Henry Leshure ’09 (Liberal Arts and Humanities) ’14 (Teaching Assistant Certificate) celebrated his 10th year as a camp counselor at Rotary Camp Onseyawa, which provides a summer camp for children with special needs. Amanda Faiola ’16 (Accounting) was appointed as the new director of the Seneca County Office for the Aging in October after serving as interim director for several months. She began working for the office in 2014. Grayson Kent is working in advertising at Wasserman in New York City. One of his clients is the Stanley drinkware and gear brand. Some of his ad designs are displayed in Penn Station and between Bryant Park and Times Square. Paytan Mann ’19 (Liberal Arts and Science) recently received her master’s in information sciences at the University at Albany. She is now the director of the Bristol Library. the ’20s Victoria Shively ’20 (Nursing) received the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses from UR Medicine Thompson Health nursing leadership in January. Victoria was nominated by patient Richard Gaudy of Pittsford who wrote: “Timely, efficient, friendly and a total desire to satisfy patient needs. Outstanding!” 22 | theLAKER Grad’s new book shares reflections on disability At FLCC, Tom Turner ’94 studied broadcast communications. More recently, he has focused on print. In October 2024, he released an electronic version of a book “Beyond the Bridge: 10 Lessons I’ve Learned From a Lifetime of Disability.” Born with spina bifida, a condition that affects the development of the spine and spinal cord, Tom demonstrated remarkable resilience, benefiting from life-saving surgeries and the unwavering support of his family. In 1990, he graduated from Victor Senior High School and continued his education at FLCC. Tom remembers the support he felt during his graduation when he rolled across the stage to receive his diploma as many in the crowd cheered him on. After FLCC, Tom worked alongside his father selling Corvettes through eBay auctions. Since 2013, he has worked for a company called Talent Design. The new book is available online at Barnes & Noble and Apple Books. “Beyond the Bridge” explores his experiences living with a disability, highlighting themes of strength, perseverance, and inclusion. He plans to release print copies in 2025. OVERVIEW OF ‘BEYOND THE BRIDGE’ My name is Tom Turner. On the night of September 10, 1970, my parents met me, their new son, Thomas William Turner, in the delivery room of Thompson Hospital in the beautiful little city of Canandaigua, New York, located in the heart of upstate New York's Finger Lakes region. My birth, however, was somewhat unconventional. It also brought with it a simultaneous announcement that I had been born with spina bifida, a common but little-known congenital disability. Originally anticipating their bouncing baby boy, my birth brought with it harrowing news for my parents. Instead of accolades and cooing with a newborn, the following words they heard from doctors were the generally accepted medical advice of the time: "Don't get attached. He may not make it." Now, in my 50s, it's still hard to imagine the emotions that rushed through my parents' minds that night. "How will we take care of him? What is his life going to be like? Should we put him in an institution?" Without a moment's hesitation, however, my father announced, "No! We want him! Bring us our son!"
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