A homemade Italian cream cake baked by Emma Whistle and auctioned off by her granddaughter, Kelsey Whistle Edge, sold for a record $3,000 during the Whitesville Lions Club annual chili supper and pie auction last month, helping propel the fundraiser to nearly $19,400 for two local organizations.
The April 24 fundraiser at the Whitesville Senior Citizen Center benefited Wendell Foster and Puzzle Pieces, two organizations that support individuals with disabilities. The event brought together community members from across the area for an evening of food, fellowship, and spirited bidding.
Edge, who has been a licensed auctioneer since early 2025, said selling one of her grandmother’s famous cakes had long been a personal goal.
“When I became an auctioneer, something I really wanted to do was sell one of my grandmother’s cakes,” Edge said. “Being able to do that, I think it was more important for both of us to know the true meaning and where that money was going — to benefit Puzzle Pieces and Wendell Foster.”
Edge said neither she nor her grandmother expected the cake to fetch such a high price.
“I was watching her a little bit while I was selling, and her eyes just kept getting bigger and bigger and bigger. So she was excited,” Edge said.
Whistle’s Italian cream cakes have become quite the signature item at auctions in and around Whitesville over the years, often drawing competitive bids from attendees.
“They’re well-known cakes,” Edge said. “They’re always a very competitive, high-priced item.”
The winning bid came from a combined effort by members of the Mattingly family, including William Mattingly, who said the moment held significance beyond the fundraising itself.
“It’s good to be able to support the Wendell Foster Center and Puzzle Pieces because they do a lot for the community,” Mattingly said. “For this cake in particular, it was made by the mother of Father Brad Whistle, who was a longtime pastor at Our Lady of Lourdes, where the Mattingly family has gone for a long time. So we were glad to both help Emma and help Wendell Foster and Puzzle Pieces.”
Mattingly said seeing Edge auction off her grandmother’s cake made the moment even more meaningful.
“It was definitely special,” he said. “It was a combination of a bunch of good things at the same time — helping Wendell Foster and Puzzle Pieces, helping Emma, and helping Kelsey at the same time.”
While the Mattingly family secured the winning bid, Mattingly joked he never actually got a slice of the famous dessert.
“It was a Mattingly family bid,” he said. “So it went home with my mom and dad.”
Jan Mattingly, a member of the Whitesville Lions Club and one of the event organizers, said the club was grateful for the overwhelming support shown by the community. She said the event raised approximately $19,400 overall.
“We’re so thankful for everyone who came out and supported the event,” Jan Mattingly said. “It’s exciting to see the community come together to help two such worthwhile causes.”
Edge said the evening served as a reminder of the generosity and close-knit spirit that define the Whitesville community.
“I’m just grateful that the Lions Club called on me and that I was able to help,” Edge said. “To help Puzzle Pieces, to help Wendell Foster, and to share a really special moment — it was all worth it.”
