For the past six years, the aroma of freshly baked cakes and a buzz of excitement have hung over the front garden of a particular Subiaco home on a particular Saturday morning.
It’s the weekend of Telethon and a group of cousins, under the watchful eyes of their parents, are spruiking their wares to neighbours and some drive-by blow-ins determined to make this pop-up cafe a big success for its pint-sized proprietors.
Over on the hot dog stand, six-year-old Raphael Della Vedova and his little crew of Hot Dog Bros are cooking up a storm. Raphael’s also got an eye elsewhere, closely watching the disappearance of his favourite Red Velvet Love Cake.
The choice of cakes is dizzying. There’s also slushy lemonade to slurp, treats to buy for your dog, even a sweet guinea pig called Marshmallow to pat.
Marshmallow belongs to Raphael’s sister Valentina (she much prefers Valli), 9, an animal lover who wants to introduce chickens to this year’s event and the brains behind this remarkable venture.
The Telethon Cafe came to life after Valli endured multiple hospital visits when she was four. She resolved to help those kids whose hospital stays were far greater than hers.
With the help of three cousins, Amelia and Olivia Della Vedova and Rose Nadilo, and with donations from generous local shopkeepers they set up the first cafe in 2019 and raised $2120.
In the years that have followed, the pool of cousins has grown to 13 and the baking of cakes and squeezing of lemons has grown into an extended family affair which envelops parents, aunties and uncles, grandparents, neighbours and school mums.
In 2024, the cafe raised $10,991.24 — the kids care about every cent — taking the total raised to nearly $34,000.
For Valli and Raphael’s mother, Bianca Bellini, the value of the cousins’ enterprise is far greater than the money raised for Telethon.
“There are so many different things that they get out of it, “ she says. “Teaching them about diversity and how some children aren’t as able-bodied as perhaps they are or maybe don’t have the health that they have.
“They also learn that everyone has the power to make a difference. No matter how small or how young you are, you can contribute.
“It’s also really valuable that it shows the kids that there are so many good people in the world. If you ask for help, there are plenty of people in your community that want to help you.”
Amid all the lessons there is the joy — the joy of the letterbox drop of the neighbourhood as the day approaches, the joy of the family gathering the night before to prepare and the early morning joy as their garden fills with customers.
And then, of course, there is the powerful joy of giving. “It feels very good to help others,” Valli says. “I feel thoughtful and proud,” her little brother adds.
https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/telethon-2025-beneficiaries-creative-cousins-cook-up-a-cake-storm-c-17880128
