FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 2003

CONTACT: Deanna Congileo
404-420-5108

Atlanta…A baseball signed by Cuba President Fidel Castro and Jimmy Carter, memorabilia from the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo, and a coffee table handcrafted by the former U.S. president will be among items auctioned Saturday, Feb. 22, in Snowbird, Utah, to benefit the not-for-profit Carter Center.

The auction, open to the public nationwide, includes items valued from $10 to $100,000. Items may be viewed and bids placed online (click catalogs, above). The record bid at last year's "Winter Weekend" auction was $250,000 for a bed custom-made by President Carter. Joining President and Mrs. Carter for their annual "Winter Weekend" ski event at Cliff Lodge and Spa and Snowbird Mountain Resort are baseball legend Hank Aaron and his wife, Billye, as well as some 300 other Carter Center friends and supporters. Activities at the lodge are not open to the general public; however, arrangements can be made to participate in the live auction via phone or in advance through fax and on-line bidding. The event is sponsored in part by Delta Air Lines and The Coca-Cola Company.

The Carter Center, an Atlanta-based, nongovernmental organization founded in 1982 by President Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, has helped to improve life in more than 65 nations through projects advancing peace and health. "People around the world suffering from preventable diseases, the burden of war, or denial of their human rights look to The Carter Center for hope. In many ways, our work has just begun," President Carter said.

Other exclusive items to be auctioned are:

• Yamaha acoustical guitar signed by top music stars Elton John, Willie Nelson, Bon Jovi, Edwin McCain, Elvis Costello, Bo Diddley, and more than 16 other well-known performers.
• A collection of Hank Aaron memorabilia, including a Braves baseball signed by the home run king.
• A baseball signed by President Carter and pitchers Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and John Smoltz.
• Two bottles of President Carter's homemade, private-label red wine.
• Breeder's Cup exclusive package for two VIP guests at the National Thoroughbred Racing Association's championship race in southern California.
• Presidential rake and pitchfork hand-crafted by President Carter in his Plains workshop. Includes 20 photos detailing the production process, from felling the hickory tree to refining it.
• Custom-designed room of furnishings created and delivered by New York Furniture designer Todd Hase.
• Vacation package for eight at Stonegate, a 17,000-square-foot castle in Carmel, California. Includes an executive in-house chef, fine dining in area restaurants and golf at Pebble Beach.
• Week-long vacation of a lifetime for 10 to 12 guests on a 152-foot luxury yacht The Chantal Ma Vie. The yacht is equipped with Jacuzzi, Skycell, cellular phone, and fax machine.
• A Sundance vacation donated by Robert Redford.
• A day on the set of the NBC television show "Law and Order."

In addition, items in a silent auction, including gifts President and Mrs. Carter have received from around the world, may be viewed and bids placed online (click catalogs, above). Bids for both the live and silent auction will be taken on-line until 3 p.m. EST Friday, Feb. 21. Catalogs may be requested and further details obtained on placing bids by phone during the live auction at: 404-420-3809.

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