For Dan and Nina, choosing where to spend their retirement wasn’t about convenience—it was about purpose.

With the freedom to live almost anywhere, they carefully considered their options. They explored communities along Michigan’s lakeshore, reflected on decades of travel and career moves, and ultimately arrived at a simple conclusion.

“There wasn’t another place we’d rather live than Muskegon.”

That decision was about much more than beautiful beaches or scenic views. It was about finding a community that reflected their values.

“We’ve moved over 14 times,” Dan says. “We’ve seen a lot of places. But here, people care. They invest in their community. They want to make it better.”

For Nina (Dombrausky), returning to Muskegon also meant coming home. Her family moved here when she was young, and she graduated from Muskegon High School before attending what is now Kettering University, where she and Dan met while studying engineering.

Years later, while sorting through old papers, she discovered something she’d nearly forgotten—a scholarship from the Community Foundation had helped make her college education possible. “It was a full-circle moment,” Nina says. “I realized the Community Foundation had invested in me years ago.”

Throughout successful careers with General Motors and Kellogg’s, the couple never lost their commitment to giving back. As retirement approached, they began thinking carefully about the legacy they wanted to leave.

Initially, their estate plan included support for causes they cared about—education, healthcare, animal welfare, literacy, and more. But after getting to know the Community Foundation, attending events, reading annual reports, and meeting with staff, their perspective changed.

“We realized the Community Foundation already supports all of those things,” Nina explains. “Individual nonprofits provide incredible depth in their missions, but the Community Foundation has the breadth to respond to whatever the community needs—today and decades from now.”

That flexibility became increasingly important. “The community’s needs will change,” she says. “Organizations may change. But we know the Community Foundation will continue making thoughtful decisions based on what’s needed most.”

Their planned gift has evolved from a narrowly designated estate distribution to a powerful and flexible unrestricted gift, trusting the Community Foundation to steward their generosity for future generations. “It’s about having confidence that your values will continue, even when the future looks different than you imagined.”

Beyond financial support, Dan and Nina have become deeply involved in Muskegon. They serve in neighborhood leadership roles, volunteer with local organizations, and regularly attend Community Foundation events. “The people we’ve met through the Community Foundation believe in this community and want to see it succeed,” Dan says.

Their optimism comes from watching Muskegon transform over the years. Having witnessed the city’s economic highs and lows, they’ve also seen its resilience. Today, they point to vibrant neighborhoods, growing opportunities, community collaboration, and a renewed sense of pride. “Every time someone says they’re bored in Muskegon, I tell them that’s their own fault,” Nina laughs. “There is so much happening here.”

They’ve also noticed something remarkable: many of their classmates and colleagues who once left Muskegon are returning. “People are coming back because they see what this community has become,” she says.

For Dan, the story reminds him of one of his lifelong inspirations: The Wizard of Oz. Throughout his career as a coach, he used Dorothy’s journey as a metaphor for finding purpose and building meaningful relationships. The couple even dedicated a bench overlooking Muskegon’s waterfront, engraved with one of Dorothy’s most memorable lines: “There’s no place like home.”

The phrase perfectly captures why they chose Muskegon—and why they chose to include the Community Foundation in their legacy plans. “We want our gift to keep helping this community long after we’re gone,” Dan says.

For Nina, the decision ultimately comes down to trust. “We know the Community Foundation will continue responding to the community’s changing needs. That’s exactly what we want our legacy to do.”

By choosing flexibility over specificity with an unrestricted gift, Dan and Nina are ensuring their generosity can grow and adapt alongside the community they proudly call home. Because for them, there’s truly no place like home.