Vegetables, Dragon Highlight Young Life Cake Auction [Photos]

A dragon lurked in one corner. One entry would have looked more appropriate at a farmers market rather than a cake auction.

One hundred amazing cakes were auctioned off to benefit Owatonna Young Life at the high school gym on Saturday. The event raised about $68,000, according to director Chuck Jamison. That would be the second-highest total in the 38-year history of the auction.

A cake that looked like a crate full of vegetables won the People's Choice award. The cake was designed by Tim Van Gelder and was sponsored by Trinity Lutheran "Life Group." The add-on special with the cake included a half-share CSA at Hilltop Greenhouse & Farm and an extreme sandbox experience in Hastings.

Second place was a cake in the form of a spaghetti dinner with a fork lifting up a bite, sponsored and created by Hy-Vee. The special was one floral arrangement per month, a case of wine and all the fixings for an actual spaghetti dinner.

Third place was an immense multi-colored dragon created by Kellyanna Moore and sponsored by Scott Westbrock and Moore, Mike Schoeneman and Diane Wallner, and Dan and Sandie Kubista. The special was a night out for five couples at Northridge Pub.

Many of the specials were this year were vacation getaways to locations such as northern Minnesota, Colorado and Florida. Tickets to sporting events and music concerts including Luke Bryan, Zac Brown and Beyonce were numerous as well. Bicycles, electronics and gift certificates to local businesses were also attached to the cakes.

In addition to the auction cakes, there were quick sale cakes, silent auction items and the "High, Low" game to raise money for Young Life of Owatonna. KRFO radio's John Connor, Loren Hart and Roy Koenig acted as the auctioneers.