netWORKinProgress

New Year, New Posts, Same Mission (aka Changing the World)

2011-09-14T18:41:00.000-07:00

The summer wrapped up with many changes for our global community, our NETwork community, and myself.

For starters, I headed off to college this year which is a major change. College is definately an adjustment: the workload, being away from home, sharing a room with someone who was a stranger 2 months ago, buffet style meals (Chinese food and pizza in the same meal minus portion control! That's a dream come true!). It's a major change but one I'm thrilled to have made.

For our world- politics, governments, natural disasters. It's been a buzy summer.

AND FOR NETWORK?

We distributed 1,000 bednets to the children of Hoima. Our vice president and co-founder travelled to Uganda and attended this distribution. I'll include a picture and a few links.

I'm so excited to talk to you again and you'll hear from me really soon!

2011-05-24T07:41:00.000-07:00

It's May 24th and I feel like my life is starting to calm down again, like I can breath again.

That's the thing about taking on many responsibilities as youth volunteer. You need to keep up with them and it can be overwhelming. But with May wrapping up and June soon to follow, my lungs seem to fill with air more easily and my chest doesn't pound quite as much. I hope you're starting to feel the same way.

But, in my humble opinion, its all worth it. Its worth the confussion and exhaustion and all other things. Its worth it to be a person of conviction. It is worth it to strive for character.

We Are Young.

2011-04-22T09:07:00.000-07:00

We are young. We are frustrated. We are uncertain. We are even confused. We are angry. We are disappointed. We are constantly finding things are not as we had hoped.

We are young. We are exhausted. We are overwhelmed. We are overworked. We are unappreciated.

We are young. We are discouraged. We are saddened. We are continuosly seeing the world is filled with cruelty.

We are young. We are spirited. We are, despite it all, optimistic. We are young. We find energy. We are hopeful. We are determined.

We are young.

We will change the world.

ART CONTEST ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

2011-04-12T15:16:00.000-07:00

NETwork Against Malaria Weill Cornell Medical School Chapter would like to invite you to participate in our 1^st Annual Art Contest in Recognition of World Malaria Day—April 25, 2011. Our theme, NETs work Against Malaria.

World Malaria Day is a day to remember malaria victims and celebrate global efforts to control malaria. In honor of World Malaria Day 2011, the Weill Cornell Medical School Chapter of a national nonprofit, NETwork Against Malaria, is hosting our first annual art contest to help spread awareness of a disease that threatens nearly half the world population and claims the lives of nearly one million people every year. Most of these are of young children living in sub-Saharan Africa. It doesn’t have to be this way. When mosquito nets are heavily used, malaria transmission can be cut by over 90%. Although nets can have a major impact, few families in sub-Saharan African have the ten dollars needed to purchase one.

To facilitate learning about mosquito nets and the people who need them, NETwork Against Malaria has established an art contest. By creating artwork that nurtures understanding of serving others with malaria, NETwork aims to help students develop an appreciation of other cultures, increase awareness of the problems others face, foster the growth of the global community, and teach children how they can make a global impact. For additional curricular resources visit www.networkagainstmalariaartcontest.blogspot.com; for additional information about malaria and NETwork Against Malaria please visit www.networkagainstmalaria.org.

For rules please see attachment and information below.

Thank you for your efforts to educate the next generation.

Sincerely,

The NETwork Against Malaria Weill Cornell Medical College Team

Attached: rules

Contests Rules for participating children:

Please email all submissions to:

NETworkagainstmalariaCornell@gmail.com

Or mail all submissions to:

NETwork Against Malaria

Box #820

445 East 69^th Street

New York, NY 10021

Deadline: postmark May 12, 2011 or email by 11:59pm May 11, 2011.

1. Create an original piece of art using the theme: Nets Work Against Malaria. The theme should appear on the front of the work. Art should reflect the theme.

2. Use 8.5 x 11 inch paper (for both mailed and emailed artwork).

3. Make your poster colorful. Use markers, colored pencils, crayons, paint. (Do not use glitter or glue.)

4. Original art only. Please no stencils or coloring book pages.

5. Please label the artwork: For mailed entries: student’s name, school, teacher, grade must be written on the back of the paper.

