Cake Decorating For a Good Cause Is A Piece Of Cake

Cake, icing and creativity were the main ingredients at the Piece of Cake Celebrity Cake Decorating Contest and Auction put together by the United Way of Bemidji. The contest is for United Way’s Backpack Buddies initiative to help provide meals for school age children.

“They’re non-perishable food packs to students in the elementary schools that wouldn’t otherwise have food on the weekend or during holiday breaks,” said Denae Alamano, United Way of Bemidji executive director. “So there’s about 200 students in Bemidji that benefit from the Backpack Buddies program every week.”

Eleven teams started off with their very own cake, spatulas and other supplies. Each team had 45 minutes to work on the cake and none of them were the same.

“Being a bank and people kind of feel like their money is their treasure so we, you know keep your treasure safe with RiverWood Bank,” said Rachelle Barckholtz, RiverWood Bank Loan Processor.

All teams were vying for the top prize, maybe even the title of cake boss, but also bragging rights and the winner of the People’s Choice award.

“The frosting won’t stick to anything and I’m not the only one that thinks that everybody’s been saying that,” Colette Zietz, Paul Bunyan Communications receptionist.

Once the cake-decorating portion was over the auction began. Lakeland News also represented and its cake had a $70 bid.

Items available for bid included the newly decorated cakes, gift certificates and Minnesota Twins game tickets. The Cake Pavers of Knife River Materials took home the People’s Choice award and their cake raised more than $1,000.

“It’s a program that we love to support, so we feel great about winning the People’s Choice Award, said Heather Backus, Knife River Materials Contract Administrator.

In total the event raised almost $2,100.

For more information on the Backpack Buddies program or United Way visit www.unitedwaybemidji.org.