SIDNEY — The littlest and shyest winner in the annual baked goods competition at the Shelby County Fair has a head start on her future as a baker.
Kenzie Notestine, 4, of Maplewood, daughter of Jennifer Hoewischer and Matt Notestine, took top honors with her Pineapple Upside Down Cake.
“I bet mom was supervising that job,” said Auctioneer Dick Barhorst. “This will be starting her college fund at the bank.”
The cake sold for $700 and was purchased by Sidney Body CARSTAR owner Tom Martin.
“She did very well,” said Martin of his winning bid for the cake. “I want to help pay it forward because it’s all about the kids.”
And Martin is hoping someone pays it forward someday for his grandchildren. He was holding his grandson, Samuel Freisthler, while he was bidding on the cake.
Hoewischer said her daughter has been baking with her for two years.
“She really likes to bake with me. She likes putting the ingredients in the bowl and mixing them together.”
When Hoewischer asked Kenzie if she’d like to enter the contest, she told her mom she wanted to bake a cake.
Lisa Spurgeon, of Sidney, was on-the-run during the start of the auction. She won the grand champion for her Coconut-Pecan German Chocolate pie — and was anxiously watching her phone for a text. Her mom, Sondra Pence, of Anna, was being inducted into the Shelby County 4-H Hall of Fame at the same time the auction was beginning.
After getting the text she rushed back to the free entertainment tent, watched her mom — who didn’t know she was receiving the honor — and then rushed back to the baked goods auction.
Thanks to Barhorst, Spurgeon didn’t miss her buy being bid on as he moved it from second on the auction list to last.
“Is Lisa here,” asked Barhorst. “I heard you wanted to get your picture taken.”
And that’s what happened after her pie — which sold for $650 — was purchased by Shelby County Commissioners Julie Ehemann, tony Bornhorst and Bob Guillozet, Clerk of Courts Michele Mumford, Treasurer John Coffield and the Shelby County Republican Central Committee.
Lynn Cook, who won grand champion candy with her peanut brittle, announced the amount she receives from the sale will be donated to Dayton Children’s Hospital. Sidney Body CARSTAR and Detailed Machining purchased the candy for $600.
“I work at Walmart,” said Cook after the candy was purchased. “Last year our store raised $17,000 for Children’s Hospital. I wanted to get the ball rolling for next year’s event.”
While she doesn’t have children, Cook is a member of the Children’s Hospital committee at Walmart.
Wendy Langenkamp, of Sidney, sold her grand champion bread to Shelby County Commissioner Julie Ehemann and HER Realtor’s Kies-Lambert for $350.
Jana Botlon’s The Best Blondies bar was sold for $400 to Detailed Machining owner John Bertsch.
Wendy Langenkamp, of Sidney, sold her grand champion quick bread for $375 to Clerk of Courts Michele Mumford Best One Tire.
