[StBernard] Governor Blanco calls to congratulate, thank Saints Coach Sean Payton; Reminds fans to continue supp

[Westley Annis]

Governor Blanco calls to congratulate, thank Saints Coach Sean Payton; Reminds fans to continue supporting Louisiana's team through online "Thank the Saints" effort 


BATON ROUGE - As the Saints continue readying and fans continue rallying for next week's second-round playoff game, Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco today placed a personal phone call to congratulate Saints Coach Sean Payton for being named NFL Coach of the Year by the Associated Press. 

"I wanted to let Coach Payton know how proud we are of him and his remarkable team this season," Gov. Blanco said. "Their winning season and their winning attitude has lifted us up in this tough time of recovery. The Saints have reached out to their state and given all of us a reason to rally, and for that I personally thanked him." 

Last week Governor Blanco issued official statements of appreciation to each individual player, coach and member of the Saints organization, and launched "Thank the Saints", a program through which fans can write personal thank you messages for the Saints organization. Fans can access the page through Gov. Blanco's official site, www.gov.state.la.us <http://www.gov.state.la.us> . These messages will be displayed at The Shops at Canal Place (333 Canal Street) this week as New Orleans prepares to host the Saints' second-round playoff game at the Superdome.

"For me, the Saints helped transform the Superdome from a symbol of misery and despair to a symbol of determination and hope," Gov. Blanco said. "I know our team has touched all of us in some way by their spirit, and now it's time for us to share those stories! In their last regular season game at the Dome, players stayed behind to high-five and thank fans in the stands, taking the time to show their appreciation. I invite you to join me in doing the same."

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The Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation
Louisiana's Fund for Louisiana's People
www.louisianahelp.org