Living Library in Focus: Veterans' Voices
Every person has a story to tell, crafted from life experience. Curiosity and inquiry are welcomed at Living Library in Focus! This program series features several individuals who will share their stories in a panel moderated by library staff. There will be an opportunity for Q&A with the audience.
In celebration of Veteran's Day, this panel's theme is Veterans’ Voices, featuring local veterans who will share their unique experiences in leadership, teamwork, and navigating community involvement and helping others. Our storytellers include: Ashton Hero, Andrew Turner, and Anthony “AJ” Malenfant.
-Ashton Hero was born in Duluth, Minnesota, and raised in Sanford, Michigan, where he currently resides. After graduating from Meridian High School, Ashton spent the next four years serving on active duty with the United States Marine Corps as an 0311 Infantry Rifleman with 1st Battalion 1st Marines. Today, Ashton serves as the Veteran and Military Family Navigator for Saginaw County Community Mental Health Authority, connecting veterans and their families to resources and services.
-Andrew Turner is a retired U.S. Navy veteran and an accredited Veteran Service Officer serving veterans and their families in Bay County, Michigan. His military career included extensive overseas and deployed service in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, with assignments spanning the Middle East, Africa, and other locations around the world.
Today, Andrew works directly with veterans and their families, helping them navigate VA benefits, disability compensation, emergency relief, and federal, state, and local resources. His work also includes community outreach and collaboration with nonprofit organizations and other agencies serving veterans and vulnerable populations.
Beyond his professional work, Andrew is a writer and advocate with a particular interest in veterans' issues, public policy, and the challenges facing communities during periods of economic and social change. He is the author of The Great Unraveling, a novel set in Michigan that explores community, resilience, and survival during a period of national instability.
Andrew brings to his work the perspective of both a career servicemember and someone who has spent years helping veterans navigate the systems designed to serve them. He lives in Bay City, Michigan.
-Anthony “AJ” Malenfant is a Bay City native, veteran, and local business owner. He currently serves as a Major in the Michigan Army National Guard, where he has held leadership and logistics roles both at home and during overseas deployments.
After a 14-year career in facilities management with Verizon, AJ turned his experience in leadership, operations, and problem-solving toward entrepreneurship. He is the owner of Major Skate, a veteran-owned skate shop and indoor skatepark with locations in Bay City and Saginaw, and is also involved in his family’s amusement business, USA Amusement.
AJ is passionate about creating opportunities for young people, strengthening his community, and mentoring others. A returning Living Library volunteer, he enjoys sharing the honest lessons he has learned while balancing military service, business ownership, family, and community involvement.
Registration is recommended, but not required.