Alexander, a Bentonville High School student, remembers what it was like to sleep on the floor when he was younger. 

Surrounded by teammates from his wrestling team, he wore long rubber gloves as he lifted a long piece of sanded lumber into a large vat of stain. Next to him, another group of students stood near a small fire, using branding irons to sear the Sleep in Heavenly Peace logo onto the wood.

Alexander is one of around 60 students from the high school’s wrestling teams who volunteered Saturday for the annual Bunks Across America Community Bed Build. The event was hosted in Bentonville by the local chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace, a nationwide nonprofit organization dedicated to building beds for children in need. 

Although the team participated as part of their school’s required service hours, for Alexander, this was his second time volunteering for the organization, and it meant something more.

“Building beds for these kids, it helps kids not have to go through what I went through,” he said.

A Community Effort

It was a bustling and noisy day at the Bentonville Lowes as 425 volunteers helped sand, stain and construct 170 beds. Dozens of stations were set up with lumber — donated by the Lowes — outside the building as volunteers of all ages participated, including families with children as young as 5 years old.

“Over 200 chapters have committed to hold a build event on some scale the same weekend,” said Melanie McMurtrey, who has been the Bentonville co-chapter president along with her husband, Justin McMurtrey, for the last three years. “The goal nationwide is to build 8,000 beds with the help of 15,000 volunteers.” 

With over 400 children currently on the local chapter’s waiting list, the beds will quickly be delivered by volunteers to new homes across Benton and Washington counties.

“It’s devastating to think that there are people like that in our local community,” said Melissa Fisher, who volunteered on Saturday with her parents and fiance. “This is just a small way that I can help make everyday life better for the kids in our community.”

Waylon Walburn, who grew up in the area, said he knows there are a lot of kids in Northwest Arkansas that don’t have the best furnishings in their homes. He first volunteered with the men’s group at his church about a year ago, and since then, he’s been part of multiple builds and bed deliveries with Sleep in Heavenly Peace. On Saturday, he brought his cousins, aunts and uncles, and his daughter to volunteer.

“It’s near and dear to my heart to give back to the community and make sure that we can build quality beds, deliver them for free, and change kids’ lives,” he said.

As sleep is a critical need for children’s overall well-being, the organization’s mission helps improve their quality of life for the long-term, Melanie said. Adequate sleep helps with growth and development and allows children to perform better in school.

A financial donation from Schuber Mitchell Homes allowed the organization to purchase the mattresses, pillows and bedding needed to complete the setup. Upon delivery, volunteers assemble and make the beds for families. 

“Sometimes the kids are somersaulting into the bed while we are making them,” Melanie said. “It’s such an incredible thing to be a part of — that for us has been a driving force for getting involved in this organization.”

How to Help

With enough donated materials left over to build 80 more beds, there will be another community build day at NorthWest Arkansas Community College’s Integrated Design Lab on Oct. 25.

Sleep in Heavenly Peace has over 250 chapters nationwide, providing beds to children ages 3 to 17. The Bentonville chapter has delivered more than 1,500 beds since it was founded in 2018, with more than 500 of those being delivered last year.

In addition to the annual Bunks Across America event, the Bentonville chapter typically hosts around eight to 10 private bed builds a year. Businesses, churches or organizations that want to sponsor a bed build provide funding for the materials and volunteers, and Sleep in Heavenly Peace provides tools and training to turn the lumber into beds.

Financial donations are also accepted, and are poured right back into the community, Melanie said, as the local chapter is an all-volunteer organization.

For the McMurtreys — who have four sons — being able to volunteer as a family was important, as it allows kids to realize they can be a part of meeting the needs of the community from a young age, Melanie said.

“There’s nothing like the feeling you get when you go into a home and you’re able to provide such a basic need and leave that family in a better situation than before,” she said. “It really changes you, it broadens your perspective and deepens your compassion. It’s pretty life-changing.”

Find the application to apply for a bed here.

Stay up to date on future volunteer opportunities here.