Malden - LaMoille contest benefits 24 families

LaMoille assistant basketball coach Curt Alsvig shoots free throws for Nothing but Nets. (Photo contributed)

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MALDEN — The LaMoille Cubs and Malden Musketeers seventh- and eighth-grade boys’ basketball teams met at Malden on Nov. 10 before a packed house, but there was another big agenda item for the evening: raising money for the Nothing But Nets anti-malaria campaign.

At halftime, Malden coach Heath Terando and LaMoille assistant coach Curt Alsvig squared off in a free-throw shooting contest, encouraged by the donations of their fans. Alsvig won the shooting 8 to 7 and the netraising as well; LaMoille fans contributed $126.15 to Malden’s $117.63, for a total of $243.78.

But, the real winners were the 24 African families who will receive large insecticide-impregnated bed nets because of the project. Nothing But Nets is an international cooperative effort of sports leagues, churches and foundations with a goal of driving back the recent advance of the deadly mosquito-borne disease in Africa by distributing the nets to families. Only $10 provides a net large enough to shelter four sleepers, and it lasts for four years before it needs to be retreated.

The Malden effort began this fall in a partnership between Malden Elementary School and Malden United Methodist Church. Superintendent Debra Dalton says that the school is planning a fundraiser for the girls’ basketball season as well.

For its part, Malden Church is offering Holiday Helper Camp for preschool through fifth grade from 6 to 9 p.m. on Dec. 5, 12 and 19. The kids will enjoy games, stories, crafts and treats, while parents shop or do whatever they need to do. Participating families will be invited to contribute to Nothing But Nets, says the Rev. Beth Galbreath.

Malaria kills a child every 30 seconds in Africa, but the bed nets have been shown to dramatically cut the infection rate and save lives. Anyone can contribute to Nothing But Nets online through the Malden Village Illinois netraiser team at www.nothingbutnets.net.

The United Nations says 275,000 nets are needed now, before the rainy season starts in December, to shelter refugees in Tanzania, Uganda, Sudan and Kenya.