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Mike Dunham

Our July Pit Boss Hero is known for giving his all whether he’s at work, volunteering, or behind the grill. Pit Boss Hero of the Month Mike Dunham is a retired Sergeant from the Sheriff's Department in Orange County, California, where he served the community for 25+ years. What started as a way to support his family, quickly revealed itself to be Mike’s calling. “He soon realized he had been training his entire life for this career,” said his wife, Donna. “He had the ability to relate to and empathize with people from all walks of life.” Mike is said to have been able to go into a chaotic situation and have things calm, organized, and moving in a more positive direction within minutes. Even after retiring, Mike dedicated nearly a decade to serving his community by volunteering with disabled veterans. “Had he not been diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis he would still be out there organizing car shows and bringing in money for the vets,” Donna said. That dedication to service is reflected in his home life, as Donna says Mike would come home and grill dinner for the family several nights out of the week before they made the move from California to Arizona. In fact, she says their most memorable grilling experience happened at Mike’s retirement party. “We were expecting 20 to 30 people,” Donna said. “Over 100 people came to honor Mike's time on the job. He fed every one of them from his grill . . . nearly 8 hours of cooking.” Thank you for your service, Mike!