World Briefs

The University of North Carolina men's basketball team, 2009 NCAA champions, regularly hold clinics for Special Olympics North Carolina athletes. UNC player Danny Green shows Tyler Coburn some of the finer points of ball handling.

NCAA Auction to Benefit Special Olympics

Are you a fan of basketball? Are you a fan of Special Olympics? Now you have a chance to combine the two by bidding on the only official scissors signed by the coaches of the 2009 Men's and Women's Division I NCAA Basketball Championships that being offered to the public.

The two pairs of official Fiskars scissors autographed by the winning coaches - North Carolina's Roy Williams and the University of Connecticut's Gino Auriemma - are being auctioned on the NCAA Web site. All proceeds will be donated to Special Olympics. The winning bidder also will receive a 9 x 12-inch photo of Coach Williams or Coach Auriemma.

“We are thrilled that Special Olympics will benefit from this auction by Fiskars and NCAA,” said Bob Gobrecht, Special Olympics North America Managing Director. “Our athletes strive to be champions of respect, acceptance and inclusion and the funds raised from this auction will help them continue to participate in sports – sports that in turn help change attitudes.”

Fiskars were the “Official Scissors of the NCAA Basketball Championships."  The two scissors being offered for big are part of a special limited edition, with fewer than 50 in existence. They feature the Fiskars® ergonomic orange handles and serrated, gold titanium blades, which are specially etched with the NCAA logo.

The bidding ends at 7 p.m. Eastern Time on 11 May, 2009.  Get your bid in now!