Dr. Tara G. Walker enjoys baking for the Warming House

By Elizabeth Egan, '24

Dr. Tara Walker, an assistant professor of communication in the Jandoli School, began volunteering at the Warming House last January. She volunteered every Friday last semester and over the summer continued to come in once a week to help with the meal and another time to bake. Her baked goods are always appreciated at the Warming House.

Walker moved to Olean in August of 2020, which was not an ideal time for a cross-country move. She spoke with Alice Miller Nation, the director for the Franciscan Center for Social Concern about volunteering and it became a great way to know both Alice and other students.

Walker also said that when the world is in the middle of a crisis, people can feel helpless. She decided to do what she could to put some good into the world by going down to the Warming House and cooking some food. Simple, but extremely effective.

Walker provides many of the baked goods for the Warming House. She said one of her favorite things is when Alice gives her some random ingredients to use up like bananas or zucchini and she gets to come up with something creative to incorporate them into. Walker called it, “Chopped: Warming House Edition” (patent pending).

Using what is available at the Warming House does not only involve ingredients. One day, Walker had the ambitious plan of making mini apple pies. They turned out beautifully and were a favorite of the guests, but there were some difficulties during the process. It turned out the Warming House did not have a rolling pin that was needed to roll out the dough for the pies. Walker formed a makeshift rolling pin out of a can of cooking spray and tin foil. From there she just rolled with it.

Walker enjoys spending time with the students, especially when things get a little silly. One day over the summer, while preparing a particularly funky-looking batch of potatoes, one potato appeared to have lips. Walker and the other volunteers promptly completed the face with some green onions and markers. They deemed it the Warming House mascot, Esmerelda the potato.

To any professors considering volunteering at the Warming House, Walker says that it is one of the best ways to get to know students outside of class and meet students you might never have met. For her, that was one of the best parts. She also said that for anyone new to the community, it is a great way to feel like you are a part of it.