Nothing But Nets

The Washington Mystics did not wait for the last buzzer to pull off an impressive win against the New York Liberty a week ago. Instead, they pulled ahead in the first quarter and sustained their advantage. That is exactly the same strategy the Baltimore-Washington Conference of the United Methodist Church and the Mystics are playing in the matchup against malaria.

We are honored to present you with the Nothing But Nets™ 2009 annual report, an inspirational story of our collective efforts to save lives from malaria over the last three years. 

It is amazing to think that this campaign has grown from an 815 word article in Sports Illustrated to an award-winning, grassroots campaign that has raised more than $30 million and distributed more than 3 million life-saving bed nets in just three years. The reason for this success is simple: YOU - the hundreds of thousands of you that have donated $10 to Nothing But Nets™ and asked your communities to also send a net and save a life.

The Nothing But Nets™ campaign has become a story of students coming together through bake sales and coin drives, of bishops and basketball players taking a shot to knock out malaria, and of CEOs and individuals alike spreading the buzz so that more and more children in Africa can sleep safely from malaria. We invite you to browse the Nothing But Nets™ 2009 annual report to see how your story has helped to grow the movement to end malaria.
 

If anyone knows how to sink nets and save lives, it’s the Davidson College men’s basketball team. Last Saturday, the Davidson Wildcats held their second-annual ‘BUZZKILL Shoot-Out’ to raise funds and awareness for Nothing But Nets. The event, spearheaded by senior guard Bryant Barr, involved a 3-on-3 tournament and live and online auctions.

Thirty teams from the Charlotte, North Carolina area came to the tournament with funds they had raised to go toward the purchase of life-saving bed nets. More funds raised meant a higher pick in a draft of Davidson College basketball players to coach their team for the day. Former Davidson All-American and current Golden State Warrior star Stephen Curry returned to his alma mater to join the coaching line-up and save lives!

While Houston-area boy scouts celebrated the Boy Scouts of America’s 100th Anniversary with their “An Adventure of a Lifetime” event at Minute Maid Park a couple weeks ago, they also learned that they have the power to be leaders in a life-saving adventure: helping to end malaria deaths.

Nothing But Nets joined the event by quizzing scouts’ knowledge of malaria through trivia questions. I was completely impressed! It was inspiring to meet young leaders that are aware of the impacts of malaria and determined to make a difference in their own communities. Many scouts are learning about Malaria 101 with their troops. Others are performing skits to their peers in their schools and communities to spread the buzz and the opportunity to send nets and save lives. Keep up the great work in Houston!

A couple weeks ago in California, Stephanie Rodriguez, Operations Manager for Orkin, Inc., joined Nothing But Nets at our public rally in San Francisco during our city tour, and then invited us to meet her team in Hayward. Stephanie challenged the Hayward team (and her grandmother!) to personally support the campaign, and as an extra benefit, the Hayward branch pledged to match each employee's donation. 

Then Orkin's regional office also agreed to match the funds raised; thus turning every one bed net into three life-saving nets! In less than 30 minutes the Hayward team raised enough funds for 87 bed nets!

To date Orkin, Inc. has helped to raise more than $135,000 and has now set a goal to raise more than $150,000 in 2009! We thank Orkin for their continued support in spreading awareness about malaria and for their leadership in the California community! 

Learn more about our partnership with Orkin.