When told of his award at the Roxana Cheer Center, Larry explained, “I worked for many years and I just wanted to give back.”
Richard Wafftle, who nominated Larry for a Jefferson Award, said, “Larry is the type of person that volunteers to work on any project that you dream up and he’ll help if he can do it.
Larry is the chairman for the Fenwick Island Lions Club, one of the largest in Delaware.
“He’s a holder of the Melvin Jones esteemed highest award that you can get in Lionism, as well as he has several district awards for service projects but mainly for Meals on Wheels,” said Wafftle.
Larry has run the Cheer Center’s Meals on Wheels program since 1996.
Chris Cordery, an outreach worker for Cheer, said the goal of the program is “just to make sure someone has at least one hot meal a day.”
Wafftle said of Larry, “On the outside he’s done so many fill-ins that people all over this area know him. The remarks are always, ‘Where’s Larry? How’s he doing? Can’t wait to see him the next time.'”
Last year, the retired computer professional coordinated the delivery of 9,000 meals – with the help of 30 volunteers – to those living throughout Sussex County.
“He’ll come in about 9:30, he’ll get his hot meals, he’ll get the bags that go along with that, and then he’s out on his way,” Cordery said. “He always has that personality of ‘We can do this,’ not, ‘Well, what are we going to do?’ He has that positive attitude that we need in volunteers.”
Larry Kovacs (Photo: WBOC)
