Community pride runs as deep as the roots of its Bomber tradition, in a place where the ovens never stop warming hearts as much as they do stomachs. That place is Larry A’s Pizza, and the man behind the counter is Larry Aurelio himself — a lifelong Macomb resident, Class of 1980 Bomber, and keeper of a family legacy that started with dough, sauce, and a dream.

Larry’s story begins in 1954, when his father opened the first pizza place in town, the Italian Village. At the time, pizza was still something of a novelty in small-town Illinois, but his father’s recipes quickly became staples for families across the community. Larry grew up sweeping floors, spinning dough, and learning not just the business of pizza, but the business of caring. By 1997, he had launched Larry A’s Pizza, carrying forward the exact same recipes that built his family’s reputation.

But it isn’t just the flavor that has kept Larry A’s at the center of Macomb life. It’s Larry’s generosity. For decades, he has made sure that when schools call, he’s there. Lincoln’s Student of the Week program sends kids home with coupons for a free pizza — a reward that makes achievement a little more delicious. Middle school reading initiatives have received the same support, with young readers earning pizzas as tangible encouragement. Teachers, too, often find themselves surprised with meals of appreciation, courtesy of Larry.

“I just try to do what I can,” Larry says modestly. “If they need a donation or pizza for an event, I’ll help. It’s about supporting the schools and the kids.” His humility keeps him from calling attention to these efforts, but ask anyone in Macomb Schools and they’ll tell you: Larry has been there, quietly and consistently, making a difference one slice at a time.

Community, for Larry, is more than a word. It’s a way of life. “It’s a great community,” he says, reflecting on Macomb’s blend of small-town grit and the energy that Western Illinois University brings. “Whatever needs done, people step up. Everybody wants to see the town do well and grow.” It’s that spirit — the shared belief that the whole is stronger when everyone contributes — that drives him to keep giving.

Larry’s Bomber ties run deep. Not only did he graduate from Macomb High in 1980, but his wife, Erika, graduated as a Bomber as well in 1990, and his daughter also went through the district, and now he and Erika are celebrating the arrival of their first grandchild. He laughs at the thought of a third generation taking over the family business someday. He says, “Five months old isn’t too early to start spinning dough, right?”

At Larry A’s, customers are part of the family. Larry doesn’t bat an eye at the odd requests. “Nothing surprises you anymore,” he says with a grin. Pizza, he points out, may have originated in Italy, but it’s been reinvented in America as a full meal, an event in itself.

Walk into Larry A’s on any given night, and you’ll find families sharing laughter, kids trading stories over slices, and alumni swapping memories of Bomber games gone by. It’s more than a restaurant — it’s a living room for the town, a place where we gather to celebrate victories, lift each other through challenges, and remind ourselves of what community means.

For Larry, it always comes back to the schools. Whether it’s fueling a reading program, rewarding students for their hard work, or simply saying “thank you” to teachers, he sees his role not as a businessman but as a neighbor. “We’ve got a wonderful school district,” he says. “I just try to do what I can for the area.”

And maybe that’s why his story resonates so strongly. Because in Macomb, generosity isn’t measured in grand gestures but in everyday acts — in pizzas shared, in kids rewarded, in teachers appreciated. Larry embodies the spirit of a Bomber who never forgot where he came from and who believes, even now, that success is best enjoyed when shared with others.