West Dundee man creates treats for needy kids

Larry Ward knows his popcorn and he knows kids love it.

It was a combination that made it easy for Ward to say “yes” when officials at the Riverwoods Christian Center in St. Charles asked if he would be interested in helping during “carnival days” at the summer camp for underprivileged children.

“The carnival day was held on Fridays, because it was the end of the week, and the end of their stay for some kids, as they were coming in on a weekly basis,” said Ward, 75, a resident of West Dundee.

“Jay Curtis (Riverwoods executive director) knew I had popcorn and cotton candy machines, and he asked if I could set it up on Fridays during the summer,” Ward said. “As long as it was for the kids, I said I would do it.”

Ward, who retired in 1983 after 20 years with Bethlehem Steel, obtained his popcorn and cotton candy equipment from his 13 years of operating a Karmelkorn franchise at the former St. Charles Mall and then at Spring Hill Mall.

When he left that business in 2005, he used his expertise to simply making hundreds of children at Riverwoods happy for the past five years with all of the expense for popcorn, salt and oil, and the special sugar for cotton candy, coming out of his own pocket.

Ward has been a member of the Tri-Cities Exchange Club for 27 years because it emphasizes the well-being of children. The Exchange Club is a national service club with a mission in two major categories prevention of child abuse and promotion of patriotism.

“I thought it would be a good thing to do this for Riverwoods as part of being an Exchange Club member because it was a good fit and a very good atmosphere at Riverwoods,” said Ward, who lived in St. Charles for 28 years before moving to West Dundee five years ago.

Ward said the children at Riverwoods play games on carnival days and earn tickets that can be used to get his tasty treats.

“We provide the popcorn and cotton candy to about 100 to 125 kids each week and it is definitely a big hit,” said Ward, who gets plenty of help from fellow club members Wade Weisman and Don Regole. “The lines are really long.”