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.