It was just about a decade ago that Marjorie and Earl Willis of Flint, Michigan, were vacationing on the east coast. A side trip to Mississippi to visit an acquaintance altered their life plan. As they drove the Natchez Trace, visited Tupelo and journeyed on to Leland, their friend’s hometown, Earl said something like, “Boy, this is a pretty place.” His wife thought so, too. Earl, a pastor, had retired from General Motors after almost 40 years, so there wasn’t too much tying them down in Flint, and before long, the Willises began to think Mississippi was a place they might like to live.
Fast forward 10 years, and there is plenty popping at the Willis home in Starkville. Marjorie has transformed the kitchen there into a cottage gourmet popcorn factory. Ten months ago, she stepped out on faith and started up Tasty Time Gourmet Popcorn — not to generate supplemental family income, as one might assume, but because she cares about kids.
Proceeds from Tasty Time benefit NetWORKS, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to enhance the lives of youth through programs that nurture, educate and train them for responsible citizenship.
“The name means ‘Nurturing, Educating and Training Works Through Christ Jesus,'” explained Marjorie, who founded NetWORKS last year. It now has a board of directors and recently completed its first summer youth program. Key focus areas are performing arts and entrepreneurship. “They are excellent tools to develop character, self-esteem, leadership skills and problem-solving skills,” Marjorie said.
As a former executive administrator with Boys and Girls Clubs in Illinois, South Carolina and the Atlanta area, Marjorie has invested years in working with young people, understanding issues they face and offering guidance. At some of the clubs, and at churches her husband pastored, she also spent years developing drama troupes and writing and directing plays.
“I wanted to bring that here,” she said. “Kids can learn so much from it. I saw tremendous change in young people once they really got involved. It was really self-esteem building.”
For eight weeks in June and July, almost 20 youth in the summer program developed drama and music for parent presentations, heard motivational and educational speakers, made arts and crafts, learned about nutrition, responsibility and how to make themselves more employable in future. They went on field trips, and they got active — swimming, fishing and playing games like volleyball. For their productive summer, they might thank Marjorie’s gourmet popcorn, which funded part of the project.
Getting started
“When we started NetWORKS we didn’t have any money; what we had was just an idea that we could enrich the lives of our kids,” said the popcorn entrepreneur. As she mulled over ways to generate funding, Marjorie remembered that her sister had made specialty popcorn for years and that her mother used to make popcorn balls at Christmas. It sparked an idea. Marjorie immersed herself in research, visiting “popcorn places” in Memphis, Tupelo, Flowood and Jackson.
“I asked a ton of questions, and I observed,” she remarked. She studied types of popcorn. (She uses the big, round mushroom type, as opposed to the butterfly or snowflake kernel.) And she got busy testing and developing flavors.
Three primary categories of Tasty Time air-popped treats are “Salt and Savory Snacks,” “Sweet Snacks” and “Dessert Clusters,” with currently about 20 flavors or flavor combinations available. Cheese lovers might veer toward the cheddar, hot cheddar, white cheese or cheesy jalapeno popcorns. But there are also Southern Barbecue, Picklelicious, Salt and Vinegar, Ranchero and Chili Mac to tempt the palate. For the bold and brave, there are Buffalo, Smokin’ Sriracha and Ghost Pepper varieties.
Jazmyn Willis, 16, is Marjorie’s granddaughter. She is near the end of a month-long visit from Dallas, Texas.
“My favorite is the sriracha and hot cheese, and I like the cheesy jalapeno. I like things hot,” she grinned.
Sweet snacks include flavors like Caramel Nut, Root Beer Float, Peanut Blast and Country Mix — a traditional Chicago-style popcorn, Marjorie’s best-seller.
Dessert clusters range from the Double C Peanutter (caramel chocolate popcorn, roasted peanuts and chocolate and peanut butter drizzle) to the labor-intensive Bahama Momma, a rich concoction of caramel rum popcorn, macadamia nuts, coconut, raisins, dried pineapple, dried papaya and rum-enhanced white chocolate.
Excellent spirit
At the stove Monday, Marjorie finished a batch of Cinnamon Delight dessert clusters, applying cinnamon and white chocolate drizzle over caramel popcorn and pecans. Husband Earl strolled in, taking a short break from mowing the lawn. He’s Marjorie’s “best salesman.” (He is also pastor of Chapel Hill MB Church and serves as vice president of the Oktibbeha County Ministerial Alliance and assistant treasurer for the Northeast Baptist State Convention.)
“She makes it good, and I sell it good,” Earl laughed, headed to the fridge
As Marjorie worked, she mused. “I would never have thought I’d be doing something like this. I am not a kitchen person. I cook to survive, not because I love it,” she said with humor. But she enjoys producing the treats and is committed to a quality product.
“I pride myself that this is gourmet. I don’t want to disappoint anyone, and I want to do it all with an excellent spirit,” she said. “Everything we do should be done with an excellent spirit.”
That is a characteristic NetWORKS hopes to instill in young people as the program supports academic achievement, life coaching, health and welfare, community service and citizenship through its activities. It’s so important to Marjorie that, when the original location intended for the summer program fell through, she cleared out a large garage and moved the furniture out of her spacious living room to give the program a home. Her deep wraparound porch became a stage for the kids’ productions.
NetWORKS’ current primary goal is finding a location. Marjorie also hopes to see a sock puppet program that began this summer develop into an ongoing outreach.
“I have a vision of a traveling performing arts troupe,” she said. “I see a sock puppet ministry going from daycare to daycare, from kindergarten to kindergarten. … Love is good for all seasons,” she continued, referring to the Christmas in July theme from the summer program. “Whatever is going on in your life, there is still room for love, and that’s what Christ Jesus is for.”
How to get Tasty Time
See more about Tasty Time Gourmet Popcorn on Facebook at facebook.com/TastyTmeGourmetPopcorn/, email Marjorie Willis at [email protected], or call 972-989-1493.
Tasty Time is generally sold in half-gallon, gallon and multi-gallon quantities. Prices range from $8 to $25. Smaller bags can also be made up. Orders may be picked up, or delivery is frequently available, including to Columbus. Popcorn may also be shipped.
Jan Swoope is the Lifestyles Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 43 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.