Retirement community residents in Batavia make desks to help kids learning at home during pandemic - Chicago Tribune

When it comes to children who are doing their best to learn from the current pandemic, Ron Hecht, a 90-year-old Batavia resident who was formerly Elgin, thinks something is necessary.

Hirchter said: "I think everyone should have the opportunity to do their own work, regardless of their financial situation." Regarding distance learning and children having to work at the kitchen table with cereal boxes and other items, He says. "If there is a way to help others do something about it, I am very happy."

Recently, a group of six residents living in the covenant living area of ​​the retirement living facility in Batavia Holmstad gathered around the holidays and turned their carpentry and painting skills into wooden desks, which soon Find the house before the varnish is dry.

Karen Pahlke, the interim executive director of the facility, said the group of residents “has been very busy since March and April last year” when the pandemic first produced masks, and the most recent woodworking project produced 20 A desk is a way of giving back to society. community.

"When the COVID first broke out, the community received strong support in obtaining water, toilet paper and other products. In fact, we set up a bus to make donations because we didn't go anywhere," Pahkle said. "The desk project started in December and one of our residents, Dave Anderson, has been with us to organize the troops since 2014."

Anderson, 72, formerly Roselle’s predecessor, said that he watched the YouTube video "About a guy doing a desk in California" and was inspired.

He said: "I think we can solve these problems here. As the co-chair of the committee responsible for carpentry work, I went to the local Home Depot to price the materials." "It turns out that we can set a price of 18 per piece. I made one for a dollar price, but I made some changes to the design because the guy in California used brads and glue. I wanted screws, and he left the wood."

Anderson received the help of professional painter Hecht for more than 40 years. Hecht himself is a man with woodworking skills. He used rollers and brushes to apply paint to the finished wooden desks in "assembly style". With the help of some other residents, the desks soon appeared. .

Anderson said: "I went to the former director Amanda Gosnell (Amanda Gosnell), said we can build a table for 21 US dollars, and she said that we will continue to make 20 tables." "The two of us finished. Approximately 90% of the carpentry work, and Ron (Hechter) completed approximately 90% of the paintings."

Anderson said that the table itself measures 30 inches high, and a 24 x 18 inch top made of pine wood and ¾ inch plywood can be built in about two hours, but dyeing adds time.

Anderson is a self-employed person who repairs the windshield by himself. He said: "He has his own tools since he was 8 years old."

"I have been making wood chips for 65 years," Anderson joked. "I am a carpenter, and I know we can build these."

Parker said that during the pandemic, Batavia United Way had set up an office in the covenant living facility and quickly found a place for desks at the nearby HC Storm Primary School.

Anderson said that as far as he knew, "all tables were shoveled in less than 20 minutes," and he felt that "now some children can sit down and study."

He said: "I have five of my own grandchildren, and I know that some children are better than others in terms of lock-in and distance learning."

Hirscht said to him, "This project is very meaningful" and believes that "helping others is a great thing."

80-year-old Randy Johnson, formerly Wheaton, said that he also helped the project. The biggest gain is that he is thinking about the final reaction of a child he will never meet.

Johnson said: "Before using COVID, we went to Storm Elementary and assisted with the reading plan, so we already had some connections." "What I like most but haven't witnessed is the expectation and expression of the child who received that table. You never know who got it, but you know it is appreciated."

connection

Forum Publishing

Company Information

Copyright © 2021, Chicago Tribune