LAFAYETTE, Colo. — Saturday afternoon, dozens came together at a fire house in Lafayette. Their goal wasn’t to respond to emergencies, but to respond to the survivors of the Marshall Fire who need help.
“A little sawdust in the old eyes, in the lungs, but it's a great cause so you can't mind it,” said Lafayette Firefighters Union President Doug Hurst.
A great cause led by Sleep in Heavenly Peace, helping kids who no longer have a bed following the Marshall Fire.
"Sleep in Heavenly Peace started in my garage in 2012 as a family Christmas project. But what I found out was, not only was child bedlessness a problem but so is people in the community trying to find a way to give back,” said founder Luke Mickelson.
One of their bays was transformed into an assembly line for bunk beds.
"We wanted to give something back that's tangible. So, this is an awesome way, you know, to give some beds to kids that lost them in the fire and maybe bring some normalcy back to their lives,” Hurst said.
Hurst and his colleagues decided to dedicate their fire house to this effort. He says those in Superior and Louisville are like family.
"In reality, like if something were to happen in our town, I know those brothers and sisters over there would be doing the same thing for us, you know, trying to help out our community. So, anything we can do to try to help this kickstart to rebuild and get these people back to where they were,” Hurst said.
It's a deeply rooted mission across the country that makes a significant impact, and it's not only on the recipients.
"Seeing the community come together, rubbing shoulders with people that just want to help other people, that's super neat. But the best part is when you actually get to deliver a bed to a child that doesn't have one,” Mickelson said.
Twenty beds were made Saturday. Three were delivered to a family who just moved into a new home in Broomfield following the Marshall Fire.
“To be able to give them a safe place to sleep... It’s just indescribable. And you really just don’t get a feel for it until you see it for yourself,” said Mickelson.
Sleep in Heavenly Peace is funded through several companies that focus on team-building exercises. There are more than 300 chapters across four countries. And they're always looking for volunteers.
If you’d like to volunteer or donate you can do so here.
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