By David Vitrano

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – The United Way of St. John made one parish resident happy on Wednesday when the group chose the winner of the Drew Brees Blue Dog poster raffle.

The investment of Buddy Guidry, who purchased 100 raffle tickets at $10 each, paid off when Capt. Mike Hoover pulled his name in front of the St. John Civic Center. Although Guidry spent $1,000 on tickets, the poster has been valued at $11,500.

According to Dean Torres, executive director for the local United Way, Guidry will still have to wait a little while before he can hang the coveted print on his walls. It is still at the Saints’ facility awaiting Drew Brees’ signature. Once it is signed, the print will be matted and framed.

Torres said the United Way sold 899 tickets in all.

“These dollars will go toward our 2009 campaign,” he added.

The print is one of 20 made available to United Way offices throughout the state. The prints cost each office $1,000, and the various offices were free to do with the prints as they saw fit, said Torres.