CAKES FOR A CAUSE - 2008

The third annual “Cakes for a Cause” created a flurry of excitement as ninety-two cakes were displayed at the Miami Valley Centre Mall.  The Piqua Community Foundation sponsors the event to benefit their Piqua Community Fund; the fund makes grants twice each year to charitable organizations that improve life for local residents.  More than $60,000 in grants will be made this year, and more than $360,000 in grants has been given since the first grants were made in 1995.

On Thursday, April 24, the cakes were delivered and staged in the mall concourse.   The creatively designed cakes were donated to the cause by local businesses, individuals, schools and not-for-profit organizations.  Cakes were accompanied by “incentives” – added by the donors – that significantly increased the values of the cakes.  The bakers this year raised the bar, creating fabulous cakes that looked almost too good to eat.  Cakes represented an ambulance with working lights and siren, scale replicas of local buildings (one included battery-operated candles in the windows), and an array of popcorn, candy and other movie snacks, just to name a few.

Silent bids were taken at the mall Thursday evening and Friday during the day.  From noon Friday until 5:00 PM, the auction was broadcast live on W.P.T.W. radio.  Each twenty-minute time slot included the auctioning of several cakes, with cakes and incentives going to the highest bidder at the end of the time slot.  Joe Neves and John Leese of W.P.T.W. facilitated the radio broadcast which featured Foundation Board president John Brown and board member Dan Ramer.

Those visiting the mall could vote for their favorite cake, with the top vote-getter earning “The People’s Choice” award.  The 2008 People’s Choice award was given to Readmore’s Hallmark, for their cake depicting a grandmother writing a card to send to her serviceman grandson.  The Theme Prize, best representation of “This is Our Country”, was awarded to Murray Wells Wendeln and Robinson CPAs, for their baseball, hot dog and apple pie cake entry.

Mullenbrock and Associates won the High Bid trophy.  The gingerbread replica of their office garnered a $1200 bid for the incentive package, including a 3-night stay at The Grove Park Inn in Asheville, North Carolina including meals, tours, and souvenir items.

The Piqua Community Foundation mission includes encouraging charitable giving to benefit citizens of Piqua.   The Foundation expresses sincere thanks to all those who gave to benefit the community through this event – those who donated cakes, purchased cakes, volunteered their time and expertise to the event, and to those who attended or listened and got caught up in the “Cakes for a Cause” excitement.  The event generated over $14,000 for the Piqua Community Fund.