RALEIGH, NC—Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Cam Ward will launch this year’s “Cam’s Champs” initiative with Special Olympics North Carolina on Monday, Nov. 23, at 11 a.m. in the team’s locker room at the RBC Center. Media attending are asked to enter the RBC Center via the VIP Entrance adjacent to the Time Warner Cable Box Office and proceed to the Hurricanes’ locker room. Ward will host local Special Olympics athletes, providing them with a tour of the locker room and a chance to have their photographs taken with the Hurricanes’ goaltender.

This year, Ward has donated his “Cam’s Champs” suite to SONC for 14 games throughout the 2009-10 regular season. Special Olympics athletes and their families will use the suite at 11 of those games, and Special Olympics North Carolina will auction use of the suite for the remaining three games to raise funds for the organization. Ward will also donate several items, including a game-worn mask, to be auctioned online in December through the Hurricanes’ NHL auction site, with all proceeds benefiting the Special Olympics North Carolina. Ward and his wife, Cody, also will donate unique autographed items to be distributed each month to “Cam’s Champs” donors.

Ward started “Cam’s Champs” in 2006 as a way to continue working with Special Olympics in North Carolina. The 2006 Conn Smythe Trophy winner first got involved with Special Olympics in Alberta, where one of the trainers for his junior hockey team, the Red Deer Rebels, was a Special Olympics athlete.

Special Olympics North Carolina offers year-round sports training and competition for more than 38,000 children and adults with intellectual disabilities. These athletes inspire greatness through their success and provide motivation to the thousands of coaches, sports officials, local program committee members and event organizers involved with Special Olympics statewide. SONC offers Olympic-type competition in 20 sports on local and state levels. It is the second-largest Special Olympics program in North America in terms of athlete participation. For more information, please visit www.sonc.net.