Our love story began with a high school crush that never became anything, until life gave us a second chance years later when mutual friends invited us boating. As the sun set and the boat bounced across the water, Doug rested his arm behind my back so I wouldn’t fall. At that moment I was hooked, and months later Doug admitted he wasn’t missing his second chance. Forty years later, we’re empty nesters, best friends, still each other’s favorite adventure and still navigating life side by side.

Our favorite memory as a couple is camping with our children when they were young. We didn’t have much, so we chose simple weekends and family trips outdoors. Camping with campfires, and hiking trails that cost nothing but gave us everything. Those trips weren’t about money or places, but about us, together as a family, making memories which have become the foundation of our family.

Honestly, it’s hard to choose exactly what we would do with $20,000 because for us it’s never been about money, it’s about impact. We feel very blessed in life and want to pay it forward by giving back to charities that help families, children, and individuals in need, and support causes that encourage people to live their best lives. If we can help make life a little brighter, easier, or more hopeful for someone else, that’s what matters most to us