From a squirt gun fight in a nursing home to a ride around the NASCAR track, Never Too Late can make it happen. Bob Haverstick, life-long South Side resident who graduated from Beech Grove High School, started Never Too Late 12 years ago to make dreams come true for all seniors older than 65. He has fulfilled more than 2,150 wishes since then.

"I am continually amazed at what the wishes do for people," Haverstick said. "Something that may seem insignificant to you really means the world to someone else. If it's just visiting their homestead or getting out of a facility to ride in a limousine and get a makeover, it takes so little to get this done."

The best year, Haverstick said, was 2006 when he fulfilled 354 wishes, equaling nearly one wish per day. He normally averages over 200 wishes per year. He said he began the business after seeing a play at the University of Indianapolis called Touching Lives. It inspired him to find a sense of purpose for himself by making dreams come true for others.

"At first, it didn't work," Haverstick said. "I wanted to quit, but then I had a staff member ask for help for a farmer who wanted back on his tractor. It has lasted a lot longer than I thought it would. Each story brings more wishes and more stories."

Funding for the nonprofit organization has gotten tight, but Haverstick said it tends to come in right when he needs it. Some wishes don't take any financial donations, just time. 

He said sometimes a relative will hear of his organization, asks their loved one about their wishes and realize they can make the wish come true on their own.

"That's the beauty," Haverstick said. "Sometimes it doesn't take any money. It just takes somebody who knows somebody."

Haverstick said many places around the nation function on the same concept. Never Too Late is one of the only organizations which give wishes to anyone over 65 and not mostly the terminally ill. 

He said granting wishes to all seniors creates a new atmosphere - less depression and sadness. For example, for the squirt gun fight, they bought all the nursing home residents water guns and gave them an hour-long water fight before taking back the guns. A couple sneaky residents stashed the guns away and later pulled them out on the staff, dousing the employees before getting their guns confiscated. It created laughter for much longer than expected.

"Some people look at their wishes and say they're nice but not necessary," Haverstick said. "I would disagree. When you can rejuvenate a dream pushed away since 1929, the eyes are clearer. That's the jazz I still get out of it 12 years later, seeing the magic happen."

For more information, visit nevertoolate.org.