DERBY — Patricia Tarasovic has dedicated more than three decades of her life helping people to live better lives.
From feeding families in need or outfitting schoolchildren with new clothes to helping rebuild a shelter for battered women, this Valley icon’s spirit of volunteerism and dedication to community service knows no bounds.
Even after retiring earlier this year — following a nearly 30-year career with the Valley United Way — Tarasovic continues to rack up much-deserved accolades.
The latest honor comes from the Derby Historical Society, who recently named Tarasovic its 2020 recipient of the prestigious Dr. John Ireland Howe Award. DHS Executive Director Daniel L. Bosques said the award is annually bestowed upon those “whose activism, perseverance and philanthropy will be remembered in an historical context by future generations.”
Howe was one of the premier inventors of the 19th century, who established the Howe Manufacturing Company. His biggest accomplishment was creation of an automated machine that could produce 300,000 pins per day compared to the 480 that were being produced by hand back in the 1800s. An original pin machine invented by Howe is on display at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
Tarasovic is in good company with past Howe Award recipients, which include Charles Seccombe, Roseland Pizza, Roy W. Tidmarsh, Diane Stroman and John “Jack” Walsh.
“I have to say I was first so surprised that I was selected to receive this tremendous honor,” said Tarasovic. “I immediately felt a sense of genuine gratitude. I feel so honored to be listed with this incredible group of people and programs.”
As the former Vice President of Community Engagement and Director of the Volunteer Action Center for VUW, Tarasovic founded the Corporate Volunteer Council and High School Volunteer Council. Both initiatives helped tackle food security in the Valley and assisted families in need through programs like the Back to School for Kids drive and Holiday Giving.
The Boston-native who has made her home in Oxford since 1979, along with her husband of 41 years, Nick, Tarasovic, and family of three children and six grandchildren, considers the Valley and its residents her second family.
“I have fallen in love with the Valley…the people, the culture, sense of community and the intense caring for one another,” Tarasovic said. “I have been blessed to have been a part of that fabric.”
Tarasovic first got bit by the volunteer bug in the Valley when she joined the Oxford Junior Women’s Club. She found a group of like-minded and civic-minded moms who together created many meaningful projects like children’s library programs and cultural and arts programs.
“The Oxford Cultural Arts Program was started as a Junior Women’s Community Improvement Project, which the Club won a first prize from the state,” Tarasovic recalled.
Some of Tarasovic’s proudest moments over the last three decades of helping nonprofits include founding the Harvest House, a community-wide initiative to build a house of food that annually provides thousands of pounds of non perishables to local food banks. She also helped develop a Food Task Force in the Valley.
Tarasovic’s role in projects like Harvest House landed her numerous, notable regional, state and congressional awards over the years, including the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce Gold Seal, being named a Paul Harris Fellow from the Derby/Shelton Rotary Club, and in 2015 being appointed by the Governor to be a Commissioner for the Connecticut Corporation for National Service.
Even during retirement, Tarasovic can’t seem to stay away. She’s an incoming board member for the Valley Community Foundation, and currently working as a Community Engagement Consultant, connecting corporations and organizations to nonprofits. She’s also volunteering with TEAM, Inc. for its annual toy drive to ensure Valley kids have a very Merry Christmas this year.
Leading a life that embodies the spirit of volunteerism has worked very well for Tarasovic.
“Volunteerism offers vital help to people in need, it also connects people to the Valley community and truly makes an impact,” she said. “In this day, volunteering can reduce stress and keep you mentally healthy as well as giving people a sense of purpose.”
Tarasovic credits two “mentors” in her life, Walsh, the former longtime VUW President and CEO, and Marilyn Cormack, President and CEO of Birmingham Group Health Services, for continually inspiring her to do good things.
Walsh, a past recipient of the Howe Award himself, said the Valley is simply a better place for having Tarasovic in it, and is more than deserving of this latest honor.
“I think Pat makes a great recipient for the award,” Walsh said. “Pat adopted the Valley as her home many years ago when she moved here, and I think the Valley has adopted her as well. She has become such a supporter of everything positive in the Valley. I think the Historical Society has been all about recognizing people from the past and the present who have made the Valley what it is today, and Pat certainly fits that unique Valley heritage of community leaders.”
When she’s not helping others, Tarasovic enjoys reading the Sunday New York Times “cover to cover,” walking the Derby Greenway every morning and also has some things she hopes to check off her bucket list.
“I have a violin that I need to plan lessons and play,” she said, hoping to take more visits to Tanglewood in the future to see the Boston Symphony. “I’m also thinking about getting back to golf someday.”