Sleep in Heavenly Peace build will be over the hill, east side of the hospital, in the Y12 parking lot

WLAF’s Charlie Hutson shares a photo from Eagle I at a bed build in June 2023.

LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF) – What sounds like a swarm of bees, but it’s not? A Sleep in Heavenly Peace bed build. You’ll be able to hear that buzzing sound for a few hours on Saturday morning on the east side of La Follette, just over the hill from the hospital in the Y12 Credit Union parking lot. “It looks like the weather’s going to cooperate with us Saturday. You know we were going to have our first bed build of the season back in March, and the rain forced us to postpone until this weekend,” said Bill Thompson, Chapter President of Sleep in Heavenly Peace.

“We’re hoping for 50 volunteers, and we will build 40 beds, or maybe more,” said Thompson. Helpers don’t need to bring any tools, and they don’t have to have any experience, just a willingness to help, according to Thompson. “You might want to bring a pair of gloves, but that’s all,” said Thompson.

Bed builds generally start by 9am and finish before noon.

Aside from taking part in the bed build, there are other ways to play a key role in the process, and that’s through donations of bedding. “Anything twin size, new in a package, along with sheet sets, pillows and comforters are needed. Beds in a bag is a very popular item,” said Thompson.

From station-to-station, everyone is assigned a task.

Since 2018, Thompson and the many volunteers have built more than a thousand beds. Call 407.678.2638 for more information. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 04/16/2025-6AM-PHOTOS COURTESY OF WLAF’S CHARLIE HUTSON)

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