By John Turner, Read other Up Close & Personal Stories from this Series.

Whether Tom Seeley is lending his time and intelligence to various community organizations, or assisting clients as a local attorney, the “help” gene is simply part of his physical makeup.

Tom, of Skaneateles, is a husband to Kara, father to Tommy, 11, and Jackson, 6, and is a member of the Skaneateles-based law firm Milford, Lynch & Shannon.

Tom is also active in a number of local organizations, most notably the local Sunrise Rotary Club. In that group, he heads up the committee that organizes the annual Skaneateles Winterfest, which in 2010 will be presented this Saturday, January 30.

From his Mandana home last weekend, Tom said his initial involvement with the Sunrise Rotary was one of both convenience and tradition.

“We moved here in September of ‘96, and I worked as a reporter for The Citizen (in Auburn) for four years,” he explained. After a while, he wasn’t getting fulfillment from his journalism career like he’d hoped, so he decided to attend law school at Syracuse University.

After he passed the bar exam in 2003, he continued, Tom worked for two years at a law firm in Syracuse before joining Milford, Lynch & Shannon.

“I was looking to get more involved (in the community), and I looked at a lot of different clubs,” he said. “I joined the morning (Rotary) group because that way, I wouldn’t have to miss out on ballgames or other family time.”

In addition, Tom said, his mother was one of the first female Rotarians in the international organization’s history, and several past generations of family members have belonged to the club, so the Rotary was “just a logical choice.”

Tom said he became part of the Winterfest organization team while John Paddock, a Sunrise Rotary charter member and past president, led the event’s organization.

“What probably hooked me in was, I was looking for a way to maybe add some more youth-oriented entertainment. I noted the first time I was there that some people made off-handed remarks that there wasn’t a lot for kids to do.”

So first Paddock, then Tom, who was named Winterfest chair two years ago, expanded the affair into what it is today.

Saturday’s Winterfest, which Tom said will be a bit different than in years past, is essentially divided into two parts: activities will take place in the downtown area, centered around Taste of Skaneateles, during which about 30 restaurants and food service establishments will provide more than 50 tastings of their various products.

Meanwhile, State Street Elementary will host numerous youth activities including a student-presented Winter Carnival from 1 to 4 p.m., a Roller Skating Party and dog-sled and sleigh rides, weather permitting.

“One big difference this year is that there won’t be anything at the (Skaneateles Community Center), which may confuse some people,” Tom said.

So obviously, Tom has enormous organizational skills, an ability he no doubt utilizes as an attorney at Milford, Lynch & Shannon.

“In a nutshell, while I was at The Citizen I felt it was time to move in a different direction. I just felt like I could be doing more,” he recalled.

Three generations of Tom’s family have been lawyers, so the career shift was just “a natural transition,” he said.

Law school at SU, he continued, was a bit of a shock. “I had two small children. … Here I was in law school, my wife wasn’t working, we had kids and a mortgage, with no income.

“So it was tough, but I got it done.”

Soon afterward, Tom joined a law firm in downtown Syracuse, an experience he said he didn’t really enjoy.

“The job required being downtown all the time. I live here in Skaneateles, and I love being here, but I never really was able to spend any time here,” he said.

“Plus since I was an associate, I didn’t really feel a strong sense of purpose – I didn’t have much interaction with actual clients.”

Tom said all that changed in 2005 when he joined Milford, Lynch & Shannon.

Whether working on real estate cases, estate planning, small business counseling or the variety of other cases the firm handles, Tom said he most enjoys assisting others.

“My absolute favorite thing about being an attorney is helping people resolve their problems.

“Here, when someone comes in, you know you can actually help them achieve a goal or solve a problem. And to me, that’s what it’s all about,” he added.
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Skaneateles Winterfest will take place from 10am-4pm on Saturday, January 30. For more information visit www.skaneatelesrotary.org