The larger-than-life price of a pair of pies auctioned at the Harrow Fair was inspired by an equally larger-than-life character who was a relentless supporter of the community and the fair’s annual pie auction.

Lonie Kady, who owned Hometown Family Pharmacy in Harrow, died earlier this year. His support for the fair and the charity pie auction inspired his friends and supporters to gather at the auction this year at the 169th Harrow Fair — egging each other on during the bidding, eventually raising a record $82,000 for the John McGivney Children’s Centre in Windsor.

And the pharmacy led the way, purchasing several pies, including one for $15,000 and another for $10,000, ultimately buying pies worth a total of $35,700, said Candy Fielder, who along with Aldo DiNardo, owns the Hometown Family Pharmacy.

“He loved the fair and he loved the (pie) auction,” Fielder said.

“It’s kind of special to us. So we actually closed the pharmacy a few hours early so we could go there and attend because he couldn’t.

“A lot of our customers and the community came out and wanted to see it. All our staff went and started to bid on the first pie, which was in his honour. It was very touching.”

So, the pharmacy bought it — a peach pie for $10,000. Video footage of the auction shows an enthusiastic group of bidders spurring each other on with growing excitement as the price increased.

But it didn’t end there. Hometown Family Pharmacy also bought the first-place key lime pie for $15,000.

“It’s our girls’ favourite pie … and last year we asked Lonie to get us a key lime pie and they didn’t have one, so we kind of said that it was the one way of bringing the pie to us,” Fielder said.

And what happened to that key-lime special? “We actually divided it all up and we’re giving it away to our customers,” she said.