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Source: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems announcement
ELYRIA, Ohio – Sept. 2, 2021 – For close to a decade, building beds for children who need a safe, comfortable place to sleep has been a passion project for Luke Mickelson, founder of the nonprofit organization Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP). And on Friday, Aug. 27, volunteers from the Elyria headquarters of Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems witnessed that passion up close – and brought their own.
More than 90 Bendix volunteers worked under tents in the heat and humidity to construct beds for the company’s Sleep in Heavenly Peace “Build Day” supporting the nonprofit’s mission. They were joined by Mickelson, who flew in unannounced from Idaho to join them.
The volunteer event centered around the construction of 31 handmade wooden beds and a $5,000 grant from Bendix to Sleep in Heavenly Peace.
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Bendix is the North American leader in the development and manufacture of active safety, air management, and braking solutions for commercial vehicles. The company has long been committed to service projects that enrich its communities, in the tradition of its parent company, Germany-based Knorr-Bremse, the global market leader for braking systems and a leading supplier of other safety-critical rail and commercial vehicle systems.
The SHP event was a fitting part of that tradition, as volunteers, including Bendix leadership, employees, and family members, worked in an assembly line set up in one of the company’s parking lots to prepare and finish the components for 31 beds in collaboration with the nonprofit’s Sleep in Heavenly Peace Cuyahoga West chapter, for distribution to area children and families in need.
And to the delight of Bendix volunteers and staff, Mickelson made a surprise appearance, traveling from his home in Twin Falls, Idaho, to join the build and deliver opening remarks.
Having the opportunity to meet Mickelson in person made the event even more meaningful for employees, said Maria Gutierrez, director of corporate responsibility and sustainability at Bendix.
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“All of us were incredibly honored to share this experience with Luke,” Gutierrez said. “Working together to benefit the people in our communities is particularly important to all of us at Bendix. And the fact that Luke Mickelson took the time to travel here, working shoulder to shoulder with our team for this event, meant a lot to our volunteers.”
To view the entire announcement, click HERE.
