Parade of Homes beds making dreams come true

The Parade of Homes is a great local event whether you're house-hunting, getting new interior design ideas, or just looking for something fun to do on the weekend.

This year's Parade of Homes features sixteen houses scattered across the Billings area, including one vacation home in Red Lodge.  It started this past weekend and continues on Saturday, September 21st from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm and Sunday, September 22nd from 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm.

My family and I toured the homes this past weekend and had a great time.  We're not in the market for a new home (after our last move, I'm pretty sure we're NEVER moving again!), but I definitely added some honey-do projects to my husband's list after seeing the beautiful homes on display.

It wasn't a home that had the strongest effect on me, though.  It was a bed.  Several of them, as a matter of fact.  In two of the houses, we saw these incredible "Dream Beds" for kids. These beds are not only cool to look at, but they're being raffled off for a great cause.

Dream Beds for Kids 2013 is a fundraiser of The Center for Children and Families, a local non-profit which works to ensure the safety, permanency and well-being of children and youth while strengthening families.

All of the proceeds from the Dream Beds raffle will go towards funding for the Center for Children and Families and their mission.

The beds are designed and created by local volunteers and businesses.  This year's beds include: a basketball bed (complete with hoop!) by Classic Home Designs; a tween graffiti bed by Billings Roller Derby Dames and Underground Culture Krew; a high-end Nakashima style toddler bed by Collaborative Design Architects; a princess bed created by the Billings Area Family Violence Task Force and The Center for Children and Families; a mission style bed by volunteers from The Center for Children and Families and the Yellowstone County Attorney's office; a owl clubhouse bed by Freyenhagen Construction; and my families' personal favorite, a larger-than-life Lego bed by CTA Architects, Connect and King of Glory Quilters.

You can purchase raffle tickets by visiting The Center for Children and Families at 3021 3rd Avenue North in downtown Billings, or at either of the Classic Design Homes houses during the Parade of Homes.  The drawing will take place on Sunday, September 22nd, the last day of the Parade.  Raffle tickets are just $5 each or 5 tickets for $20.

The Center for Children and Families' goal is to help children find happy, healthy, and hope-filled homes.   While my boys have their fingers crossed for that Lego bed, I'm just pleased to be able to make my own small contribution to that worthy cause.

You can find more information about The Center for Children and Families and the programs that the Dream Beds fundraiser benefits at their website, www.forfamilies.org.