For emailed entries: The art should be scanned or photographed. Student’s name, school, teacher, grade must be included in the name of the file in the format: FirstNameLastName.School.Teacher.Gr(grade number) (e.g. JaneDoe.WeillCornell.MrsDoe.Gr8). Please submit files in .GIF, .JPEG, or .PDF format.

6. Prizes will be awarded to 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, and honorable mention winners in each division.

7. The divisions are as follows: grades K-1, 2-3, 4-5, 6-8,

Winners will receive a certificate and a goodie bag with a NETwork Against Malaria T-shirt.

Teachers/educators of winning participants will also receive a NETwork necklace made with fair trade Ugandan beads.

Please mail and postmark submissions by May 12^th or email by 11:59pm May 12^th.

Questions?

Email: Vlad Thomas or Margaret McGlynn at networkagainstmalariacornell@gmail.com

Phone: Margaret McGlynn (618-581-6046)

For curricular resources please visit www.networkagainstmalariaartcontest.blogspot.com

for more information about NETwork Against Malaria please visit: www.NETworkAgainstMalaria.org

Fr. Mujule

2011-04-05T13:36:00.000-07:00

Meet Fr. Mujule!

With one Bead

2011-04-03T07:42:00.000-07:00

With just one bead, you can change a life. NETwork volunteers make jewelry using beads made by Ugandan women. The women go to trash dumps and get old newspapers and magazines. They cut them into strips and roll them into paper beads. The women seal the beads and send them to America where volunteers string the beads to make jewelry.

The jewelry made by our volunteers is sold to purchased bednets for Ugandan children.

We can do a lot with a single bead like save a life.

How to Save A Life

2011-04-02T08:16:00.000-07:00

Saving a life can be rescuing a child from a building. It can be pushing a person out of the way of an oncoming bus. It may even mean giving a life for a friend. It can generous- donating food to an impoverished family, providing funds for medical bills, or giving a bednet to children in the developing world. Saving a life can be more simple. It can mean showing someone their purpose and dignity. It can mean helping someone realize they are important, and matter and their life is precious. It can be as simple as being someone's reason to live.

5 Way to Counter Animal Homelessness:

2011-03-30T13:40:00.001-07:00

5 Way to Counter Animal Homelessness:

Support your local animal shelter. Not only will you inspire limitless loyalty from your rescue pet, you will enjoy your time with a remarkable animal. There's a place for dogs with distinguished breeding, but I promise a lovable mutt form the "pound" will fill your heart. Often, mixed breed dogs have better personalities and fewer health issues because they are not inbred.

Spay or nueter. Self explanitory.

Tag and microchip your pet. The last thing you, or anyone else wants, is for Fido to end up on the streets. If more people tagged their dogs, more could be returned.

Volunteer, fundraise, or donate to your animal shelter. They need your help!

Educate others about pet homelessness and pet responsibility. Together we can make a big difference!

A Dog Called Sky

2011-03-30T13:38:00.001-07:00

So I have a story.

I have a dog named Sky. I'm not sure if his favorite food is chicken fat or bananas.

He's a pretty funny dude. He eats carrot peals like its his job.

Whenever I'm with Sky I can't help but laugh. He has this giant goofy face that always looks a little concerned, happy, and confused at the same time.

He loves people. And that's it. Completely. Totally. And unrelenting. And that's Sky.

The Weight of the World

2011-03-29T22:01:00.000-07:00

After giving my speech, I took my place in the audience at a youth rally. The next keynote speaker rose and began his speech by saying that ours was the first generation in the history of mankind that had the ability to end global poverty. For a moment I had such a high, such a great feeling of purpose, dedication, and hope that I could hardly keep from running laps around the rally. What he said next sobered me up pretty quickly. "What a grave responsibility." He looked at the group with heavy eyes and no smile. He continued on to talk about our ipods and laptops and excessive spending. He went on to say that we were squandering our opportunity to save the world. I felt my shoulders slump back into their resolute, determined position. The way he said it made it sound daunting. Alleviating poverty would not be a success if achieved. It would be a failure if we did not achieve it. I found myself feeling slightly discouraged. After the speech I took a few moments just to think for myself. I sat there for a long time and finally something occurred to me. If we had the ability to eradicate poverty, it was because we had already achieved other things. We had learned effective farming methods, ways of getting water to rural regions, and improved health. We had the resources to educate children and the knowledge to cure diseases. The reason my generation, our generation, has so much potential is because for centuries humankind has been building on one anothers accomplishments. Because of what past generations have accomplished, our generation is in the position were we literally (arguably) can eradicate poverty. That's empowering. But, no matter the outcome of our work, we all have a responsibility to honor our impoverished neighbors. BUT the fact that we would honor this responsibility is, in fact, a gift. SO no matter what is accomplished or not accomplished, the generation can build on the accomplishments of our own. Hopefully we can eradicate poverty, but nothing could possibly diminish such an accomplishment. We all have a responsibility to one another, but everything we do is a gift.

