March of Dimes raffle features Saints, LSU items in live drawing

Tickets will be selling fast for a fund-raising raffle sponsored by the Sabine Parish March of Dimes steering committee, according to John Godfrey, raffle chairman.

For a $10 ticket, sports fans will have a chance to win a signed New Orleans Saints football, a signed Saints’ Head Coach Sean Payton poster, tickets to an LSU football game or a LSU 2007 National Championship football signed by Early Doucet and Ali Highsmith.

Saints memorabilia

Godfrey said the signed Saints football is sure to be a big ticket seller for the March of Dimes.

“We don’t know who is going to sign the football, but we’re excited to be able to use it to raise funds for this worthy cause.”

The Sean Payton poster is another item that will attract a lot of attention since the Saints are the 2010 Super Bowl Champions. After coaching the Saints for four years, he is now a Super Bowl champions after defeating the Indianapolis Colts, 31-17 in Miami. The talented coach had coached for Philadelphia’s Eagles, the New York Giants, and the Dallas Cowboys prior to accepting his first head coaching position with the Saints in 2006. He enjoyed a successful college career at quarterback at Eastern Illinois University.

Payton played quarterback for the Chicago Bruisers during the inaugural season of the Arena Football League and was a member of the Chicago Bears squad of replacement players during the 1987 NFL strike. In 1988 he played in the United Kingdom for the Leicester Panthers.

Payton was named NFL Coach of the Year after his first year at the helm of the Saints’ organization.

LSU items

The LSU items are also fan favorites, Godfrey said.
Two LSU tickets have been donated to the cause and will be included in the raffle.

And what LSU fan wouldn’t want to have a 2007 LSU National Championship football in his showcase?

The glory days of LSU football--when the Tigers beat Ohio State 38-24 in a crushing victory--will be talked about for years. And the winner will have a signed ball to enhance his stories about the two-time winner of the BCS Championship. !!

Two outstanding players-- linebacker Ali Highsmith and wide receiver Early Doucet--have inked their signatures on the ball.

Highsmith, who graduated in Dec. 2007, played in all 14 games during LSU’s national championship season in 2007. He was tied for team-high honors in total tackles with 101 and added nine tackles for losses, three sacks and nine quarterback pressures in his senior season. Just in 2007, he was named First Team All-American (CBS Sports), Second Team All-American (Associated Press), First Team All-SEC and the 2007 Butkus Award semi-finalist.

Doucet, who hails from St, Martinville, snagged 15 passes in the first two games of the 2007 championship season, but was sideline for four games and saw minimal action in another after suffering a pulled groin muscle.

He led the team in receptions, hauling in 57 tosses as a senior to be ranked third on the all-time chart with 20 touchdown catches, fourth with 160 receptions and ninth with 1,943 receiving yards.

He was an ALL-SEC second team selection despite missing four games.

Tickets may be purchased from Lewis McBryde at McBryde Associates, Donna Ammons at the INDEX, Godfrey at City Bank, Ted Fontenot at Farm Bureau Insurance, and Brandi Mitchell at Peoples State Bank, along with other members of the committee.