Argos Men Launch Bed Building Community Project
Published: Friday, May 8, 2026
Over 50 children in Argos do not have their own bed. That's according to statistics found in a study by Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP), a 501c3 nonprofit organization that launched in Idaho in 2012 to provide children nationwide with beds to sleep in. When expanded to include all of Marshall County, that includes about 13,000 children.
Dale Blanch, Jay Smith and Monty Peden of the Argos Lions Club decided to change that.
The three men recently formed a core team to lead in the construction and delivery of brand new beds to children in the Argos community after hearing about Sleep in Heavenly Peace at a Lions Club district meeting last fall.
"I'd have never guessed that there are 50 kids in Argos who need a bed," Smith said.
"If they don't get a good sleep, they're not going to do well in school," Blanch said.
Their mission is to ensure no child sleeps on the floor in their town.
"It's just needed. So, that's why we're here, to serve the community," Peden said.
Peden said they brought the idea back to the Argos Lions Club, and it was received enthusiastically. The group is now forming a chapter in Argos to provide beds, partnering with other community organizations to host a bed build day on May 16 at 120 N. 1st St. in Argos. They will construct and fully furnish 30 beds for families in the Argos community.
Already, four requests for beds have been submitted, which were delivered at no cost to families with the help of the Kosciusko County SHP Chapter. Peden assisted in each delivery.
When Peden delivered a bed for a 4-year-old girl in Argos last month, he watched as she inched into her room with her eyes closed for the big reveal. Upon opening her eyes, a grin spread from ear to ear as she ran to the fully made bed and wriggled under the covers.
Over the past few months, Blanch, Peden and Smith have been raising funds for the bed build, and the whole community has gotten involved.
The Argos Fire Department has assisted in bed building training days and the four early bed deliveries. Also assisting was the Kosciusko County SHP Chapter. The Argos Community Development Corp. has partnered with the Lions Club to coordinate the event.
The three men have also received help and enthusiasm from the school corporation, 4-H clubs, Methodist church and several community members, among others.
"We have raised more than enough to pay for them all," Peden said. "We needed $7,500. Now we have close to $9,000."
Any extra monies will go toward more beds and possibly another build in the future.
Families in need of beds for children ages 3-17 can apply online at sphbeds.org/apply to receive a free twin size bed. Beds can also be converted into bunks to save space.
The build day will begin at 8 a.m. and conclude at noon, with a light breakfast and lunch served.
"I hope that by the end of the summer, all other 26 beds have been claimed and we need to do another bed build," Peden said.
Smith added that he would like to "fulfill that statistic 50 so we can expand outside of Argos."
Peden and Blanch also hope the charity grows to include all of Marshall County and possibly spark more chapters across northern Indiana.
Anyone interested in more information, volunteering or who has questions can contact Peden at 574/933-3161 or Jon VanDerWeele of the Argos Community Development Corp. at 574/930-1402.
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