Warm feelings spring from bed donation - Jacksonville Journal Courier
Amid the hum of an air compressor and a scent of fresh paint, some dedicated Kiwanians went to work restoring unused beds in order to give the city’s homeless population a more comfortable place to sleep.Bob Large, Kiwanian and owner of JB Large & Sons Painting, had almost all the supplies needed when New Directions Warming and Cooling center put out a call for help.Vanessa Tyus, New Directions Board President, spoke at a recent Kiwanis meeting where she talked about the shelter and put out a general request for some supplies on its wish list — which included bunk beds.She said Large made her an offer that day.“I know that the Lord has continued to bless our ministry because everytime I have put out a cry out for assistance, it has come to us,” Tyus said. ”I didn’t expect anything that day.”Large said the beds were sitting unused at the Western Illinois Youth Camp, where Large was a former president. After talking to the camp’s current board, Large had about 40 beds available. On Monday night, a few fellow Kiwanians donated their time and joined Large at his shop where the old metal frames were scouered and given a fresh coat of paint.“This is a pretty good deal,” Large said. “It’s not often that a non-profit gets to help another non-profit.”The shelter will not need all 40 beds, and Tyus said the number they can use will be up to the State Fire Marshall.Currently, the warming and cooling center at Grace United Methodist Church only has some cots that have been donated since it opened a year ago. Tyus said on any given night the shelter has provided a place to sleep for anywhere from six to 20 people. “It’s a blessing that what we asked for we were able to receive, and abundantly more,” Tyus said. “So we thank Mr. Large for being in the right place at the right time. We don’t want to have to turn away anybody.”
