Busting nets to buy nets
Fifth graders raise money for malaria stricken Africans
BY SCOTT PAGE Gulf Breeze News scott@gulfbreezenews.com

A fifth-grader in Deshaen Chavez's Gulf Breeze Elementary school class shoots free throws for Nets 4 Nets last week.

Dashean Chavez's fifth grade class at Gulf Breeze Elementary is sinking baskets in order to raise money for malaria awareness and prevention.

"Compassion is our focus character trait this year," Chavez said. "So I was happy to challenge my students to show empathy and compassion to people in need from a far away place."

The Chavez Champions, as he calls his class, raised donations to buy insecticidetreated bed nets for less- fortunate communities in Africa that have been suffering from malaria outbreaks.

Nets 4 Nets is a 10 shot freethrow drive in which students raised donations from sponsors. For example, if a sponsor offered $5 for each shot made and the kid makes four shots out of 10, then that sponsor donates $20. The Chavez Champions concluded their effort with the free-throw contest on Dec. 19, and raised a total of $230-- enough to provide 23 nets.

"I'm so proud of the kids," Chavez said. "They only had five days to find sponsors to donate and put this together, but they have done an amazing job."

Chavez's Champions raised $230 for nets to send to malaria stricken Africa.

Nets 4 Nets is a part of 'Nothing but Nets,' a much larger effort initiated by the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Sports Illustrated magazine, and has gained support from a multitude of organizations. "When I read about it in Sports Illustrated, I decided that teaming up with 'Nothing but Nets was the way to go," Chavez said.

Africa is home to some of the deadliest strands of malaria, and the lack of resources and support makes it very difficult for many to fight the disease. A donation of just $10 can help purchase a bed net, deliver it to a family and explain its use.

The bed nets will greatly reduce the rate of malaria transmission and help ease the suffering of people struggling against the disease. "This is our Christmas present to those who are less fortunate than us," Chavez said.

The reality of the situation, however, is much larger than that. Those unfortunate people in Africa need our compassion and support year-round.