Optometrist Mark Lynn bid $800,000 on a ham in a charity auction. Miss Kentucky holds the million-dollar ham in her lap.

In Kentucky, one not-so-little piggy sold at the State Fair to optometrist Mark Lynn, who joined forces with another high bidder to purchase a record-breaking $1.6 million prized porker for charity. Visually Impaired Preschool Services, a local organization that provides services to infants, toddlers and preschoolers who are visually impaired or blind, is one of the lucky beneficiaries that will receive a portion of the proceeds raised by the sale of the ample sow. 

“The cost of the ham breaks down to $3,700 an ounce,” says Dr. Lynn. “It makes for one heck of a sandwich.”

The fair’s annual ham auction raises money for local charities. Dr. Lynn, of Dr. Mark Lynn and Associates, which owns and operates more than 45 Dr. Bizer’s Vision World, Doctor’s VisionWorks and ValuVision Offices, will split his $800,000 donation amongst three charities. In addition to Visually Impaired Preschool Services, Dr. Lynn’s donation will benefit the Eastern Area Community Charities, which provides food, medicine and clothing to residents in need and to a newly created endowment fund that will offer scholarships to needy students at the University of Louisville.

As for the divine swine, Dr. Lynn will not even get to indulge in a morsel of the heavenly hog. This do-gooder donated the pig, too, which will feed homeless families in the Louisville area.