Cash Drive raises funds for Beds For Kids
OHS Student Council counts the money raised during the Cash Drive Kickoff Pep Fest.
November 19, 2021
Each year, Owatonna High School holds a cash drive that gives students a chance to make a change in their community through fun activities. OHS Student Council chooses a nonprofit organization for the proceeds raised to be donated to. Students will have many chances to donate through things such as raffle tickets, coin wars, activity nights, the Mangeant and more.
This year, student council chose that students will raise money for Beds For Kids. Student council felt that Beds For Kids was an obvious choice for this year’s nonprofit because people were already donating to Beds For Kids during the mattress sale student council hosted back in September. Beds For Kids also pairs well going into this holiday season. OHS Student Council Adviser Ms. Sandra Justice said, “What a great Christmas present for a kid to have a real bed?!”
What a great Christmas present for a kid to have a real bed?! — Ms. Justice
Beds For Kids’ mission is to provide beds, bedding and pajamas to lower income children in Steele and Waseca Counties. Students can expect their donations to fund the resources that will go to the families of Owatonna and Waseca. Trinity Director of Outreach Jolayne Mohs said, “Students’ donations will be very supportive with purchasing the physical beds and the bedding kits.” Each bedding kit comes with a twin size bed, mattress frame, box spring, new set of twin sheets, mattress pads, pillow, comforter or handmade quilt, a pair of pajamas for each kid and a dental kit from Let’s Smile. Each kit costs about $330 so any amount of donations come together to purchase the items in the kits.
The idea for Beds For Kids came in 2003 when the founder, Jim Packard, had a job that required going into many different homes and he discovered the lack of comfortable and safe sleeping arrangements for children in the community. In 2009, Packard and his men’s bible study began by building four beds. Beds For Kids officially formed in 2010. Recently, Beds For Kids has transitioned to being a ministry of Trinity Lutheran Church when about a year ago the previous leadership was looking to retire and wanted to hand it off to a community that would carry on their mission.
Like any nonprofit, Beds For Kids relies heavily on it’s volunteers, without volunteers it would be difficult to get the beds into the homes of those who need it. There are many simple ways to volunteer such as delivering and setting up beds in homes, fundraising money and group volunteering. Volunteers can sign up on Trinity Lutheran Church’s website (www.tlcowatonna.org).