A World Away

2011-03-28T18:05:00.000-07:00

Our American and Ugandan volunteers may feel a world apart, but both are essential for NETwork's sucess. Pictured are some of our chapters in the US and Uganda. (Thanks Google for the map)

Sharing in a Simple Project

2011-03-28T17:54:00.000-07:00

"Last wish from a little 12 year old boy dying of terminal cancer. He lives in Neola, Iowa. His last wish is to receive one million cards in the mail. I think we can make his wish come true if enough people pass the word. It is not too much to ask for a 12 year old boy. One million cards. Let your fellow employees know and your churches and school children. We need to take the time to do this for this little boy.

Let's make his last wish come true.

His name and addressas published in the Ottumwa Courier newspaper is:

Max Low.

c/o Greg and Bambi Low.

P.O. Box 111

Neola, Iowa 51559"

This was sent to me via e-mail. I am sharing it with you now.

2011-03-20T11:35:00.000-07:00

Being a teenager is hard. College, tuition- these are impending time bombs ticking from the time you meet your guidance counselor freshman year. Of course college is always the goal, the dream, the target in the sky. Of course from the very beginning everyone says, "I'm so ready to get out on my own, so ready to find my own way." We beg for Independence. If its denied, sometimes we take it anyway. We argue, we defy, we oppose, sometimes for no other reason than to show ourselves and those around us that we are capable of doing these things.

But we try. So hard. Everyday. We crave people telling us we're doing it, making it, being our best self. We try so hard and sometimes this trying is exhausting, overwhelming, confusing.

People say these are the best times of our life and sometimes we believe them- when we're with our friends on something that feels like an adventure. When we laugh so hard that nothing else seems to matter and when we wake up to find we were smiling the entire time we were asleep.

But usually we hope this isn't true. Because we 15, 16, 17. Because we hope to live to be 85, 86, 87. Because we don't want the best times of our life to be over before our life is even 1/4 gone.

And somehow I think we all understand, realize that the best times in our life, they're always before us. Because the best day of our life should be the one we are living at that moment. Because each day truly is a wonder, each night an escape and each new day more wonderful than the last.

An Ocean Away

2011-03-17T20:53:00.000-07:00

Bridging the gap from your school to Uganda, can be simple by working through NETwork Against Malaria. Its phenomenal to see how far away your efforts travel in the fight against poverty and malaria.

This picture shows the distance between a fifth grade class from South Eastern Illinois who raised funds for bednets and the Ugandan children who received these nets a continent away.

Go the distance!

St. Patty's Day: Parades vs. Protests

2011-03-17T13:51:00.000-07:00

Parades are someplace you bring the kids. Candy flies from float. Beads get tossed into crowds. There's popcorn vendors, loud crowds, unpleasant Johnnys, marching bands, goofy clowns, floats, and the list goes on and on.

Protests. They usually aren't someplace you bring the fam. Sure they can be quiet, respectful. They can be enjoyable and fun. But they're not really about celebration.

Parades= fun.
Protests= causes.

I am not saying we need to get out there and protest the way protests are viewed, but I do think we should find some middle ground. I am not really talking about political issue protests but on cause related protests. We need to find some middle ground, grow in our understanding, and realize there are many important ways to use our time- making our voices heard included.

Off the Shelf

2011-03-14T15:43:00.000-07:00

Les Miserables by Victor Hugo is a great read for a young change maker. After Jean Valjean gets out of prison, one man's kindness is enough to turn his life into one of selflessness. Through kindness, love, and devotion he becomes a new man.

