Liggett Knight

University Liggett School’s annual auction, Liggett Knight, raised nearly a half million dollars to support academic initiatives, building improvements, athletic equipment and more. 

The April 28 event, held at the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club, included live, silent and fishbowl auctions as well as a special paddle raise for the school’s campus sustainability, efficiency & beautification initiative. 

The paddle raising alone raised $182,000 which will go toward making the school’s campus more energy efficient and sustainable.

Additionally, the event’s live and silent auctions brought in a total of $136,000, and Liggett Knight sponsorships brought in $103,000. Faculty and staff items and experiences raised a record-setting $33,580.

“We would like to express our thanks to our Liggett Knight co-chairs, Donna Gormely and Savarior Moss-Service, and to all of our volunteers whose leadership and hard work made Liggett Knight successful this year,” said Cressie Boggs, director of development and alumni relations. “We are also grateful for our generous bidders, donors and sponsors, whose generosity made Liggett Knight 2023 an exceptionally rewarding event.”

Since its inception, Liggett Knight has raised more than $4.7 million for school initiatives. 

Popular live auction items included luxury trips to Mexico and the American Music Awards; a comprehensive bathroom remodel package from Hawasli Homes; Montmartre diamond and white gold earrings from Ahee Jewelers and four floor seats to the hottest tour of the summer, the sold-out Taylor Swift concert at Ford Field. 

Liggett parents, faculty and staff donated items for the auction, which was held at the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club for the first time in almost 10 years.