TOP PHOTO:  The SHP build day event was held on Saturday in the Food City parking lot.
By Charlotte Underwood
LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF) – More than 50 volunteers helped out at the Sleep in Heavenly Peace bed building event held on Saturday.  This year’s local event was sponsored by the South Campbell County Rotary Club and held in the Food City parking lot.
Sleep in Heavenly Peace is a nation wide non-profit organization that helps get kids off the floor and into beds.
According to SHP Campbell County chapter leader Bill Thompson, the build day went “fantastic” and the group was “blessed by the weather.”  Volunteers came from as far as Nashville, and Thompson’s brother came from South Carolina.
“We built 20 bunk beds, so 40 beds in two hours and 15 minutes; it went very well. We didn’t let the little bit of mist (weather) slow us down,” Thompson said.
More than 50 volunteers helped build 40 beds on Saturday.  Anna and Chris Taylor were among Saturday’s volunteers.  Chris is the executive director of CASA of Campbell County.
Saturday’s event was part of a nation wide movement called Bunks Across America where chapters of the organization all across the country held “build days” to build as many beds as possible.
Beds from the build day will be distributed next week, some locally in Campbell County.
Bed requests have been opened back up after being shut down due to the COVID-19 and anyone needing a bed for their child could contact SHP.  The local chapter covers Campbell County, Anderson County and Knox County.
Donations made locally are used locally.
According to Thompson, donations of bedding items such as new twin sized sheet sets, pillows and comforters/quilts are always needed.
The South Campbell County Rotary Club sponsored this year’s SHP build day in Campbell County.
Thompson said he wanted to say thanks to all the volunteers and a “huge thank you to the South Campbell County Rotary Club for sponsoring the event.”
The next Build Day is Oct. 17 in Knoxville and will be sponsored by BOMA, a business management group.
To sign up for the October Build Day or to make donations, contact local SHP chapter leader Bill Thompson at 407-678-2638, or email him at bill.thompson@shpbeds.org.  (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 09/28/2020-6AM – PHOTOS COURTESY OF SHP CAMPBELL COUNTY CHAPTER LEADER BILL THOMPSON)