The Faces of OLLI [5]: Meet ThomasTomoney

 

[Photo credit: Thomas Temoney]

 

 The Faces of OLLI [5]: Meet Thomas Temoney

[by Janet Stiegler, Guest Blogger]

 

  Thomas Temoney is a testament to human resilience and the benefits of lifelong learning.  Born in 1945 in Sumpter, S.C., to parents who were sharecroppers, he first moved to Wilmington at the age of seven.  Raised by a single mother and a supportive, close-knit neighborhood, he dropped out of school after the 7^th grade to help support his mother and two sisters.  He credits his 4^th-grade teacher, Ida Randall (1896-1999), with advising him to never stop learning.  "She understood my reasons for leaving school but encouraged me to keep reading and improving myself.” 

 At the age of 21, he left Wilmington with his pregnant wife to take a job with the federal government.  For 30 years, he served as a cook and kitchen inventory manager at St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Washington, D.C. Thomas returned to Wilmington for several years in the early 2000s to help care for his ailing mother, and it was during this time that he first became a student at the Cape Fear Literacy Council (CFLC). “The CFLC is a blessing, because literacy removes the handcuffs that hold us back,” Thomas says.  “CFLC truly lives up to its mission of transforming lives.”

 When Thomas returned to Wilmington permanently in 2014, he immediately immersed himself in the CFLC, improving his grammar and joining its Lifelong Learners’ Readers Theater.  For six years, he has performed at CFLC’s annual luncheons. He has also participated in their memoir writing class.  One of his goals is to write down his life story as a legacy for his daughters and grandchildren.

 When the CFLC formed a partnership with UNCW's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) in 2022, Thomas was the first student to take advantage of the opportunity.  So far, he has taken five OLLI courses reflecting a smorgasbord of interests:  religion (Descendants of Abraham); biography (James Baldwin);  theater (Streetcar Named Desire); history (Slavery in the Lower Cape Fear); and blogging (with blogger Alan Sturrock) “Some of these classes have been challenging,” Thomas says, “but the OLLI community is so welcoming and supportive and the topics so interesting, I keep coming back.” 

 Thomas has one other passion that is more physical in nature: tennis.  As a young boy working in a convenience store in Wilmington, he saw Arthur Ashe's photo on the magazine rack.   “It was someone who looked like me, and he had made a name for himself,” Thomas says.  “After that, I was hooked.”  He subsequently read or watched everything related to Arthur Ashe and tennis.  Over time, he taught himself the game by watching television and playing on public courts. He even started a Facebook page called, Topspin Connection,” where he posts blurbs and links to articles about tennis and his favorite tennis players.  His dream is to have his own blog on the subject, which is why he continues to work on his writing skills. “Tennis is a sport that has kept me on my toes, both physically and mentally,” he says.

 As for what courses Thomas would like to see at OLLI, he suggests a course on Arthur Ashe, Althea Gibson, Serena and Venus Williams, and other great black tennis players.  OLLI could also feature a presentation by One Love Tennis, a local nonprofit that offers athletic and educational opportunities to at-risk youth.  For OLLI’s Active and Outdoors offerings, he suggests “Tennis for Beginners.”  Since Thomas not only enjoys learning but also sharing his wisdom, he would love to help bring any aspect of his favorite sport to OLLI.   

 

 

 

 

The Faces of OLLI [4]: Meet Rachel Oeschger

 

[Photo credit: Rachel Oeschger]

 

The Faces of OLLI [4]: Meet Rachel Oeschger

[by Alan Sturrock, Blogger]

   

   Prior to moving to the Wilmington area, I lived and grew up in the SF Bay Area. That was some 20 years ago. After college, my husband and I owned an independent bookstore, where we did events, newsletters, and put poets up on our couch :-) When it was no longer easy to keep that little shop open, I went to work as the Production Manager for O’Neill, a surf and outdoor brand. I moved to NC with my husband to be close to family and to start one of our own.

    I first learned about the OLLI foundation from my mother-in-law, Florence Nash, who was very involved with Duke’s OLLI program. When I saw that our UNCW-OLLI was hiring for the Outdoor and Active program, I jumped at the opportunity. I began working at OLLI [UNCW] in August 2024. Our leadership team works together to create programs that bring pure joy and the love of learning to our community, and now I’m happy to be a part of it. The Outdoor and Active program is so closely tied to my personal passions, such as kayaking, cooking, surfing, yoga, etc., and I can’t believe this position wasn’t custom-made for me!

   The programs offered at OLLI are wide-ranging, so it’s pretty challenging to come up with ideas for improvement. I am proud of my involvement in bringing Joel K. Bourne Jr., an environmental journalist and contributing writer for National Geographic, to the campus for his discussion on food challenges and the search for a sustainable future. I am also thrilled to have recently connected OLLI members with James and Sarah Doss, owners of Rx Chicken and Waffles, at the tasting event where members were able to learn about the amazing work the couple is doing locally to provide sustainable, farm to table food to our community.

   Outdoor/Active Program manager Susan Williams and I often discuss how much we would love to create OLLI learning retreats. These could be offsite, multi-day excursions for the purpose of expanding on current programs such as walking tours- [where we learn about the history of the area we are in]- or wine society- [where we learn about wine origins and complexity]. Another idea for future sessions—a self-serving one[!!]—is fly fishing lessons…I don’t quite know how to implement such a class, but boy that would be fun!

 

The Faces of OLLI [3]: Meet Don DiGiulian

 

[Photo credit: Susan Williams]

 

 

The Faces of OLLI [3]: Don DiGiulian 

[by Marybeth Johnson, Blogger]

 

Prior to his arrival in Wilmington 20 years ago, Don DiGiulian, a Long Island native, attended dental school in Philadelphia before opening his practice in Connecticut. After a 56-year career as a dentist, Don officially retired just last year.

Since retiring, Don has joined OLLI to explore new skills, build community, and develop interests such as drawing and photography. Discovering the Sages and Scholars program offered the perfect opportunity to connect with UNCW students and exchange ideas across generations.

Sages and Scholars is an intergenerational program that pairs OLLI members with UNCW Gerontology students. The purpose of the program is to foster connections across generations between people who might not otherwise connect with each other. Sages and Scholars partners engage in a series of activities throughout the semester, such as sharing a “day in the life” or attending a community event together.

At the first meet-and-greet, Don was struck by the students’ enthusiasm and curiosity. He walked away with book recommendations and conversations about a wide range of academic and personal passions. A key goal in joining the program is to share his own life experiences and advice while learning from his student partner in return.

As Don puts it, “What’s a three-letter word that will change your life? Ask. Ask questions, always.” 

His philosophy fits perfectly with OLLI’s motto: “Stay Curious.” Don looks forward to future conversations with his student partner and diving into new opportunities through other OLLI programs.