Pigs for a Cause Auction to help Shop with a Cop

Pigs for a Cause Auction to help Shop with a Cop

By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief

LUDINGTON — The Ludington Police Department, West Shore Bank and the Lakeshore Food Club are teaming up with a Pigs for a Cause Auction. Scheduled to be auctioned will be a butchered pig and a quarter of a cow that were purchased by West Shore Bank during the West Michigan Livestock Council auction at the 2023 Western Michigan Fair.

Proceeds from the auction will be used to pay for Lakeshore Food Club membership fees and food for one month for the families of the children who participate in this year’s Shop with a Cop/Shop with a Hero events.

“Thanks to the generous support of our community, our recent pie auction fundraiser, held last week before Thanksgiving, raised $20,000,” Ludington Police Chief Chris Jones said. “This means that 75 children from around Mason County will be able to purchase Christmas presents for their family during Shop with a Cop/Shop with a Hero. West Shore Bank reached out and offered to kick it up by donating the pig and beef.”

Jones said the Pigs for a Cause Auction will take place on the pie auction Facebook page, which will be renamed. Click here for the page.

The auction will begin at noon on Tuesday, Dec. 5 and end at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 6.

“The name of the auction is a play on words, since police are sometimes referred to in the derogatory term as ‘pigs,’” Jones said. “We will happily make fun of ourselves if it means that we can raise money and help out the families of our county.

“We are very thankful to West Shore Bank for this great donation and we know that, like the bank’s mission, will make a difference in our community.”

The annual Shop with a Cop/Shop with a Hero shopping events will take place Dec. 11-14 at Walmart and Meijer. The program provides kids with a stipend that allows them to go with a police officer, firefighter, military member, or EMT and purchase Christmas gifts for their families, an opportunity many of them do not have. In addition to purchasing gifts, the gifts are typically wrapped by a volunteer and the shoppers are provided with a sandwich from Jimmy John’s. They also have the opportunity to receive a Christmas tree from Nickelson’s Tree Farm of Amber Township.

“This event is always a highlight for our local first responders,” Ludington Police Department School Resources Officer Conor Gallihugh said. “It’s a great event that also has a positive impact on these children as well.”

The program is open to all Mason County children and participating first responders come from agencies throughout the county and neighboring counties. Participating children are chosen by their school districts. Gallihugh emphasized that he does not have input into which children are chosen. Parents and guardians who would like their child to be considered will need to contact the appropriate school personnel.