Vintage Patriots Super Bowl Championship ring raises $100K through raffle in support of veterans programs
The goal was to sell 1,000 tickets at $100 a piece raising $100,000 for veterans. With a lot of support from the community, that goal was hit!
MANCHESTER, NH – Former New England Patriots VP and Chief Marketing Officer, Lou Imbriano, wanted to do something big to show his support for our New Hampshire Veterans, so he decided to generously donate his official Super Bowl XXXVIII championship ring won by the Pats 20 years ago, and team up with Swim With A Mission (SWAM), to raffle it off in the hopes of raising a large amount of money for veterans-related programs.
The goal was to sell 1,000 tickets at $100 a piece raising $100,000 for veterans. With a lot of support from the community, that goal was hit!
“This is the 20th anniversary of the Patriots’ thrilling three-point win over the Carolina Panthers. This is the ring given to me by the organization in celebration of that memorable season. I was honored to donate this ring, a rare and valuable symbol of a great season and incredible players, to raise money to support the men and women who are the reason why any of us can enjoy the freedoms and successes we have in our lives today,” said Imbriano, donor of the Super Bowl championship ring. “I am thrilled that we hit our goal of raising $100-thousand dollars and I hope it is able to make a major difference in the lives of our veterans.”
SWAM Founder Phil Taub pledged that every dollar raised will go straight to veterans’ programs such as funding service dogs, rehabilitation programs, mental health supports, housing and food services for those in need and much more. “We are all familiar with the success behind the so-called “Patriot Way”, explains Taub. “This raffle borrowed from that motto and extended that team-oriented supportive philosophy to the tens of thousands of veterans and their families who need our support today. It was an honor to team up with Lou in a unique and exciting way to raise funds for veterans who need us now more than ever.”
The lucky winner of the Super Bowl Championship Ring was Andrew Lucchesi of Tyngsborough, MA. When he heard about the raffle on iHeart Media’s Rock 101, he knew he had to try his luck and purchase a ticket. Even if he didn’t win, he knew the money would go to a great cause. When presented with the ring Andrew said, “My father was a huge Patriots fan and passed away right before the season started so this is very special. He would take me to games when we had the money and helped create a great bond between us.” As the winner of the raffle, Andrew also received an official printing plate from the Boston Globe’s 2003 Super Bowl newspaper edition donated by Navy Veteran Rod Crochiere, who owns a collectable shop called I Have Coins in Franklin, MA.
To see where the funds from the raffle are dispersed to support veterans’ programs, you can visit Swim With A Mission’s (SWAM) website at www.swam.org.
About SWAM
Our veterans and their families have given so much and for some, have made the ultimate sacrifice. They deserve more. We live in the land of the free and the home of the brave, because of the brave. Our mission is to help, support and honor our veterans. What started as a charity fundraising swim across one of New Hampshire’s most beautiful lakes has evolved into a regional point of service for supporting veteran-related programs. As we continue to evolve and understand more about the needs of our veterans, we are focusing more on providing service and support dogs, creating art programs, the types of efforts that address the invisible wounds too many of our veterans are suffering through. As a non-profit organization, our work is expanding to create more resources and supports to give back to those who have given so much to all of us. For more, go to swam.org
