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Bikes and beds.

Two-wheel freedom, in other words, and a cozy place to sleep.

A few dozen Ventura County children are enjoying a brighter Christmas, thanks to volunteers who took part in two charitable efforts over the weekend.

On Saturday, one group — through the local chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace — gathered in Camarillo to build, deliver and assemble 14 beds for children.

And on Sunday, staff members and volunteers at Ventura Bike HUB held their holiday bike giveaway after spending months fixing up 30 donated children’s bicycles.

Beds for Christmas 

A complex production line with jigs, saws, sanders, drills, a stain tank and a branding iron buzzed outside the garage of Marissa Bradley’s Camarillo home on Saturday.

Bradley, 26, a registered nurse by trade, is president of the Ventura County chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace Inc., an Idaho-headquartered nonprofit that operates throughout the country. The organization is devoted to building beds for children in need.

About 17 volunteers organized by an Eagle Scout candidate at Bradley’s church were on hand for the build day. By Saturday night, they had built 14 beds and delivered 11 of them, including mattresses and bedding, to six families in Oxnard, Ventura and Fillmore.

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The bed delivery was a first for Bradley’s chapter. For Bradley, it was about two years in the making. She comes from Idaho and was familiar with Sleep in Heavenly Peace but had never been involved with the group.

That changed after she moved to California. Two years ago, she saw a Facebook video about the nonprofit that touched her. Around the same time, she visited the home of a family in her church.

There were eight people living in a one-bedroom house, Bradley said. Two plain mattresses were laid out in the dining room area. In the kitchen, piles of clothes and blankets on a tile floor served as a sleeping area.

Children look over bicycles that will be part of a holiday giveaway at Ventura Bike HUB on Sunday afternoon. The nonprofit bike shop gave out more than 20 bikes to local kids in need.
Roman Gonzalez tries out a bike Sunday before a holiday giveaway at Ventura Bike HUB. The nonprofit shop fixed up about 30 bicycles to give to local children in need.
Rain fell on Ventura Avenue on Sunday outside the window of Ventura Bike HUB as shop staff and volunteers held a holiday bike giveaway for local children in need.
Anthony Andres tries out a bicycle as volunteer Bradley Weaver offers advice Sunday at Ventura Bike HUB. The nonprofit shop prepared about 30 bikes for a holiday giveaway aimed at local kids in need.
Toby Smith, center, program director at Ventura Bike HUB, looks at a ride getting prepped by volunteer Mike Steinbaum on Sunday during a holiday bike giveaway. The community bike shop had fixed up about 30 bikes to give to local kids in need.
Santa Claus hats were part of the seasonal decor during a holiday bike giveaway at Ventura Bike HUB on Sunday. Staff and volunteers from the nonprofit shop spent months fixing up about 30 bikes to give to local kids in need.
Jazzlyn Gerardi, in purple coat, helps her 2-year-old sister Brighton retrieve the bicycle she got Sunday during a holiday bike giveaway at Ventura Bike HUB. At left, staff member Alex Penaloza holds up the winning raffle ticket while Ventura Deputy Mayor Sofia Rubalcava, at right in striped hat, looks on.
Volunteer Nina Danza greets families arriving to the holiday bike giveaway Sunday at Ventura Bike HUB. Danza brought homemade cookies, in foreground, for attendees.
Kids check out bicycles before the holiday bike giveaway Sunday at Ventura Bike HUB. The nonprofit shop fixed up about 30 bikes to give out to local children in need.
Volunteer Lauren Steinbaum, right, handed out cider and cookies to families attending the holiday bike giveaway at Ventura Bike HUB on Sunday.
Camarillo resident Marissa Bradley, center, oversees construction of 14 bunk beds Saturday that will be donated to children in need. Bradley heads the local chapter of nonprofit Sleep in Heavenly Peace.
Marissa Bradley, left, talks to Gordon Hachtman as he gets ready to brand bed frames Saturday during a build day for Sleep in Heavenly Peace, which provides beds to children in need.
Eagle Scout candidate Christopher Fischer stains boards Saturday in Camarillo as volunteers build 14 beds that will be given to children in need.
Gordon Hachtman brands a headboard with the initials of a nonprofit Saturday in Camarillo when volunteers built 14 beds for local children in need.
Volunteers gathered in Camarillo Saturday to build 14 beds for children in need as part of nonprofit Sleep in Heavenly Peace. The beds were delivered to families just in time for the Christmas holidays, organizers said.
A bunk bed and a single bed were delivered to an Oxnard family Saturday by volunteers taking part in the Ventura County chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace.

