Ron Myers hadn't even had his first cup of coffee on Wednesday morning when his cell phone rang.

"It was radio station WIOZ, and I thought it was Rich Rushforth playing an April Fool's joke on me," he said.

It was no joke. Myers had won four tickets to Monday's NCAA men's basketball championship game in Detroit through the March Madness fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Club of the Sandhills.

Myers can't attend, so he gave the tickets to his mother, Frances, and three of her friends, who will fly to Detroit on a private plane and also receive overnight accommodations.

"This was quite a surprise," Frances Myers said. "I am really excited. It is something I never thought we would get an opportunity to do."

Frances Myers, 77, lives in Thomasville. She is a diehard UNC Tar Heels fan who played guard on her high school basketball team.

"We've been watching all the tournament games whether UNC was playing or not," she said

She calls her friends who will attend the game with her "obsessive Carolina fans." She added, "Shouldn't everyone in the state be?"

Even if the Tar Heels don't make the title game, Myers said she still plans to enjoy the experience, adding, "This is an opportunity that you can't pass up."

A total of 236 chances were sold, raising $23,000 for the Boys and Girls Club. Susan Clift Brown sold the winning chances.

Kim Madrigal, executive director of the club, called the fundraiser a success.

"We were looking for a signature event, and we think this can be it," Madrigal said. "The local media helped create a buzz to get the word out. Several businesses worked hard to sell chances. We got great input and support from our board members, and the community really wrapped their arms around the idea."

Contact Tom Embrey at 693-2477 or by e-mail at tembrey@thepilot.com.