Resident Feature by Sheila Turner-Hilliard
We would like to thank
Tara Gavin Paving Her Own Way
for sponsoring this month’s Resident Feature.
This month we are pleased to introduce you to Newtown Square resident Tara Gavin: A loyal, dedicated and compassionate daughter, friend and nurse whose determination and perseverance have enabled her to achieve so many of her life goals. Tara spent her early childhood in Secane and Ridley where she attended Our Lady of Fatima grade school. Although her parents divorced when Tara was a young girl, they were both very active and involved in her upbringing. “Growing up, I played sports like softball, basketball and cheerleading, and my parents were always there to support me,” recalled Tara. When Tara was in 8th grade, she and her mom, Jeanne, moved to a quiet neighborhood in Newtown Square. Tara attended Cardinal O’Hara High School where she played catcher on the girls’ softball team. While going to school and playing softball for Cardinal O’Hara, the Police Athletic League and Chaos travel and tournament softball, Tara worked hard to save money to buy a car. “During my freshman year, I got a job at Casey’s in Newtown Square,” she explained. “I started out bussing tables, then moved to waitressing. And after some convincing of owners Pete Crisanti and Steve Graham, I became a bartender.” Tara described herself as not exactly the “college type” of kid, and was torn about what to do after graduation. By that time, she had moved on to tending bar at Barnaby’s of Ridley. “Bartending was fun!” Tara said. “I met a lot of amazing people over the years and made great money, but I knew I couldn’t do it forever.” 6
Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors
October 2021
Tara in her newly renovated home Photo by Katie Borsuk Photography, www.KatieBorsuk.com
What she did know for certain was that she wanted to be a nurse. Tara said that a large part of her decision stemmed from watching her mother take care of her grandmother as she battled cancer. “Even though I was a young girl at the time, seeing my mom care for my grandmother until the very end made a lasting impression on me.” And just like that determined high school student who worked and saved to buy a car someday, Tara buckled down, continued to bartend and enrolled herself at Delaware County Community College where she earned her associate degree in Applied Science. Tara then passed her boards and became a Registered Nurse. But she wasn’t finished there. Tara decided she wanted to continue her education in nursing and eventually work in