Jean Valjean is pursued by the ghosts of his past and one man who is determined to send him back to prison. Could Jean Valjean's compassion be so powerful that it could influence the very people determined to bring him down?

Another Ugandan Prover

2011-03-11T18:59:00.000-08:00

You can't dig with a spade handle, but it helps the spade to dig.

For Them

2011-03-09T14:36:00.001-08:00

It is more than a project. Service benefits real people.

For them take action.

My l...o...n...g Day

2011-03-09T14:13:00.001-08:00

Today was a long day. This morning feels like a year ago and its only four o'clock.

Usually when I say this it's an extraordinarily exciting day: I started at five thirty and my head didn't hit my pillow until midnight. Sometimes I travelled, hit up an event, hung out with friends, and accomplished something major all on the same day.

Today was a long day.

Sometimes I mean it was an emotionally trying day. I felt drained. I was excited, demoralized, disappointed, and relieved. Sometimes it means this.

Today was a long day.

And I really don't know why. It was a good day- not an overwhelmingly exciting day. It was a consistant day- no remarkable dissapointments or excitements. It was just a long day.

Looking back on this long day I can't help but smile. It didn't look like an important day but it was a good day. I got to school early and helped plan an upcoming event. We went to service. I got back a test I thought was difficult (and did okay) and took a test that really was difficult (and hoped I did okay). I ate lunch with great friends, learned a couple of new things, came home and worked on NETwork stuff and sat down trying to think of something to blog about.

So yeah- today was a long day. It wasn't exceptionally exciting or exceptionally emotionally trying, but it WAS exceptional- because I had fun and learned and suceeded and struggled and accomplished and laughed and just loved being me today.

And the funny thing: its only four o'clock.

Shout out to some awesome volunteers!

2011-03-04T15:52:00.000-08:00

Thanks so much Rachel, Donyelle, and Nate!

DYC Weekend

2011-03-04T15:46:00.000-08:00

NETwork Against Malaria supporters are prepping for this weekend with beads, baskets and a couple bottles of caffine. We're headed off to the Dioceasan Youth Conference to share our wares and our story with teenagers from across southern Illiois. Our goal: Walk away with a few bucks, a few more pieces of jewelry, and a bunch more volunteers. Cross your fingers and we may even get a chapter out of the weekend.

So this weekend is about youth empowerement and NETwork-ing. It's about meeting people and inspiring people and causing them to take action. It's about showing people the faces of Ugandan children and challenging them not to look away, not to ignore, not to forgot. It's about helping people realize that although we're an ocean away there is so much we can do for those smiling children.

Off the Shelf

2011-02-27T20:23:00.001-08:00

As you may know I think picture books say in just a few words what many poigniot novels say in a few hundred pages. As a book junkie I think lots of great longer books deserve more attention but the most unsong literature of all are the books with illustrations.

Check out this breif bedtime read which is sure to make you smile, think of another, and, hopefully, take action.

The Quilt Maker's Gift

My Ironic Dog

2011-02-26T10:41:00.000-08:00

My dog's name is ironic. Actually, that's how I learned that word.
"Nice dog," someone would say. "What's his name?"
"Snowman," I'd say while beaming at the black dog. "It's ironic."
The truth is, anyone who said that my dog was a "nice dog" was really just a nice person. He was horrible.
I was in third grade with a border collie mix who knew not only that he was a heck of a lot stronger than me, he was a heck of a lot smarter to. We did 4-H together and he'd drag me from one tree to the next as the rest of the class heeled beautifully in a ring.
Around this time we were introduced to the gentle lead which I equate to a horse halter. It looks like a muzzle giving some ill-informed people the idea that at any moment the dog may attack. I could guide him by his snout and whenever he pulled it brought his head back to the right place.
Have you ever seen the movie Spirit? Ok. That movie. 8 year old girl. Giant dog. It didn't end well. He threw his head back in forth, ran in circles while we walked and made quite a spectacle of himself. Come to think of it, I can't really blame anyone for being distrustful of such a beast.
Eventually I gave up on the whole gentle lead thing. I still kept training him and working with him and laughing at him and loving him and thinking in general that I had the best, smartest, most beautiful dog whoever lived. And honestly- who's to say that I didn't.
The rest of the world didn't agree. Although he's ten now, he really hasn't calmed down that much. He's perfectly behaved when he wants to be and my increased body weight gives a little more resistance. We qualified for the state 4-H dog show because he decided one day he may as well cooperate.
When I'm trying to explain my dog to someone who thinks this crazy creature is unpleasant I tell them this story. Snowy chases anything that moves. Its his hearding drive- his instinct (not to mention his greatest passion in life). Anyway one day I come into the backyard to let him in and a mother and two baby possums are walking around our backyard. Snow is not chasing them or staring at them with his intent "I would chase you if I knew it would cost me in future pieces of string cheese" look. No. The babies would come within a few feet of my "untame" beast and he looked up at them curiously.

