Morning tea for a cause

A DELICIOUS morning tea, including a heavenly English tea cake, will be served at Alex Scott and Staff’s Leongatha branch on September 15, with everyone invited to the World Lymphoma Awareness Day event.

Entry is by gold coin donation, with a focus on raising funds for Lymphoma Australia.

Exciting raffle prizes are up for grabs and there’s also an auction offering the chance to bid on larger ticket items.

Property manager Jayson Filomeno’s experience with Stage 4 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma inspired him to organise the event.

He was diagnosed, aged just 19, undergoing intensive chemotherapy treatment, and now in remission for six years.

“This is something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time, and I want to make it as big as possible and raise as much money as possible,” Jayson said of the fundraiser.

“Without money, they can’t afford equipment, nurses and research to tackle lymphoma,” he said.

Hodgkin’s Lymphoma is the more common form of the disease and often affects young people, most famously Delta Goodrem.

Jayson is thrilled with the community support his morning tea event has received.

“The majority of businesses in town have got around the cause,” he said.

Business operators have generously donated raffle prizes and auction items.

The fundraising auction takes place at 12pm, at the end of the morning tea.

Auction items include a signed world championship singlet worn by high jumper and Leongatha identity Eleanor Patterson, a footy signed by Richmond Football Club players, along with goods such as a coffee machine and a chainsaw.

Raffle prizes include wine, food, vouchers, toys and baby items.

“There’s something here for everyone,” Jayson said.

While raffle tickets will be available at the morning tea, they can be bought in advance at the Alex Scott and Staff Leongatha office, with tickets costing $5 each or five for $20.

Being a keen baker, Jayson is in charge of making the English tea cake, with the recipe a closely guarded secret known to only three people.

It’s wonderfully light and contains cinnamon, but the rest will be up to attendees to determine.

Other staff will also be busy in the kitchen leading up to the event, ensuring nobody misses out on a tasty start to the day.

The morning tea takes place at Alex Scott and Staff’s Leongatha office on Thursday September 15 between 10am and 12pm, followed by the fundraising auction.