Aug. 7, 2014
2014 Katie Schwab Fundraiser – Auction Items (as of Aug. 7)
NOTRE DAME, Ind. — For years, Katie Schwab has given tirelessly of herself in support of Notre Dame athletics, as both a student manager and currently as an operations assistant on the Fighting Irish women’s basketball staff. Now, friends of the ailing Schwab, a 2013 graduate of Saint Mary’s College, have come together to organize a benefit event at which they hope will collect donations to help give back to Schwab.
This group of supporters, known informally as “Team Katie”, will be holding a fundraising social that is open to the general public (ages 21 and older) from 2-6 p.m. (ET) Sunday at South Bend’s historic Linebacker Lounge (1631 South Bend Avenue). The proceeds from the day’s festivities will go to help defray some of the medical expenses for Schwab, who has been hospitalized (currently at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago) since June 9 following life-threatening complications related to her Type I diabetes.
The highlight of Sunday’s fundraising event will be a combination of live and silent auctions (the live portion emceed by the Voice of Fighting Irish women’s basketball, Bob Nagle) that will feature several unique items, including:
- Autographed footballs signed by NFL greats Colin Kaepernick (San Francisco 49ers), Matt Ryan, Julio Jones and Roddy White (Atlanta Falcons), 2011 Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III (Washington Redskins), as well as former Notre Dame standouts Manti Te’o and Chris Watt (San Diego Chargers) and Michael Floyd (Arizona Cardinals).
- Autographed basketballs from former Notre Dame All-Americans Ruth Riley and Skylar Diggins (the latter also signed by Diggins’ current teammates with the WNBA’s Tulsa Shock), Fighting Irish men’s basketball coach Mike Brey and former Notre Dame men’s basketball coach Digger Phelps.
- A chair from the Notre Dame team bench at this year’s NCAA Women’s Final Four in Nashville, signed by the Fighting Irish coaching staff, including head coach Muffet McGraw.
- A jersey from the WNBA’s San Antonio Stars, autographed by former Notre Dame All-American Kayla McBride.
- Tickets to future games with the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts, NBA’s Indiana Pacers and Major League Baseball’s Detroit Tigers (including a chance to watch batting practice with Tigers’ All-Star and 2012 Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera) and Cleveland Indians (plus two autographed baseballs).
- Tickets to the Dec. 6 Notre Dame-Connecticut women’s basketball game at Purcell Pavilion (the 13th annual Jimmy V Women’s Classic).
- Tickets to a “Lou’s Lads” event and a photo opportunity with legendary former Notre Dame football coach and current ESPN broadcaster Lou Holtz.
- A brick and piece of the floor from the original home of Notre Dame basketball, the Notre Dame Fieldhouse/
For a full list of the items that will be auctioned off, CLICK HERE. Please note – this list is subject to change and fans must attend to bid on items in the auction.
“When Katie was first admitted, we all were taking turns bringing food, paying visits, and assisting the family any way that we could,” said Chris Bacsik, one of the event’s organizers and Notre Dame’s assistant football equipment manager. “When we knew that Katie’s recovery would be an extended process, we wanted to find a way to help the family with all of the extra costs that come with a situation like that. Through the generosity of people at Notre Dame, friends in the community and even people who didn’t know Katie personally but heard her story and wanted to help, we were able to secure a lot of great items for auction with all of the proceeds going to her medical expenses.”
Sunday’s fundraiser also will include a 50/50 raffle and a donation box. Fans who cannot attend the event may make their own donations on-line through the following site: http://www.razoo.com/br/causes/Katie-Schwab-Fundraiser.
Schwab’s family and friends have set up a page on the CaringBridge web site (http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/katieschwab) to provide well-wishers with updates on her condition. Supporters who would like to send Schwab notes, cards or other words of encouragement are asked to send them to the Notre Dame women’s basketball office (C113 Joyce Center, First Floor, Notre Dame, IN 46556) or to stop by the women’s basketball office located at Gate 1 of Purcell Pavilion weekdays from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (ET). Members of the Fighting Irish staff continue to make regular visits to see Schwab and her family at the hospital and will be happy to deliver those messages.
For more information on the Notre Dame women’s basketball program, sign up to follow the Fighting Irish women’s basketball Twitter pages (@NDsidMasters or @NDwbb), like the program on Facebook (facebook.com/ndwbb) or register for the Irish ALERT text-messaging system through the “Fan Center” pulldown menu on the front page at UND.com.
— Chris Masters, Associate Athletic Media Relations Director