In fact, this opened a door for them to begin an entirely new venture in this stage of their lives – giving back.

“I continue to work full-time but we donate income from our retirement to various nonprofit organizations,” said Mike, who started donating annually to Make-A-Wish Arizona in 2018.

“We’re very passionate about charities that help children,” he continued. “We toured the Wish House a few years ago because we like to make sure an organization we support is well-run and stays true to its mission. Seeing their roots and 40 years of wishes on the wall as you walk up the stairs motivated us to get involved.”

Mike and Paulette continued to give during the pandemic because they’ve seen how wishes change lives.

“I think the team is creative how they were able to adapt during the past year and still make wishes happen,” said Paulette. “I remember hearing about a child who wished for a splash pad in her backyard and hopefully this takes her mind off of the challenges she has and provides memories that her family will never forget.”

Mike and Paulette shared that it doesn’t matter the wish, they enjoy hearing stories about any child because that wish is what they each personally need and means the world to them.

“It’s very rewarding to know you’re bringing smiles to children in challenging situations and giving them an experience they wouldn’t have otherwise,” they said. “We also appreciate that a wish is something for the whole family and it also benefits a child’s parents and siblings.”

“I received a lot of support from kind people when I was growing up,” said Mike. "Now that we’re in a position to be on the giving side, we want to share what we have to help others and make wishes come true."