For Mike, giving isn’t about recognition or accolades. It’s about impact.

“I’m not ego-driven,” he says. “Some people want naming rights. Me? I just want to leave a mark—an indelible mark—on this time, in this place. One kid at a time.”

As a small business owner with deep local roots, Mike sees giving as a form of creative impact investing. When he took on an environmental cleanup project for the school district, he didn’t pocket the $35,000 paycheck. He gave it back to the Foundation—with one request: use it to do something meaningful. That gift led to the creation of a parent educator role for Pre-K students, a position now permanently funded by the district.

He’s especially inspired by initiatives like YES cards—small, discretionary funds teachers can use in the moment to support students in need. “It empowers teachers to act. You’ve got a kid who’s lit up, feeling great, and that energy spreads. That’s real impact.”

Mike believes in giving with his palm down, not up. No strings. No need for credit. Just a hope that one small act might change a child’s life forever.

“You never know when a kid’s at a fork in the road. Maybe your gift helps them go left—to safety, stability, opportunity—instead of right. That cleats-for-baseball moment? It could turn into a future MLB star. You just never know.”

More than anything, Mike hopes to be a good example for his children—and to inspire others to think about what kind of legacy they want to leave.

“You don’t need to chase the ripple to the shore,” he says. “Just create as many ripples as you can. That’s enough.”