ASHTABULA TOWNSHIP – As a loved one approaches the last stages in life, the people who provide hospice care are there for not only the patient, but the patient’s friends and family as well.
Through the 31st Annual Hospice Cake Auction at Ashtabula Towne Square on Saturday, March 7, Ashtabula County Realtors did its best to show support for the people who are there for families during the worst parts of life.
“This is the most important event that we do, in my opinion,” Tara Rhodes, president of Ashtabula County Realtors, said. “All of the money that we raise is for our local hospice association, Reserve Care (formerly known as Hospice of the Western Reserve). For us, this means more than anything we could do for the community, because hospice providers are so incredible, and with all of the love and care they give to our people, they deserve it.”
Reserve Care holds a special place in the hearts of the realtors.
“The services that they provide for people who are in their end stage of life are unparalleled to anything that we can do,” Rhodes said. “They are there, caring, supporting and loving, not only the person who is passing, but their family, as well. I know from experience and from many friends who have had to use hospice and go through it, they all provide this bright, warm light that is so needed when you’re there.”
Ashtabula County Realtors raised $50,000 in 2025 and aimed to meet or exceed that number in 2026.
“Any dollar amount we raise is great, but we’d like to match last year, or double would be awesome, but we’ll probably go over ($50,000) by a little bit,” Rhodes said.
More than 100 cakes were donated for the auction.
“There are no words that can express our gratitude for the people that care and support us,” Rhodes said. “Our community deserves this, and it’s amazing to see our community also giving back to them.”
Each of the cakes being auctioned had a beauty to them.
“It’s incredible,” Rhodes said. “Everyone says it takes talent, but it really is skill and artistic ability that the bakers put into these cakes. It’s incredible. They are beautiful and handmade. Some of the detail, I don’t know how they did it. They’re absolutely made with love and care and generosity.”
Ashtabula County Realtors is grateful for the community’s support of the auction.
“Without the bidders, we wouldn’t have the money,” Rhodes said. “We rely on the bidders to come and support us. Sometimes, it’s not the cake or even the prize that they’re bidding on. They’re just finding a way to donate money and they don’t really even care about (the auction) part. They care about giving to somebody else.”
The Ashtabula County Realtors hoped to have as many bidders as it had cakes donated.
“I think we had at least 43 pre-registered bidders,” Rhodes said. “We hope we can get 100 bidders and they all donate $100. That would be incredible.”
Each of the cakes was anticipated to have been auctioned for a minimum of $100 with some anticipated to get $1,000 or more.
“So far, I haven’t seen a cake go for under $100,” Rhodes said. “I think last year we had a few that were in the thousands. I anticipate we’ll have that again.”
Each of the cakes auctioned had a prize attached, as well.
The auction included a human slot machine, a 50/50 raffle, entertainment provided by Danny Pugliese and live auctioneers Gary Heaven and Jeff Otto.
“This year is our first year with a human slot machine,” Rhodes said. “We have tickets and prizes over there. We also made it kid-friendly so kids could play and win a prize, too. I think we also have some farm fresh eggs again this year.”
The cake auction shined a spotlight on the giving nature of the people of Ashtabula County.
“We have so much love here,” Rhodes said. “There’s so much love and community. We’re so small, but we’re really big. Without our community, our donors, this wouldn’t be possible for our local hospice.”
