Find more images and interviews from the event in the Tuesday, March 1 issue of The Highlander.
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Weston Pickens of the Marble Falls ISD construction trades class worked with volunteer Maurice McDowell of Llano during the build-a-bed project Feb. 26 in Marble Falls. Connie Swinney/The Highlander -
Pictured here is a Colorado fire agency participating in the Sleep in Heavenly Peace project. Coordinators of the nonprofit are working with local groups including Marble Falls High School student on Saturday, Feb. 26 to build 50 beds for children in the Highland Lakes. Contributed/Sleep in Heavenly Peace
UPDATE: The location of the build-a-bed project on Saturday, Feb. 26 has changed to enclosed warehouse space at 800 Industrial Blvd. (formerly occupied by Highland Publishing), according to an announcement by organizers just after 8:30 p.m. Feb. 24. The site will allow for protection under inclement weather.
Marble Falls High School educator Leondard Venhaus posed a simple question recently to his students to inspire them to think about their own impact in society.
“I asked the kids, ‘Do you have a bed?’ They say, ‘Yeah, I do.” I tell them some people don’t,” he said.
Venghaus, who oversees construction trades at the campus, will assist participating student in embarking on a hands-on community service project through their membership in Skills USA to use what they have learned in class for a good cause.
The high school program is included in a partnership project on Saturday, Feb. 26 with Sleep In Heavenly Peace, a national organization which coordinates build-a-bed projects. Their mission motto is “No Kid Sleeps on the Floor in Our Town.”
“The (Skills USA) members must have a nice community service project once a year on a volunteer basis,” he said. “It’s a chance to also teach them about giving back to the community.”
Along with Skills USA, Sleep in Heavenly Peace will work through Highland Lakes Crisis Network (comprised of two dozen local churches) and Daybreak Rotary Club of Mar ble Falls as well as with other students enrolled in MFHS Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSO).
CTSOs are schoolbased organizations comprised of a variety of industries and fields such as pharmacy, health occupations, family and consumer science and welding.
Of the 100 anticipated overall community-wide volunteers, Venghaus expects at least a dozen students across all MFHS programs to participate.
The goal involves building 50 beds and making 50 deliveries on Saturday on the grounds of Foxworth-Galbraith on Industrial Street in Marble Falls.
The “build” will involve prepping bed frames, mattresses and bedding for area children from 3 – 17 years old.
A Sleep in Heavenly Peace crew is scheduled to set up materials on saws on the site first thing that morning.
“They’re going to do all the cutting,” Venghaus said. “Then, the kids and other volunteers will be sanding; some will be drilling holes on a drill press; some will be making sure they have all the nuts and bolts and washers.
“A group of people will be setting up a ‘bed-in-abox’ for each bed that we make. We’ll assemble on site (at various homes),” he added. “There will be people working on logistics of how we’re going to be getting beds to people, the best route, the timing.”
Volunteers are slated to work on site until noon, deliver to homes where the beds will be assembled and complete the effort by around 4 p.m.
“The students have the skills that we teach them here at the school. They know how to run saws, sanders. They have the planning skills,” Venghaus said. “Right now, we’re teaching them the service skills using the planning skills — budget your time, manage your resources.
“We want them to go and have fun for their community because the community does so much for them.”
The event will be moved to the First United Methodist Church gymnasium in the event of inclement weather. Food and drinks will be provided to volunteers.
Homes to receive deliveries are in Burnet, Llano and Johnson City as well as Marble Falls.
“We’re going to be able to give the kids (recipients) a sense of security, take some of the anxiety out of their life and show them that people do care,” Venghaus explained. “We’re letting them know we’re going to come do something for you because you’re important to us.”