8 minute read
The Rauso Family: Working Hard & Playing Hard!
Resident Feature by Liz Burnett
Photos by Shannon Lynn Photography www.ShannonLynnPhotography.com
Thanks to Alpha Century Security of Newtown Square for sponsoring our Resident Feature.
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This month's Newtown Square family, Carmine and Debbie Rauso and their three sons, were a delight to get acquainted with! They’re busy (for many good reasons!) and fun folks who enjoy some old- and new-world family traditions.
Carmine grew up in Upper Darby, and attended St. Alice Catholic School and St. Joseph’s Prep in Philly. He graduated from St. Joseph’s University (SJU) in 1993, with a B.S. in Management, and started working for Enterprise Rent-a-Car.
Debbie grew up in Hunt Valley, MD, and attended Notre Dame Prep in Towson. Her choice for college was also SJU, to pursue a B.S. in Psychology. She’s proud of her extensive involvement in SJU’s campus ministry and community outreach programs.
Debbie and Carmine Rauso
Photo courtesy of Shannon Lynn Photography www.ShannonLynnPhotography.com
Carmine and Debbie met at SJU, and had many of the same friends socially, but didn’t start dating until a few years after Debbie graduated in 1995. “I can’t recall first meeting Carmine,” Debbie admitted, “but now I can’t remember a time when I didn’t know him,” she added fondly.
After graduation, Debbie worked for the Harrisburg-based Pennsylvania Association of Colleges and Universities (PACU). She was their only Philly-area employee, and her office was “ironically” on SJU’s campus. That familiar location and strong friendships from her college days provided her with a great support system. It also kept her and Carmine in the same circle. Debbie’s sister finally convinced her to go out with him, and seven months later, he proposed, at Niagara Falls. They got married in Towson, MD, in December 1999, and honeymooned in Negril, Jamaica.
They were eager to start a family, but while Nature made them wait, they traveled quite a bit. They made a three-week trip to Italy, to visit Carmine’s many relatives there and to see Rome, Florence and Venice. Also during this Pre-Kids chapter of their lives, Carmine earned his MBA from St. Joseph’s University in 2004, and he and Debbie learned a lot about themselves, as individuals and also about how to work well together as a team, just in time for them to start the Parents chapter of their lives!
(L to R) Joseph, Nicholas and Anthony Rauso
Photo courtesy of Shannon Lynn Photography www.ShannonLynnPhotography.com
Carmine and Debbie have three sons, all of whom attend St. Anastasia School. Nicholas, age 14, is in 8th grade. He plays soccer for the school’s CYO team, and also loves playing football and baseball. Until this school year, he played saxophone in the school’s Advanced Band. For St. Annie’s 2018 and 2019 shows, Nicholas helped build the sets, and ran the shows’ spotlights. He loves learning to cook and is an adventurous eater. He also loves anything car-related. Nicholas is great with younger kids; he’s a whiz with electronics; and he may choose a military career, as Debbie’s dad did in the Air Force.
Joseph, age 12, is an inquisitive and quick-witted 6th-grader with a good sense of humor. He plays trumpet in the school band, and enjoyed being in St. Annie’s school play last year. Joseph plays soccer for Marple Newtown Soccer Association (MNSA), and also loves playing football and baseball with his brothers. Like Nicholas, Joseph loves anything car-related, and he’s “obsessed” with Teslas. His “steel trap” memory may be why he can solve a Rubik’s cube in less than 47 seconds!
4th-grader Anthony, age 9, also plays soccer for MNSA. He loves playing goalie, but when he’s not in that position, he’s sometimes seen playing every other position on the soccer field! Anthony also likes all car-related topics, playing football and baseball with his brothers, and just keeping up with them in general. Like Nicholas, Anthony likes playing saxophone, and he has been invited to join the Advanced Band for part of the Spring concert. An avid reader with an inquisitive mind, Anthony sometimes “gets in trouble” for reading in his bedroom too late at night.
In 2012, the Rauso family rescued a Weimaraner puppy. They named her Cocoa (formal name: Cocoa Pupps). She was a good companion for the Rausos’ aging yellow Lab. Cocoa is a sweet girl who’s good with kids and who has helped Debbie not feel so “outnumbered” in the family.
