After deadly house fire, South Bend Cubs hold auction to raise money for free smoke alarms

Andrew S. Hughes, South Bend Tribune
·2 min read
This baseball bat autographed by former the Tampa Bay Devil Rays/Rays, Oakland Athletics, Kansas City Royals and Chicago Cubs player Ben Zobrist is one of the items up for auction in a fundraiser launched Feb. 2, 2024, by the South Bend Cubs to raise money for the American Red Cross of St. Joseph County and South Bend Fire Department’s Free Smoke Alarm Program. The auction continues online through 6 p.m. Feb. 11.

SOUTH BEND — The South Bend Cubs launched an online auction Friday morning to raise money for the American Red Cross of St. Joseph County and South Bend Fire Department’s Free Smoke Alarm Program.

In a press release, the High-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs said the fundraiser had been inspired by the Jan. 21 residential fire at 222 N. Laporte Ave. that killed six children in the Smith family, ages 17 months to 11 years.

“The South Bend Cubs organization mourns with our community the tragic loss of those children,” South Bend Cubs Team President Joe Hart said in the release. “We understand no amount of money or donations will bring these children back, but we want to try to help prevent a tragedy like this from happening again.”

What we know: Catch up with all The Tribune's coverage of the LaPorte Avenue house fire that killed five

The South Bend Cubs, Chicago Cubs, Iowa Cubs, Tennessee Smokies, Myrtle Beach Pelicans, Cedar Rapids Kernels, Great Lakes Loons, Lansing Lugnuts, Quad Cities River Bandits and Wisconsin Timber Rattlers donated the items for this auction.

Items include an autographed Ben Zobrist baseball bat; baseballs signed by Craig Counsell, Buddy Bailey, Tom Ricketts, Jed Hoyer, Ian Happ, Seiya Suzuki, Dansby Swanson; the Statue Row bobblehead set donated by the Chicago Cubs; bobbleheads featuring Matt Mervis and Mark Prior, and many other items.

This baseball autographed by former University of Notre Dame and Major League Baseball player and current Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell is one of the items up for auction in a fundraiser launched Feb. 2, 2024, by the South Bend Cubs to raise money for the American Red Cross of St. Joseph County and South Bend Fire Department’s Free Smoke Alarm Program. The auction continues online through 6 p.m. Feb. 11.

The free smoke alarm program is a partnership between the South Bend Fire Department and the American Red Cross where individuals may apply and have a smoke alarm installed in their private residence free of charge.

Applications for free smoke alarms are available at the Central Fire station at 1222 S. Michigan St., calling 574-234-0191 or by visiting 311.southbendin.gov and searching for “smoke detectors.”

In addition to the free smoke alarm, the American Red Cross offers free Home Fire Safety Education sessions. Visit redcross.org/local/indiana/about-us/our-work/home-fire-campaign/smoke-alarm-request.html to sign up.

All proceeds will be donated to the American Red Cross of St. Joseph County, and the money will be marked specifically for the Free Smoke Alarm Program.

The auction continues through 6 p.m. Feb. 11.

To view the auction and bid, go to milbauctions.com and search "South Bend Cubs."

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Auction by South Bend Cubs raises money for Red Cross' free smoke alarms program