At least two times a week, Bill Akers spends the day sanding and building.
The 85-year-old and other retirees are volunteers at the CHARM (Children Helped and Rehabilitation Motivated) shop in East Kansas City, which provides furniture for adults and children with disabilities.
"They didn't really steal from us. They stole from the kids who rely on this product that we build. And it's going to take us a little bit of time to get us back in operation and up and going," said Bill Akers,
Sometime after Thanksgiving thieves broke into the woodwork shop and stole $5,000 worth of tools, including five new sets of power drills.
The tools are used by volunteers to make special high chairs, walkers, tables, furniture and toys for children with disabilities. They are sent to metro-area schools, rehabilitation centers and homes.
And it's all done on the volunteer's free time, for free.
"Just to think somebody knew what we were doing and still stole from us, stole from those kids. It's awful," said a volunteer who now goes by his last name, Bibbee.
He's been volunteering at the shop for years, inspired by his daughter's death.
So when the 82-year-old learned of the theft it was heartbreak once again-- until organizations stepped in to help. Since the theft the shop has seen an influx of donations, including a new set of power tools.
"[In the end] we are going to be better off then we were, that's what Kansas City is all about," said Bibbee.
------------------
Ariel Rothfield can be reached at Ariel.Rothfield@KSHB.com.
