Tara developed a love of nature while growing up on a plant nursery in New Carlisle. When she was 17, she moved to California. In California, she finished high school, went to college and got her psychology degree. She also spent a lot of time walking on the beach and hiking in the mountains!
Tara has had a variety of jobs — usually helping, teaching or caring for others. Her most recent positions have been as an occupational therapy assistant and as a caregiver for patients with dementia.
She enjoys hiking, bird watching, photography and traveling. She has a cat named Fletcher, also known as grumpy kitty. Tara and her husband Patrick have been married for three years. He shares her love for nature and traveling. On their honeymoon, they explored the Smoky Mountains and were thrilled to explore seven waterfalls.
“I started volunteering with CWPD because I wanted to be more involved with nature and the community. I have had some great experiences so far! While serving as a trail ambassador, I also get to dabble in nature photography while patrolling my section of trail. It is rewarding to see how the trail changes and to observe the different plant and animal life. Helping to care for the trail brings a sense of satisfaction. An unexpected neat experience was being a caterpillar nanny for the Polyphemus moth. I learned a lot and was amazed to watch the caterpillars develop. I look forward to more volunteer experiences with CWPD,” Tara says.
The Centerville-Washington Park District would like to thank Tara, and all volunteers for giving their time and talents to our community! If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please contact Community Engagement Coordinator Ginger Clark at 937-433-5155 x234 or gclark@cwpd.org.