My point is this. Everyone- even crazy dogs- has a great heart. Lots of people missed the opportunity to adopt Snow from the shelter or get to know him later because they took one look at him and said, "No thank you!" But my advice is this- weather its a person, dog, elephant, or volunteer project, give them a chance. Odds are if you don't, you'll miss out on a great experience or, in my case, a best friend.

Meet the Beaders

2011-02-24T17:15:00.000-08:00

You've heard a lot about and seen a lot of our amazing Ugandan volunteers and net recipients. Now check this out: http://networkagainstmalaria.giving.officelive.com/Meet_the_Beaders.aspx. These are just a few of the thousands of American volunteers. Learn about these young people. get to know them. Realize there are people out there right now taking an active role in their global community. Realize they are not that different from you!

Already involved in NETwork and want to be added to the page? E-mail me: NETworkAgainstMalaria@gmail.com and just answer the questions everyone else did.

Want to join these amazing individuals in their fight against malaria? Well don't just sit there GET INVOLVED!

Inspirational Leadership Quote

2011-02-22T19:06:00.000-08:00

"Go to the people. Learn from them. Live with them. Start with what they know. Build with what they have. The best of leaders when the job is done, when the task is accomplished, the people will say we have done it ourselves. "
-Lao Tzu

Thanks for the penguin Flicker

Gumballs for Change

2011-02-17T15:59:00.000-08:00

I first saw this video on GenV Youth Venture. It's really cool, inspirational, and well done. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Check this Out!

2011-02-16T21:24:00.000-08:00

Check out this really cool approach to malaria prevention!
This is an article from the BBC.
Jumping spiders with a blood lust for anopheles mosquitoes and a strange passive obsession with gym socks. This is the stuff insect horror movies are made of!

What Can You Do?

2011-02-16T14:22:00.000-08:00

Donate
Buy jewelry and t-shirts
Start your own NETwork Against Malaria Chapter
Have a jewelry drive
Help NETwork Against Malaria make jewelry
Shovel snow, water flowers, or rake leaves for donations
Invite NETwork to talk at your school
Use our Grade school curriculum to teach your class
Sell lemonade on your street corner
Host a beading event
Organize a bake sale
Plan a benefit concert
Collect Office Supplies- Paper, staplers, software, cds, DVDs, cameras, etc.
Mail us your old cell phones to recycle
Host a Battle of the Bands
Set up a tournament
Customize T-shirts for events in your community
Have an art show and sell your beautiful work
Collect Change at your school, church, or sports games
Organize a competitive penny drive or donation collection
Sell t-shirts and jewelry
Design promotional materials
Write for the newsletter
Collect pledges for a 5k, marathon, or sports event (i.e. a nickle per basket/ three dollars per mile)
Give presentations to class mates, churches, youth groups, etc.

Think of your own ideas. Fresh ideas are always welcome. Volunteering is more fun if you personalize it and do what you love.

Have fun with NETwork. Volunteering and saving lives should be things you enjoy!
We Can't Wait to Hear from you: NETworkAgainstMalaria@gmail.com

**Please e-mail NETworkAgainstMalaria@gmail.com for a copy of the curriculum.

Never Under Appreciate

2011-02-15T13:32:00.001-08:00

While frantically searching for notes from my sophomore year, I found my old box of grade school memories under my bed. I smiled at the ridiculous smiling alien-giraffe-bus thingy staring up at me and sat down on the floor. It was late and nothing I needed to do that night was going to go away, but that didn't really matter. I pulled out the "best" stories I had written. Most of them were written on "T0-DO" pads and scraps of napkins. I saw my first ever fast facts test that I finished and got them all correct on. My teacher had failed to put on a sticker, so I had drawn one on myself. I saw some ridiculous looking people, objects that were either flowers or balls, poems, projects, and tests. However, most of the things I pulled out were gifts.

