Celebrity Pie Auction returns to Highland this Friday

By Brittany Blackwell
Reporter • The 17th Annual “Celebrity Pie Auction” is set for this Friday, July 17, at Highland’s Peanut Butter & Jam Festival.

Pies baked by various local “celebrities” will be auctioned off during the festival, which is held at the Downtown Highland Square beginning at 12:15 p.m., with Virgil Straeter serving as auctioneer.

All proceeds will benefit the American Cancer Society.

This year’s auction is expected to include pies from Mayor Kevin Hemann, City Manager Chris Conrad, City Councilwoman Sarah Sloan, Howard Held of Scheffel-Boyle, Ryan Goodwin of Bradford National Bank, Pastor Bill Kapp of Evangelical United Church of Christ, Lyndsey Gelly of HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital, and Joanne Schneck, mother of Oldie but Goodie member Gay Bentlage.

Sloan said this is her first year participating in the event and offered a clue as to what she plans to bring to the auction. 

“I’m not the baker, so this will be a ‘no-bake’ pie… hint, hint,” she said, adding that the cause is important to her. 

“We have lost so many wonderful friends and loved ones to cancer. This is for all of them,” she said. “Especially this past year when we lost Lee Rinderer, a wonderful friend in our community that we all miss so dearly. I’m honored and excited to be part of this event and always love making an impact in our community.”

If you want to support one or more of the bakers and their pies, contact them to donate. All checks should be payable to the American Cancer Society.