The 10th annual St. Jude Catholic School Cake Auction will be held on Thursday, May 17. Once again, the money raised will be going toward the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) Foundation. Last year, more than $2,500 dollars was raised for CHEO. Over the years, money raised has been donated to the Cancer Society for Relay for Life and to Sacha’s Park.
All cakes are donated by parents and teachers. Each class pools their money and bids on the well-decorated cakes. Cakes have sold for as much as $250! The ones with the most candy seem to be the ones in most demand. There is a lot of class discussion and strategizing which happens as classes aim to buy the cake it wants. But don’t worry, everyone gets a piece of cake by the end of the day.
A real auctioneer conducts the auction. Reginald Duval, with his deep voice, has auctioned off the cakes in the past and last year, Murray Allen helped to make the bids go higher. Last year, local Vankleek Hill businesses became involved. Six cakes were placed in local businesses and community members and parents could bid on them. Organizer Julia Fortin said, “We hope to get enough cakes donated to have five businesses in Vankleek Hill and five businesses in Hawkesbury involved so that all parents can and community members can bid on a cake and raise even more money for CHEO.”
The CHEO Foundation was chosen as the designated charity this year since many of the students at St. Jude Catholic School have either been a patient at CHEO or have had a sibling who has received services from CHEO. Last year, a group of students went to the CHEO telethon to present a cheque after the fundraiser.
Watch for more information to come on how to bid on a cake in a local business if you are interested in supporting CHEO and having your cake, too!
