Without a doubt, a good night’s
sleep does wonders and, thanks to a joint effort between students at Allen
County-Scottsville High School and the Allen County community, 20 youngsters in
Allen County will have a new bed to sleep on this holiday season.
“JROTC decided to do a Build-A-Bed
project as a service learning project this year,” explained JROTC instructor
Col. Rondal Turner. “We (Turner and Sergeant Major Joey Simpson) had done the
project in our former lives in the military. So we discussed it with the
kids and the kids thought it would be a great project to do because they knew
people that might need beds. I like it because life is a little better if
you have a good night’s sleep and a bed to sleep in.”
The JROTC students turned to
the school and community for assistance in funding the project—funding for the
purchase of lumber to construct the beds as well as to buy bed supplies such as
mattresses and linens.
“The Build-A-Bed project has
been a labor of love by JROTC, agriculture, art, Youth Services, and many
others,” Turner added. “Many churches have given their donations on Sunday to
support the project. Many wonderful individuals have also sent checks to
support this cause. Modern Woodmen of America donated all the building
materials to build the beds and the churches and individuals, through their
generosity, donated the mattresses, linens, and pillows. Our Patriot baseball
team has donated money to be a part of the effort as well.”
JROTC students in partnership
with agriculture and art students took the donated materials and went to work.
JROTC cadets and agricultural students constructed the bed frames and head
boards---a task that took about an hour per bed. Art students stepped in and painted
the beds in different colors. The instructors then asked Allen County Youth
Services for help in finding students across the District who would benefit
from a new bed to sleep in.
“I would venture to say a
couple hundred students have worked on this project in some manner,” Turner
said.
Last week, the first of the
beds left the high school bound for homes. The students involved in the project
loaded their created gifts onto the trailer and truck of AC-SH principal Joseph
Cosby for distribution.
Turner points out that the
project reflects the true giving nature and outpouring of love to
underprivileged kids in Allen County.
“The great thing about this
event is that so many people have helped out and made it happen,” Turner noted.
“This Thanksgiving and Christmas, kids that might not have had a bed to sleep
in will have. Our goal is 20 beds delivered to households by Christmas. We are
half way there at this point.”
The project will conclude by
December 16--a project that helps students to learn the true meaning of giving
to others. Any individual, church, or organization that would like to donate to
this project can contact Col. Turner at the high school (270-622-4119).