Cakes, slices and biscuits have gone a long way to raising money in Henty.
Oriel McRae from Pleasant Hills has been running two stalls a year since 1999 to raise money for the World Vision.
“I am doing it for those less fortunate and I am blessed by doing that,” she said.
Her passion for raising money started in 1986 when she completed the 40-hour famine with her daughter.
For the next 13 years she did the 40-hour famine until the online registration got too complicated.
From there she hosted a dinner, barbecue and raffle before deciding to try a street stall.
Since then, she has hosted 34 stalls over 17 years and raised $24,000.
“Everyone knows if there’s a stall on the cool side of the street, not the sunny side, that it’s me,” Mrs McRae said.
“A lot of people in Henty support it and look forward to it.”
Preparing for a stall takes three weeks with all the baking. All items baked early are frozen to keep them fresh.
Mrs McRae credits her baking skills to her mother who she used to cook with every Saturday.
“That is where I learnt my skills,” she said.
“I give her the credit for that.”
Some of the recipes she uses are family favourites while others are ones that “take her fancy” from a cookbook.
Of course she adds her own take and adds “a pinch of this or a spot of that.”
The future of her long-running stall was at risk after she lost her husband Keith, who used to help her set up the stall.
“I wasn’t sure if I could do it mentally or physically,” she said.
Her next stall will be held in August on the “cool side” of the Henty main street.
