Karen Gasperosky, from Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP),
returned to speak with us this morning about SHP activities, accomplishments, and upcoming events. Our own Steve Schlott built 2 small replicas of the beds we build (see photo above) to be used in soliciting donations of bedding (“twin-size” pillows, comforters, sheets, etc.) for deliveries and assemblies by teams such as those we provide to the cause. One of the beds is placed at Colonial Lanes and Karen is already collecting from there, and another (currently at Valley’s) will be moved to Bueche’s at month end, to be filled with supplies and/or monetary contributions. (QR codes posted with the beds help with those donations.)
Karen stated that 186 beds have been built to date, but a 250-bed “backlog” presents ongoing challenges to the project’s manpower and resources. Lowe’s continues to be a valued (if distant) donor/sponsor, and lumber can usually be obtained at a a discount, so that Build Days are scheduled on September 9 at Flushing Presbyterian Church (7 a.m. setup and 9 a.m. start), October 21 at Millington Church of God, and a third to be scheduled in March of ‘24 sponsored by Flushing Rotary. 24-30 beds are anticipated production for each build so that kids in the 10 zip codes under Flushing SHP coverage area can be supplied with a bed to sleep in. (One new request is for 12 beds for a foster care provider due to open in a few weeks.)
SHP has 270 local chapters throughout the nation (11 in Michigan) and chapters in Canada, Bermuda, and the Bahamas. Karen is looking forward to going to an SHP “Family Reunion” in Charlotte, NC in a few weeks and invites others to attend and share the trip for training and camaraderie.
Devin Dennings joined us as a breakfast guest, courtesy of his uncle and Club member, Jeff Dennings. Devin is a Kettering student living in the Beta Theta Pi fraternity house in his sophomore year of education. Nice to have you, Devin!
Fourteen of our members attended today, but we missed Mike Butts, who is paying a visit to McLaren with cardiac concerns and should be kept in our thoughts and prayers. (thanks for the update on him, Steve!) John Losinski came today and fined the entire Club because his “back hurts from carrying the Club for 2 years!”, Bill Hentgen tried to pass a fine against “anyone who doesn’t already have a ticket for the Sloan’s September “Night at the Museum”, Joe Farah was inundated with fines to the extent that he capitulated and fined himself, and Jeff Dennings and Bill Reaves were targeted with fines because of Jeff Gauger having to fill in for Jeff Dennings with ticket sales for the “Progressive 50/50 Pot”. (By the way, the pot is still growing at about $875!)
Cindy Sullivan is going to get details on the October Flushing HarvestFest event and how we might contribute.
Next week’s guest speaker will be political commentator and podcast host Bill Ballenger, courtesy of Joe Farah.
Until next time, “Promise Yourself…”