Detroit Loyola takes Tiger Night & Auction online. Bidding ends Friday evening

DETROIT - If disruption is the new normal, then adaptation has become the subsequent response - especially in Detroit which has gone from one of the worst outbreaks of COVID-19 in the country to one of the quickest declines of the pandemic's spread.

As residents shelter in place and businesses slowly emerge from closed to open, the city's schooling systems are facing their own disruptions. At Detroit Loyola, they'll be taking the school's biggest fundraiser online.

"So, due to the pandemic, we had to shift remotely, and undoubtedly we were going to have it. This auction provides the opportunity to give well-deserving students scholarships to continue going to school at Loyola," said High School Principal Wyatt Jones III. "We're glad to have the opportunity to shift but to also go live with our auction."

Jones, who has served as principal for five years following his graduation from the school in 1998, says Loyola's annual Tiger auction is one of its most important events of the year. Donors and alumni help keep the school providing the best education it can with bidding during the event.

What was supposed to take place during the Tigers-Indians baseball game Friday will instead happen online at loyolahsdetroit.org. In its 24th year of fundraising, this will be the first virtual attempt taken by the school to ensure money continues flowing.

Bidding has been open since April 20 and includes lots of Tigers memorabilia, trips, getaways, golf outings and other local goodies. 

The official virtual event will start at 6 p.m. on Friday, May 8. A raffle pull will commence at 6:15 and the auction will close at 6:30.

"We want to ensure our students continue to have a high-quality education and it takes donors and people to continue to help support the good works that we do," said Jones.