Carmine and Debbie have lived in the Fox Chase Woods section of Newtown Square since 2007, just before Joseph was born. Their home in a cul-de-sac off a quiet street has a location that can’t be beat: close to Philly, the airport, Debbie’s job, Carmine’s parents in Broomall and his sister and her family who also live in Newtown Square. In 2016, they built a 2-story addition, remodeled the house, and gained a much larger kitchen.
That larger kitchen is perfect for Debbie and Carmine, both of whom love to cook and try new recipes. Their culinary interests have the kids wanting to get involved. Despite the family’s crazy-busy work and activity schedules, a home-cooked family dinner almost every night is a top priority.
(L to R) Nicholas, Debbie, Anthony, Carmiine and Joseph Rauso at Drexel Lodge Park in Newtown Square
Photo courtesy of Shannon Lynn Photography www.ShannonLynnPhotography.com
Carmine and Debbie’s parents taught them the importance of strong family ties. When Carmine’s parents emigrated to America in the mid-’60s, they spoke no English and brought with them only one trunk of belongings. They worked diligently here in their new country, and emphasized the value of education to their kids. They eventually started a small construction company, and achieved the very definition of the American dream. They still maintain many old-world traditions such as making their own wine, curing their own sausage, capicola and prosciutto, and making homemade tomato sauce. Carmine is incredibly proud of his heritage and grateful for the strong work ethic his parents instilled in him. He and Debbie make it a priority to continue ALL those traditions with their kids.
Debbie’s family, the Spinellas, live in the Baltimore area. Like Carmine’s parents, Debbie’s placed great emphasis on education and hard work. “We’ve been exceptionally fortunate to have in-laws that get along with each other,” said Debbie, “and we appreciate that our kids are blessed with grandparents who are an integral part of their lives.”
Carmine and Debbie are busy full-time working professionals. After college, Carmine worked in corporate America for 15 years in various sales and sales management roles. In 2018, he decided to follow his passion for real estate by starting his own business. Carmine loves being a REALTOR®. Licensed in PA, MD and DE, he’s immersed in “all things real estate” for clients looking for a home to live in or as an investment property. He works with clients who are buying their first home, upsizing or downsizing, or seeking a fixer-upper to renovate and live in, flip or rent. Carmine gets great satisfaction from assisting clients to make decisions about what may be the biggest purchase of their lives. And he’s often profoundly touched by experiencing special personal connections that go way beyond his hopes for how fulfilling a career in real estate could be.
Since 2003, Debbie has worked for LHK Partners, Inc., a Newtown Square-based global marketing research company. Her first position, training Field Interviewers how to conduct door-to-door market research, drew on her roots as an adult educator; involved technical and soft skills training; and required her to travel all over the continental U.S. Her experience and strong managerial ability enabled her to balance her work and family life as she worked her way up to her current position, Director of Field Quality Assurance.
(L to R) Nicholas, Debbie, Anthony, Carmine and Joseph Rauso
Photo courtesy of Shannon Lynn Photography www.ShannonLynnPhotography.com
Every summer, the Rauso and Spinella families share a huge house at the Outer Banks. They’re all together for a week, on the beach, at the pool, in the kitchen making cavatelli with Carmine’s mother “Nonna,” playing cards and games, and trying to survive the annual “epic family water balloons and water guns fight.” When Carmine, Debbie and the boys have free time in Newtown Square, they often enjoy long walks or bike rides on trails in local parks.
In 2010, all the Rausos except Carmine were in a horrific car accident. Debbie suffered injuries that required multiple surgeries. Miraculously, the family overcame all the overwhelming challenges, and have lived ever since with a positive attitude of gratitude. They focus on following their motto: Work hard and then play hard! They’ve all learned that the quicker their work gets done, the more time they have for fun. Sounds like a family who definitely has their priorities straight!
Do you know a family that readers of our magazine might like to meet in an upcoming issue? Nominate them by email to Liz Burnett at LBurnett@BestVersionMedia.com.
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