Replay

  • Children look over bicycles that will be part of a holiday giveaway at Ventura Bike HUB on Sunday afternoon. The nonprofit bike shop gave out more than 20 bikes to local kids in need.1 of 16
  • Roman Gonzalez tries out a bike Sunday before a holiday giveaway at Ventura Bike HUB. The nonprofit shop fixed up about 30 bicycles to give to local children in need.2 of 16
  • Rain fell on Ventura Avenue on Sunday outside the window of Ventura Bike HUB as shop staff and volunteers held a holiday bike giveaway for local children in need.3 of 16
  • Anthony Andres tries out a bicycle as volunteer Bradley Weaver offers advice Sunday at Ventura Bike HUB. The nonprofit shop prepared about 30 bikes for a holiday giveaway aimed at local kids in need.4 of 16
  • Toby Smith, center, program director at Ventura Bike HUB, looks at a ride getting prepped by volunteer Mike Steinbaum on Sunday during a holiday bike giveaway. The community bike shop had fixed up about 30 bikes to give to local kids in need.5 of 16
  • Santa Claus hats were part of the seasonal decor during a holiday bike giveaway at Ventura Bike HUB on Sunday. Staff and volunteers from the nonprofit shop spent months fixing up about 30 bikes to give to local kids in need.6 of 16
  • Jazzlyn Gerardi, in purple coat, helps her 2-year-old sister Brighton retrieve the bicycle she got Sunday during a holiday bike giveaway at Ventura Bike HUB. At left, staff member Alex Penaloza holds up the winning raffle ticket while Ventura Deputy Mayor Sofia Rubalcava, at right in striped hat, looks on.7 of 16
  • Volunteer Nina Danza greets families arriving to the holiday bike giveaway Sunday at Ventura Bike HUB. Danza brought homemade cookies, in foreground, for attendees.8 of 16
  • Kids check out bicycles before the holiday bike giveaway Sunday at Ventura Bike HUB. The nonprofit shop fixed up about 30 bikes to give out to local children in need.9 of 16
  • Volunteer Lauren Steinbaum, right, handed out cider and cookies to families attending the holiday bike giveaway at Ventura Bike HUB on Sunday.10 of 16
  • Camarillo resident Marissa Bradley, center, oversees construction of 14 bunk beds Saturday that will be donated to children in need. Bradley heads the local chapter of nonprofit Sleep in Heavenly Peace.11 of 16
  • Marissa Bradley, left, talks to Gordon Hachtman as he gets ready to brand bed frames Saturday during a build day for Sleep in Heavenly Peace, which provides beds to children in need.12 of 16
  • Eagle Scout candidate Christopher Fischer stains boards Saturday in Camarillo as volunteers build 14 beds that will be given to children in need.13 of 16
  • Gordon Hachtman brands a headboard with the initials of a nonprofit Saturday in Camarillo when volunteers built 14 beds for local children in need.14 of 16
  • Volunteers gathered in Camarillo Saturday to build 14 beds for children in need as part of nonprofit Sleep in Heavenly Peace. The beds were delivered to families just in time for the Christmas holidays, organizers said.15 of 16
  • A bunk bed and a single bed were delivered to an Oxnard family Saturday by volunteers taking part in the Ventura County chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace.16 of 16

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“Seeing it personally,” she said of children sleeping on the floor, “inspired me to do something.”

The beds — often assembled as bunk beds — include a mattress, sheet set, comforter and pillow; each bunk bed costs about $350. 

Saturday’s effort included donations from Lowe’s Home Improvement and the B&B Do It Center in Camarillo. Pillows and comforters were donated by members of Bradley’s church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Paseo Camarillo. Church donations were coordinated by 16-year-old Christopher Fischer as part of his Eagle Scout project with the Boy Scouts of America.

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Most of Saturday’s beds were delivered to families Bradley had never met and who’d applied through the nonprofit’s website.

One bunk bed, however, went to the family from Bradley’s church who had impacted her two years ago, bringing things full circle for her.

Combining the deliveries with the Christmas holiday season, with its theme of giving, made Saturday’s event extra special, she said.

“We really felt these were Christmas beds,” she said.

Two wheels of their own

Rain pummeled Ventura Avenue on Sunday afternoon outside the windows of Ventura Bike HUB.

Inside, a fleet of about 30 small bicycles stood in the middle of the shop floor. Bows and ribbons brightened their handlebars. Volunteers, some in red Santa Claus hats, readied for young visitors.

The community bike shop north of the Bell Arts Factory and Prospect Street had been preparing for months for the holiday bike giveaway. 

The shop, which operates under nonprofit BikeVentura, sells refurbished bikes and serves as a fix-it-yourself station. Cyclists pay $5 an hour for the use of stands and equipment, which includes assistance from master mechanics and trained volunteers. The organization also takes part in cycling advocacy and education programs, including bike safety classes taught to most Ventura sixth graders.

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Despite the rain Sunday, about 20 children showed up with family members. They were greeted with free cider and plates of homemade cookies brought by volunteer Nina Danza, who had also decorated the giveaway bikes.

Each child got a raffle ticket; each bike had a white envelope attached to the front. Kids put their tickets in the envelope of their preferred bicycle.

Joey Juhasz-Lukomski, executive director of BikeVentura, wandered the floor, chatting with kids and making sure things were in order.

The event was advertised on Facebook and via fliers distributed to community groups serving at-risk and low-income families.

Ojai resident Michelle Gerardi learned about the giveaway on Facebook and came with her three daughters: Brighton, 2, Jazzlyn, 10, and Christabella, 12.

“This is very cool,” Gerardi said of the event.

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About 17 of the bikes came from Kaiser Permanente employees after Dr. Michael Steinbaum, a Bike HUB volunteer, put out a special call for kids’ bikes.

Alex Penaloza, who coordinates the group’s education programs, led Sunday’s bike raffle with assistance from Ventura Deputy Mayor Sofia Rubalcava.

Since there were more bicycles than children, all of the attendees went home with a new bike. Most took home their first choice.

Toby Smith, Bike HUB program director, said staff members and volunteers have worked on the donated bikes for the past couple months to get them in good working order.

For Smith and Juhasz-Lukomski, the executive director, seeing the smiles on children’s faces was worth the effort.

“It’s like a huge sharing of our passion,” Smith said.

“It feels amazing,” said Juhasz-Lukomski.

How to help

You can sign up to volunteer or make a donation to Sleep in Heavenly Peace at www.shpbeds.org or leave a message for the Ventura County chapter at 844-432-2337, ext. 5107.

You can connect with the Ventura Bike HUB at bikeventura.org or at 805-641-2665. The shop is at 490 North Ventura Ave. in Ventura.

Gretchen Wenner covers breaking news for the Ventura County Star. Reach her at gretchen.wenner@vcstar.com or 805-437-0270.

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