San Francisco – The New Orleans Saints have announced the winner of the raffle for an official Super Bowl XLIV Championship Ring identical to the one that was awarded to the ownership, players, coaches and administrative staff that was custom designed by Tiffany and Co. to benefit those affected directly by the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Christopher S. Lynn of Hattiesburg, Mississippi is the winner of the ring. The Saints Gulf Coast Renewal Fund raised nearly $1.4 million through the raffle. To date the New Orleans Saints Gulf Coast Renewal Fund has already allocated $500,000 to local charities that are responding to the recent oil spill disaster. Last week the Saints announced that the Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans and The Greater New Orleans Foundation had each been granted $250,000.
The winner of the raffle, which was organized in partnership with the Celebrities for Charity Foundation and net.Raffle.org's using their patented fundraising concepts and technologies, was selected through a random drawing conducted at 7:00 p.m. (CDT) and announced during ESPN's Monday Night Football contest between the Saints and the San Francisco 49ers.
The raffle of the Super Bowl ring presented what is believed to be a never before offered opportunity for a football fan to win a piece of NFL history and to assist those most affected by the oil spill. The ring, which was generously donated by Tiffany and Co., allowed a fortunate individual the chance to own a coveted piece of history from the most-watched television program in America's history.
"We were pleased to offer this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own an official New Orleans Saints Super Bowl XLIV ring and congratulate Mr. Lynn," said New Orleans Saints Owner Tom Benson. "This opportunity allows Mr. Lynn to share in the greatest moment in our team's rich history and the culmination of our place in the NFL record books as champions. And better yet, it allows the individuals, families and small
businesses that are dealing with the fallout of the largest environmental catastrophe in the history of the United States to once again have the promise that people care about them and their futures. We sincerely thank all of the people who graciously donated their hard-earned money to the Saints Gulf Coast Renewal Fund and we, as an organization, take an immense amount of pride in helping to assist the people in the region that are directly impacted and need the support."
