beamed with the joy that volunteering can bring when you understand your purpose. These two men, along with many other volunteers across Wisconsin, gather together on a regular basis to build beds for children. That’s right. To build beds.
It’s hard work, but it does not feel like work to them due to the comradery that is developed when working together at a build event. These efforts bring great satisfaction to their lives by helping area children.
Schultz and Dalton are volunteers with the Madison chapter of an organization called Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP). The local chapter started when now chapter President Casey Klock saw the national SHP website online and thought building beds would be a good way to spend his time during the pandemic. His initial endeavor has now grown to include lots of volunteers and hundreds of beds for area children.
“We love delivering the beds to families when the children are home with their parents, so we get to experience the impact of our work. Seeing a child light up when they see their bed is the reason we are SHP members,” said Schultz.
The SHP organization is volunteer driven and also has great relationships with area businesses that donate or offer reduced costs for materials for making the beds. Lumber from Drexel (Columbus), mattresses from Ashley Furniture (Madison), and space for build events and labor are offered by companies like Walgreens (DeForest) and Kramer Brothers (Plain).
In addition, members of the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) make quilts for the new twin-sized beds. SHP accepts donations of new twin bed sheet sets. Folks can drop off donations at the North District police station.
On June 21, there will be a build event in Cross Plains, and volunteers are invited. Sign up on the shpbeds.org website through the Madison chapter link.
