Sleep in Heavenly Peace’s Back-To-School Bed Build

Former Mayor of Marshfield and Community Connections, Robert Williams, is seen with another volunteer sanding boards. Williams shares how he and others got involved with SHP, “ In March of 2021, after hearing about SHP a group of five guys (Alan Balmer, Terry Arndt, Tom Donovan, Carl Gore, and myself) decided to go to San Antonio to train and start a new chapter. Our Core Team is now almost 20 people who are very dedicated to the cause.”

Mail Photo by John “J.T.” Jones

The final product! Pictured here is a completed bed from Sleep in Heavenly Peace. It can be a single or bunk bed, depending on the need. Williams breaks down the process for the bed building, “The beds are not set up here and taken out. We will build the headboards and footboards here. We will construct the beds in the house.”

Mail Photo by John “J.T.” Jones

A volunteer is seen assembling a headboard that will then be stained, delivered, and built in the home of a child in need. In addition, volunteers constructed 40 beds on Saturday. This work goes with SHP’s mission, “Make Sure No Kid Sleeps On The Floor In Our Town.”

Contributed Photo by Robert Williams

Posted Wednesday, August 31, 2022 12:00 am

By John “J.T.” Jones johnj@marshfieldmail.com

Folks living on E. Washington St. might have woken up to an unusual alarm Saturday morning, Aug 27. The sound of loading and unloading lumber, generators, and sanders humming filled the air. Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP), a non-profit organization, executed its Back-To-School bed building, a local and regular event. Volunteers gathered in the parking lot of the Assembly of God preparing lumber that would eventually be built into beds for children in need. SHP’s mission was to have 40 beds prepared, completed and delivered to children here in the community.

The Marshfield Chapter of SHP was started by five people, including a retired engineer from Sho-Me Power, a volunteer firefighter, and a former Mayor of Marshfield, Robert Williams.

SHP’s mission is to provide a bed to any child ages 3 to 17. Williams explains, “We do not ask questions. We do not care what the reason is, if there is a child in need of a bed, we will supply and build the bed”. The beds are delivered and set up in the house and have everything needed, including a mattress, handmade quilts, and a pillow.

Of course, SHP could accomplish none of this without donations, assistance, and grants from local businesses. For the local chapter, “Marshfield Lumber has been extremely helpful to us… they get involved and provide for us with lumber or whatever we need.” Williams shares. “We have also received grants from Webster Electric, Arvest Bank, and Marshfield Area Community Foundation.”

Grants help make the process easier, but SHP would not be as successful as it is today without volunteers. They give their time, supplies, or even donations to make this possible. If interested in volunteering, check out the Facebook Page Sleep in Heavenly Peace- MO, Marshfield.

As of writing this article, the Marshfield Chapter of SHP has delivered over 180 beds to children in need and has no plans of slowing down. SHP plans to have another bed-building event during the Boots, Bands, and BBQ on Saturday, Sept 10. If you know a child that needs a bed, visit SHP’s website www.shpbeds.org and apply.