A Lifetime of Giving Back: Larry's Story of Service, Friendship, and the YMCA
By midmorning, Larry and his longtime partner, Emily, had already spent two hours helping prepare food bags for local families. Alongside other Salvation Army volunteers, they packed nonperishable food, helping ensure local families have enough to eat.
It's a familiar routine for the couple, who are 90 and 97, respectively. For Larry, it's one of many ways he stays active and connected to his community.
From planting thousands of trees as a teenager to supporting the YMCA through decades of service and philanthropy, Larry has spent much of his life finding ways to give back.
Roots in Service
Larry's connection to the YMCA began during his childhood in Battle Creek, Michigan, where he joined the local Y and became active in Boy Scouts.
As a boy, he spent much of his free time outdoors, exploring the woodlands of his uncle's farm and helping with reforestation projects around Battle Creek. On one project, he and his crew planted 16,000 evergreen trees.
His conservation work earned him national recognition through the Boy Scouts of America's Hornaday Award. But for Larry, the real reward came years later, when he drove past once-barren land and saw a thriving forest.
His love of the outdoors also led him to Camp Hayo-Went-Ha, a YMCA camp on Torch Lake, where he spent several summers as a counselor, leading children on canoe trips and outdoor adventures.
Asked what he did when a group got lost, Larry didn't hesitate.
"Prayed," he said with a laugh.
But Larry's interests extended well beyond the woods. As a young man, he learned to tap dance at the Fred Astaire Dance Studio in Battle Creek and performed for audiences at Kellogg Auditorium. His act featured a specially built suitcase that unfolded into steps, allowing him to dance while playing the part of a hitchhiker.
He later entertained military personnel at Fort Custer and Percy Jones Army Hospital. While attending college in Chicago, he and a guitar-playing classmate visited orphanages, performing and distributing toys to children.
Investing in the YMCA's Future
Larry loved the YMCA as a member and wanted others to experience what it had given him. That desire eventually led him to pursue a career with the organization.
He attended George Williams College in Chicago, one of a handful of colleges at the time that trained YMCA professionals. He later joined its faculty and served as alumni director before earning a Bachelor of Divinity from Yale Divinity School.
His career eventually led him into nonprofit fundraising, including work with the American City Bureau, where he helped raise money for YMCA facilities and other nonprofit organizations.
Larry's connection to the Niles-Buchanan YMCA extends beyond membership. He served on its board of directors, helped support the development of the facility members enjoy today, and remains involved through its advisory committee.
A longtime donor, Larry has supported the Y through capital projects and annual contributions. He's also a strong advocate for growing the YMCA's endowment, recognizing the importance of securing resources that will serve the community for generations to come.
For someone who spent his youth planting trees he knew would take decades to grow, investing in the future has long been a familiar idea.
Finding Friendship and Connection
Larry's relationship with the YMCA has also been deeply personal.
He met his first wife, Kathy, in Chicago. A nurse by profession, she became known as the "neighborhood nurse" to the children on their street. Whenever someone was hurt or needed help, Kathy was the person they turned to.
The couple raised two sons together. After Kathy passed away from cancer, Larry found a meaningful way to honor her memory.
When the current Niles-Buchanan YMCA was built nearly 20 years ago, he contributed $25,000 toward the landscaping near its entrance in Kathy's honor. A plaque bearing her name remains there today, greeting the members and visitors who pass through the doors.
Years later, Larry found companionship again, fittingly, through the Y.
He and Emily met in a senior swim class at the Niles-Buchanan YMCA. When the summer session ended, they had a decision to make: stop taking the class or find a reason to keep seeing each other.
They chose the latter.
"Why shouldn't we get together?" Larry recalled. "So we did."
Today, the couple remains active in the community, including their regular volunteer work with the Salvation Army.
The Love of People
At 90, Larry continues to visit the Niles-Buchanan YMCA, where he enjoys walking the track, catching up with friends, and connecting with staff.
Sometimes he arrives carrying flowers or candy to share with the women at the front desk or friends he encounters along the way. It's a simple gesture, but one that reflects the generosity that has shaped so much of his life.
"I just have a desire to see smiles on people who don't have as much as other people do," he said.
His commitment to giving back reaches beyond the YMCA, but the Y has remained a constant throughout his life, providing opportunities to learn, lead, serve, and build lasting relationships.
Asked what keeps him coming back, Larry's answer is simple.
"The love of people."
And when asked what the YMCA has given him that he didn't expect, his response is much the same.
"A greater love of people."
After a lifetime of service, friendship, and generosity, Larry has plenty to reflect on.
"It's been a good life," he said.
