Thanks in part to two Service Learning Mini-Grants from the Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation secured by Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES, materials were purchased for the construction of bunk beds.

Constructed beds will be donated to the Fredonia First United Methodist Church which is handling distribution.

“Research tells us that children need a good night’s sleep to be effective learners,” said Mary Cole, Fredonia First United Methodist Church Mission Team Leader. “Poor sleep affects a child’s mental and physical well-being and results in attention issues in school which causes them to grasp concepts more slowly, leading to difficulties with learning.”

Children in need were identified by local churches and community agencies such as The Salvation Army, The Resource Center, and the Fredonia Central School District. While grant funds helped with the purchase of material, P-TECH handled the design and construction.

Pictured, from left, are William Smock, P-TECH principal; Heather Banks, E2CCB Administrative Intern; Mary Cole, Fredonia First United Methodist Church Mission Team Leader; Pastor Nettie of Fredonia First United Methodist Church; Kevin Bourgoine, E2CCB Director of CTE and Workforce Development; Jeremy Bryant, P-TECH welding instructor; and Nicholas Kauzala, P-TECH student from Lake Shore CSD.

“At P-TECH we look to identify organizations our students can partner with to provide their expertise for a civic-minded project,” said William Smock, WNY P-TECH principal. “Our welding instructor Mr. Jeremy Bryant, along with Lake Shore students Joel Amadori who designed, and Nicholas Kauzala who constructed, assembled bunk beds that the church will distribute to families in need.”

While simple in concept, P-TECH student Joel Amadori took the time using Solidworks to create the most cost-effective design, ensuring many beds could be made using the least possible amount of resources.

“I created multiple profiles of the same size pieces of wood, so for example, I could easily change the length of a 2×4 from 5 feet to 8 feet with a click of a button,” he said. “I designed what I thought would be the most basic bed frame, one that has no drawers or stackability capability. After that, I added holes for dowels to go in to make it stackable, and made the smaller side of the bed function as a ladder to get on the top.”

According to Smock, eight families will benefit from the beds constructed this year. WNY P-TECH has plans to continue this project with the goal of constructing 10 beds annually.

“Mr. Smock, the staff and students have worked together to make this, ‘Blessing Bed Project’ as we call it, a dream come true,” Cole said.

To complete the arrangements, mattresses are being purchased from Jamestown Mattress at a discount, with funds obtained through a Lake Shore Savings Bank reinvestment grant, and linens are being provided by members of Fredonia First Methodist Church, Trinity Episcopal Church and Harvest Chapel.

“For an organization to be helping children without a comfortable place to sleep is an awesome idea and I’m happy to be a part of it,” Amadori added.

For more information about WNY P-TECH, please contact William Smock, principal, at (716) 672-3144 ext. 2801 or visit www.e2ccb.org/WNYPTECH.