Windsor students building beds so others can Sleep in Heavenly Peace
Sleep in Heavenly Peace partnered with Holy Names school to build 30 beds
A woodworking class at Holy Names High School is learning to build beds so children in Windsor-Essex can sleep soundly at night.
The international organization Sleep in Heavenly Peace partnered with the school to build 30 beds. They will be distributed to families around Windsor-Essex.
The Windsor chapter has been around for about a year, and according to the organization, there are 1,900 children in need of proper beds in the area.
"I've never built beds before, but it's a very good feeling knowing that the end of day that you've done something for your community," said student Tyler Trudell.
He said it's not too complicated, but he is learning a lot. They have been working on the project for two weeks.
Anthony Derose, a Grade 11 student at the high school, said it's humbling to be a part of the project.
"It's really amazing, the feeling I get from knowing that these beds are going to are going to help kids somewhere, could be someone I know," he said.
Making the beds
Frank Budinski, construction technology teacher at Holy Names, said the beds will likely go out in mid-January. The school's principal works with Sleep in Heavenly Peace and brought the idea to him.
"It's a great cause. Being able to involve the students in this, to have them be part of something bigger than them, helping a situation here in Windsor that I was quite honestly unaware of until we were approached with this idea, and the kids are responding really well to it," he said.
It's a rewarding project, one Budinski wishes he could have completed before the holidays. He said knowing so many kids are without beds really motivated him.
"They're doing something that's going to make Windsor a better place. It's a win-win for everybody involved," he said.
Putting the beds together was made a little easier as Sleep in Heavenly Peace did all the research and figured out how much material was needed for each bed. They even gave them drawings to get the process rolling.
Starting in the garage
Brian Cyncora, co-founder and president of Windsor chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace, started the project in his garage. They built 91 beds in six months.
"What's even more incredible is the demand, the need. Our bed portal has just been being used like crazy. The demand for our product and the need for our product is really evident in the community," he said.
The organization plans to have five construction academies come on board.
"The students at Holy Names are first, or like our start up, the launch, the start of our pilot program of building beds in schools," Cyncora said.
The project is two-fold for him, as the beds help children in the community and the opportunity to build them gives students the opportunity to become community leaders.
"Windsor-Essex is a very giving community. The people here really have a sense of community and they want to help."