There's something of a poorly kept secret in Ballarat, and it's to be found in an unassuming little shop along the western end of Howitt Street.
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Inside lies a number of deceptively long aisles, each teeming with all manner of imported cuisines, ingredients and drinks from across Asia.
To many, Ballarat Asian Groceries is a reminder of a far distant home; to others, it's an emblem of ease - a reliable one-stop shop catering for a wide spectrum of cravings.
And yet it's not the shop which is the secret. The secret is rather one Sherlita Teope Hart - or Sherley, for those who know her - a sociable, selfless and unfailingly cheerful woman who served as president of the Filipino-Australian Association of Ballarat for 15 years.
Standing at the counter, the long-time Tigers supporter told me she "loves to talk" to her customers, who she says "tell me all their worries and news".
As if on cue, a customer lent over the counter at that moment and asked Sherley for her thoughts on her recent face-lift, slowly moving her face from side-to-side.
Behind her was an elderly woman, who eventually took Sherley's hand to tell her of a recent death in the community. The third in line was a young 20-something international student, eager to introduce their visiting mother.
On any view, it was plain Sherley was everyone's friend - the type of person who has an abiding ability to find the good in anyone.
Though it's close to 40 years since Sherley moved to Australia from the Philippines, she told me she'd never lost sight of the difficulties which commonly stand in the way of finding that elusive sense of belonging in a new place.
"Through talking, I get to know them all," she said. "Especially if it's someone new, I tell them, 'if you need anything, you can ring me and ask me and I will help you'."
To that end, Sherley commonly mines her quarry of useful information to support victims of domestic violence and help newcomers find accommodation.
Indeed, helping others is what connects Sherley to the world - a natural inclination which recently saw her name included on the inaugural Victorian Multicultural Honour Roll.
"When this award was announced, one name came to mind," said Wendouree MP Juliana Addison. "And I dropped everything to nominate Sherley for all her amazing work."
The reach of this work notably extends to the Philippines, where innumerable people benefit from the 30 huge boxes of essential supplies Sherley prepares and sends over every month.
"I do it for my love of the community - that's all," she told me, as she insisted on treating me to some of her shop's delights.
Little wonder, I thought, everyone loves Sherley - one of Ballarat's secret ingredients to community wellbeing.
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