La-Z-Boy Co. Retailers Helps Alabama Teacher

June 8, 2011  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in Community/Charitable Support on June 9, 2011

La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries and Kincaid Home Furnishings stores in Birmingham, Al., are helping a local teacher furnish her new home.

Mary Margaret Kemp ("Ms. Mac" to her students) teaches developmentally challenged children and received national recognition from the "LIVE! with Regis and Kelly" as a top five finalist in the show' national "Top Teacher" search. During the show, host Kelly Ripa revealed a surprise gift for the Burkett Preschool teacher: a $10,000 gift certificate from La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries and Kincaid Home Furnishings stores to decorate the living room, bedroom and dining room of her new home.

"Ms. Mac is dedicated to making a difference in and out of the classroom--she spends all of her time comforting, supporting and enriching the lives of her students and their families,"  said Curt Morris, co-owner of the three Birmingham La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries and Kincaid Home Furnishings store locations. "As soon as we heard her story, we wanted to help. It's exciting for us to bring a little extra comfort into her home to thank her for what she does for the developmentally-challenged children in our community. She is a superb educator and all of us in Birmingham are lucky to have her, and teachers like her, in our midst."

Kemp was nominated for the award by the parent of one of her students, who said the young teacher's love and patience for special needs children, and her gift at reaching them even in difficult situations: "I could write a book on her kindness and how she has changed our lives. She always reassures us that she will do whatever she needs to get our child to communicate and be successful. And she has. Our withdrawn little boy has said some words, he will make eye contact with us and interact with us ... (it) means the world to me that I have in a small way connected with my child and we wouldn't be where we are if it weren't for Ms. Mac."