Swiss Watch Brand Longines and Harry Connick, Jr. Raise Funds for Habitat for Humanity - Video and Photos Available

Swiss Watch Brand Longines and Harry Connick, Jr. Raise Funds for Habitat for Humanity - Video and Photos Available

Longines and Harry Connick, Jr. Raise $300,000 for Habitat programs in New Orleans and Houston

HOUSTON, Nov. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Swiss watch brand Longines joined brand Ambassador of Elegance Harry Connick, Jr. for a benefit event that raised more than $300,000 dollars in total, which will benefit the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music in the New Orleans Habitat Musicians' Village and Operation Love Thy Neighbor, two Habitat for Humanity programs. The highlight of the night included an auction of the remaining five Longines evidenza Harry Connick, Jr. limited edition timepieces that contributed to almost half of the overall money raised. The exclusive event took place in Houston at the residence of Landry's Restaurant, Inc. President, Chairman and CEO, Tilman Fertitta and wife Paige.

To view the Multimedia News Release, go to: http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/longines/25840/

Recognizing the impact of last year's devastating storms on the Gulf Coast, and Connick's heartfelt commitment to the rebuilding efforts, Longines decided to host an event in Houston, the city that embraced the more than 150,000 displaced evacuees.

Connick, a native of New Orleans, is one of the most active celebrities supporting the rebuilding of the Crescent City. Together, Longines and Connick auctioned off the five remaining exclusive Longines evidenza limited edition watches in a series of 11, featuring a timeless tonneau-shaped rose gold case with case-back signed by Harry Connick, Jr. Auction winners of the five Longines timepieces include Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Petrello, Mr. Tracy Krohn, Mr. and Mrs. Gary Peterson, Mr. Vinod Ramani and Mr. and Mrs. Tillman Fertitta. All proceeds from the ticket sales and timepieces directly benefited New Orleans-based Ellis Marsalis Center for Music in the New Orleans Habitat Musicians' Village and Houston-based Operation Love Thy Neighbor.

Earlier this summer, Longines raised $220,000 with the first five Longines evidenza limited edition Harry Connick, Jr. timepieces (in a set of 11 exclusive watches worldwide) during the five sold-out benefit performances of the recent Roundabout Theatre Company's Tony Award winning revival of The Pajama Game, held June 13-17 at the American Airlines Theatre in New York. All proceeds from the five auctioned watches benefited Habitat's New Orleans Musicians' Village. Musicians' Village was conceived by Connick and fellow musician Branford Marsalis shortly after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, to rebuild homes for displaced musicians and other deserving families.

For more information on Longines and to find a local retailer, visit: http://www.longines.com/.

Longines:

Founded in 1832 in Saint-Imier, Switzerland, Longines has nearly 175 years of producing unique precision and elegant timepieces. The brand's achievements include creating one of the first wristwatches in 1905, producing an exclusive timepiece designed by Charles Lindbergh after his historic first solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean in 1927, as well as the status of being Official Timekeeper for multiple sports events. Expanding on its "Elegance is an attitude" campaign, in 2005 Longines commissioned a Harris Poll survey on elegance in the U.S. and signed one of the top choices as a Longines Ambassador of Elegance, Harry Connick, Jr. Other ambassadors include Aishwarya Rai. Longines is a member of The Swatch Group, the largest manufacturer and distributor of watches in the world. http://www.longines.com/

New Orleans Habitat Musicians' Village:

The New Orleans Habitat Musicians' Village, conceived by Connick and Marsalis, will consist of 75 single-family homes and six senior-friendly duplexes, plus 300 additional homes in the surrounding area, for musicians and other qualifying homeowner families. Since breaking ground in March 2006, sponsors, volunteers, and partner families have concentrated their efforts and have already completed 33 homes. Its centerpiece will be the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music, a performance, instruction and recording complex, dedicated to the education and development of homeowners and others who will live nearby. For more information or to make a donation, please visit: http://www.habitat-nola.org/ and click on Musicians' Village or call New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity at 504-861-2077.

Operation Love Thy Neighbor:

Houston Habitat for Humanity has been addressing the need for affordable housing in the greater Houston area since 1987. In that time, the organization has built more than 550 homes with hard working families, volunteers and donors. Prior to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, 1-in-10 working Houston families lived in substandard housing. Recognizing that these disasters would have a long-term impact on the city, Houston Habitat for Humanity announced its landmark relief initiative "Operation Love thy Neighbor." Less than a year after Katrina, more than 100 new homes have been sponsored for families rebuilding their lives here in Houston - 70 of who have already closed and received the keys to their new homes. These efforts represent the fulfillment of a big dream. A dream made possible by countless donors and volunteers. For more information or to make a donation, please visit http://www.houstonhabitat.org/

Video: http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/longines/25840
Source: Longines Swiss Watches

CONTACT: Ryan Rice of Vollmer Public Relations, +1-713-970-2100,
ryan@vollmerpr.com; or Philip Grieco of Longines Swiss Watches, The Swatch
Group (U.S.) Inc., +1-201-271-4669, Philip.grieco@swatchgroup.com; or Harry
Connick, Jr., c/o Victoria Varela, PMK/HBH, New York, +1-212-373-6117,
Victoria.Varela@pmkhbh.com

Web site: http://www.longines.com/
http://www.houstonhabitat.org/
http://www.habitat-nola.org/

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