Lyn Jacobsen is up to her elbows in lamingtons.
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About 14 dozen to be exact.
The president of the Pleasant Hills CWA returned from a quick trip to the coast on Tuesday night and was straight back in her Thurgoona kitchen the next day, whipping up sponges, icing and sprinkling coconut over these quintessentially Aussie cakes.
In fact, the humble lamington - while a tad fiddly to make, even in the expert hands of CWA ladies - has helped bolster the group's charitable efforts during COVID-19.
Their staple fundraising fare - the cake stalls and scones for which the CWA is renowned - had to be abandoned due to the social distancing constraints of the coronavirus crisis.
But it takes more than a global pandemic to stop these women, determined to make a difference where they can.
So packs of lamingtons it was.
Since mid-July, the membership of 8 (whose numbers recently swelled to 13) has met regularly every Monday and Tuesday to make up batches of 20 dozen lamingtons at a time; on one occasion they churned out 57 dozen trays of the treats!
This type of industrious output is nothing new to Lyn who, at 73, plans on being a "spring chicken" for some time to come.
She has helped lead this merry band of volunteers whose efforts have seen them take out the Centre For Volunteering's Riverina Volunteer Team of the Year award.
The team members, including two 50-year volunteering veterans, have been recognised for their work cooking and catering at the Henty Field Days, street stalls and other events to help purchase lifesaving medical equipment.
The award has particularly noted the group's herculean efforts to collect items for special pamper packs, donated to women in drought-affected communities during December 2019.
The Centre For Volunteering Awards celebrate the efforts of the state's volunteers across seven different award categories with overall winners set to be announced in an online awards event on December 3.
Lyn's already planning a luncheon gathering at her home with members to watch the virtual ceremony, although she's currently agonising over the eternal catering conundrum of whether to serve a "proper" lunch or finger food.
(She's erring towards finger food so volunteers can sit back, relax and enjoy the event - once she's sorted out how they live-stream it on her television ... but Lyn is nothing if not resourceful).
It's fair to say she's hoping in her heart of hearts they might just be in with a shot.
"We thought we were very clever winning the regional award," she laughs.
The sprightly volunteer, who is well-known as an iconic fixture in the Henty Field Days Country Lifestyle Pavilion, says in 2019 Pleasant Hills CWA gave away more money than it ever had - more than $10,000.
Thanks to the generosity of those who supported their drought scheme for women in the bush, the branch was able to donate a further $6,800 back to communities.
There were additional funds for the Hilltop cancer accommodation unit, Royal Flying Doctor Service, CareFlight and CWA education grants, while a defibrillator was also purchased for the Pleasant Hills community with a grant from Henty Bendigo Community Bank.
The volunteers are poised to make another donation - this time to the Albury-Wodonga Regional Cancer Centre Trust Fund - as Lyn's husband Jim undergoes chemotherapy at the facility.
It's all testament to the support the CWA name engenders - an institution that has moved with the times yet remains faithful to its ideals of supporting women, families and communities in regional, rural and remote Australia.
Not content to rest on their laurels, the Pleasant Hills posse recently gathered together more than 200 care packs for elderly people in nursing homes at Henty, Jindera, Lavington and Albury who have been isolated due to COVID-19 lockdowns.
The brain child of new-ish member Lynette (Nett) Maloney, the gift bags were filled with puzzles, snacks, and little extras to remind residents they had not been forgotten.
"So many elderly have been isolated from their families and feeling lonely," Lyn says.
"The packs were a message to let these people know we are thinking of them and, from the feedback we've had, there were a lot of happy smiling faces."
Lyn says none of this would be possible without the generosity of individuals and businesses in the community including the Henty IGA and Manildra Flour.
There were a lot of happy, smiling faces ... they were so excited people were thinking of them.
- Lyn Jacobsen
"They donate all the flour for the Sydney Show scones - about three tonnes - and when I asked them about supplying our branch for making scones in 2019, they never hesitated ..."
Bunnings has happily sold lamingtons and put up orders for muffins in the lunch room, Woolworths was on board and Lyn cajoled Coles into contributing.
But she won't shop at Aldi again after they refused point blank to donate even one item.
Lyn says it's almost impossible to list all those who have supported their cause and it's very much appreciated.
Because, well, that's what it's all about - community helping community.
Come drought, flood, fires and even a global pandemic, the CWA is there to help.
The lamingtons have served their purpose for now, Lyn says.
"The hot weather's no good for them - they melt and go horrible," she admits.
"But you've got to do something to raise money - we keep doing the best we can."
