Woodworker builds desks for students to call their own


The siblings take turns at the desk at the end of their bunk bed. Cook says Kemptner's generosity has been a saving grace: “This helps me believe in humanity, really,” she says. This

year has been hard, “and for him to do this, the only thing I can tell him is, ‘Thank you very much.'" Kemptner is always eagerly willing to give his time to serve others, says

Daniells, pastor at Evergreen Bible Church: “I told him we could even use some church funds to help, and he said no, he would cover it." GIVING STUDENTS A PLACE FOR LEARNING A former

Los Angeles police officer, Kemptner became more serious about woodworking in retirement. A few years ago he helped remodel the Marrion teacher's lounge. For the desk design, Kemptner

found a simple plan online and made some modifications. Then he went to work in his garage, crafting the desks from 3/4-inch plywood. The two-tiered finished product is fairly compact — 2

feet wide by 2 feet deep, small enough to fit in a small house or apartment. The upper tier is a recessed shelf for books and other study materials. Kemptner plans to continue making desks

and hopes other people will join the effort, no matter where they live. Though he uses some specialized tools, he says others can do the same thing just by using a drill and circular saw.

Principal Hill says the donations mean more than many people realize: “Maybe in an adult's mind, it's only a desk. But in a kid's mind, it's a place that they can kind of

call their own throughout the learning day, which is so important." For his part, Kemptner says he feels uncomfortable taking any credit: “God has blessed me with so much — an ability,

tools, and time, now that I am retired — and I'm just passing on that love to these kids."