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A Night Without a Bed at Lightship Overfalls serves a good cause

Family Promise coordinates sleep-out to raise awareness, funds to support homeless families
Lightship Overfalls volunteer John Bolster gives a guided tour on the deck of the historic vessel as part of the activities taking place during the Family Promise Night Without a Bed sleep-out Oct. 8 at Canalfront Park in downtown Lewes. RON MACARTHUR PHOTOS
Ron MacArthur
October 14, 2021

Southern Delaware’s nonprofit Family Promise affiliate hosted a sleep-out event Oct. 8 near the Lightship Overfalls at Canalfront Park in downtown Lewes. Night Without a Bed is a national grassroots event to raise awareness and funds for families experiencing homelessness.

Members of Bethel United Methodist Church and Lewes Presbyterian youth groups, along with their chaperones, slept outside in tents to simulate the experience of being homeless. They had a night filled with activities including a lasagna dinner donated by Lasagna Love, lightship tours, a nautical flag art project and stargazing. Prior to the event, participants raised funds to support Family Promise of Southern Delaware.

Families experiencing homelessness account for 40 percent of all homeless in Delaware. Each day, 18 children in Delaware become homeless.

Family Promise's goal is to support a limited number of families in their search for permanent housing, and establish a working relationship between the selected families and a social worker. The chapter will provide financial support for rental assistance, security deposits and utility deposits, up to $4,500 per family. The organization expects to work with each family for a period of three to four months. For more information or to donate, go to familypromisesouthernde.org.

 

A colorful Oct. 9 sunrise over Canalfront Park in Lewes greets campers who slept out in tents for the Night Without a Bed event. ELAINE SIMMERMAN PHOTO
Volunteers (l-r) Elizabeth Fields of the Bethel mission team, Dee Lott of the event committee, and Donna Fleischmann, Family Promise board treasurer, prepare dinner donated by Lasagna Love for the group of campers and chaperones taking part in Night Without a Bed.
Bethel United Methodist Church youth leader Ray Davis leads the group in a blessing as dinner is ready to be served by volunteers.
Chaperones place a tarp over a tent as they prepare to spend the night in Lewes Canalfront Park.
Lightship Overfalls volunteers Steve and Susan Tolbert help campers paint their own nautical flag artwork.
Nick Petito proudly shows off his nautical flag artwork that spells out his first name.
Peyton Vied sets up his tent on the grounds of Canalfront Park near the Lightship Overfalls.
Brother and sister Eli and Bristol Brown enjoy a lasagna dinner prepared by members of Lasagna Love.
It’s not often – if ever – that passersby see tents pitched on the grounds of Canalfront Park in downtown Lewes.
Eager to take a tour of the Lightship Overalls, a crowd walks up the gangplank.
Lightship Overfalls volunteer tour guide John Bolster explains the parts of the ship to a group of sleep-out participants.
Kathy Dreasen, a Family Promise board member, is the organizer of the first Night Without a Bed event in Lewes.
Eli Brown is up bright and early Oct. 9 after spending the night in a tent in Canalfront Park. ELAINE SIMMERMAN PHOTO
Those lucky enough to get up before sunrise on Oct. 9 were greeted by this pink sky. ELAINE SIMMERMAN PHOTO

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