It seems New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton doesn't always have football on his mind.

The evening sun spilled onto a crowd of people standing in angst as they held a steady gaze down Etienne Street in Covington while standing before the $300,000 raffle house.

They were waiting for someone.

Coach Sean Payton

After an hour, their hero finally strode in upon his gallant steed donning a smile and clad in dress garments as he sincerely waved and thanked the group for waiting patiently.

Alas, Coach Payton arrived, but with nary the intent of signing autographs or taking pictures. He intended to buy the first five raffle tickets at $100 each to support the St. Tammany Home Builders Association.

Each year the HBA performs the Raising the Roof for Charity raffle where it recruits numerous organizations to donate products and services to help build a sizable home somewhere in St. Tammany. Raffle tickets are then disbursed to many local charities that in turn sell them for $100 each, collecting a percentage of the proceeds to keep for themselves. About 2,500 tickets have already been sold, and Raising the Roof for Charity Chairman John Murchison expects to sell the remaining 2,500.  

HBA secretary Jenny Goodrow held the first five tickets specifically for Payton to purchase after he declined their offer to draw the winning raffle ticket in May.

"We initially contacted coach Payton about possibly drawing the winning ticket, but he wasn't going to be in town," Murchison said. "Instead, he offered to buy the first five, and this is the first time, with his schedule, that we had an opportunity to get the charities together to take a picture."

The house stands fully erect in Normandy Oaks subdivision with four bedrooms, three bathrooms and a double garage. Randy Varuso with Varuso Homes said the house is nearly complete with only aesthetic furnishings to be installed.

After purchasing the tickets, Payton signed autographs and took pictures while getting a step closer to his ultimate goal, supporting the community his lives in.

"I think it's important to help a community that we're so involved with," Payton said. "We live in this parish, and I think it's important to be involved in a community for more than just your work."

The house will be raffled May 18. To purchase tickets, visit www.raisingtheroof.net or call 800-715-1387.