They were thank you cards from my teachers, birthday cards from my grandparents, and "artwork" from my sisters. They were pictures of me and friends glued onto construction paper, short poems that rhymed my curly hair with things like chair, and lots butterflies and dogs. Once each person in my class wrote me "Get Well Soon" cards and I laughed at all the creative was to spell simple words.

Even- no especially- when I was little I understood the value of notes and thoughtful gifts. I'm sure some of those people gave me stuffed animals at birthday parties, but those weren't the things I had the foresight to keep. Even then it was the simple things that really mattered.

So here's my point. Every person out there can make a card. Every person out there can do one simple thing to make someone's life better. As I put away all the stuff and kept searching for those darn notes I was grateful that I had this box filled with meaningful things from people who cared for me. I hoped that someone had something from me in a box. I hoped I taken the time to make sure someone else knew how much I cared for them.
This is my challenge to you and myself. Fill as many "boxes" for as many people as you can. It doesn't have to be posters or artwork. Just let them know that you care.

Another Ugandan Proverb

2011-02-13T17:56:00.000-08:00

"He who loves you, loves you with your dirt."

My Dad's Favorite Tie

2011-02-11T16:45:00.000-08:00

My dad just might be the most "boring man." He only wears blue or black shirts, wears the same pants in rotation, and prefers to stay home than go out. For Christmas, he gave my sisters and I a tie and said, "This is what I want." We walked into the store where they said they hadn't carried that tie for years.

My dad is pretty darn one of a kind. I don't really know how to explain that. Come to my house sometime, observe and you'll know right away.

My point is this, even my dad's predictabilities make him unique. His clothes, his ties, his laughs, his jokes- sometimes he annoys me and purposely embarrasses me. Mostly I'm proud of him and love him and laugh at him.

Sometimes we all appear to be boring and sometimes we appear extraordinary. But even the boring part is truly extraordinary. Because we are so "darn one of a kind" we each have something unique to offer.

So what can you do with your something?

A Ugandan Proverb

2011-02-10T20:19:00.001-08:00

"It is no good asking the spirits to help you run if you don't mean to sprint."

What can you do with what you have?

Video from August 2nd Distribution

2011-02-10T20:06:00.000-08:00

During this distributino bednets were distributed to schools and women's groups. Check out our newest video of the kids receiving their nets!

Small Town Big Team, Small People Big Dream

2011-02-10T19:48:00.000-08:00

As a personal St. Louis Rams' fan, the last few post seasons have been pretty slow for me- its been a rough couple of years. This year though, things have been a lot better. Post season play I embraced my Wisconsin roots and pulled on the cheese head.

I think the real reason I really like Green Bay is the size of the city. There's about 100,000 people who call Green Bay home. It's not quite small town, rural but it also isn't concrete country. The idea that a fan-owned team that calls home a city of 100,000 can claim the biggest title in the nation is pretty cool.

The same principle applies to volunteerism. A small group of people can make a major difference. With commitment and passion you can overcome anything. There's no stopping you- Get Out There!

There may not be a convertible on the otherside but you may find something even better!

An Inspirational Quote

2011-01-24T18:31:00.000-08:00

"A gentleman is one who puts more into the world than he takes out."
-George Bernard Shaw

What will your legacy be?

George Clooney Gets Malaria

2011-01-22T07:56:00.000-08:00

George Clooney, the famous actor, is now added to our list of famous people with malaria. He contracted his disease while volunteering in the Sudan.

Bednet Distribution October 2010

2011-01-18T14:55:00.000-08:00

See your impact on the lives of those on the other side of the world!

Keep up the great work!

The Faces of NETwork Against Malaria

2011-01-18T13:38:00.000-08:00

Take a look at some of the many impacted by NETwork Against Malaria. This collage was made in 2009.

Volunteering

2011-01-18T13:07:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned before I'm at a children's hospital for senior service and right now I'm home sick. This is the first time I've chosen to stay home sick since I had the stomach flu freshman year. And do you know what the worst part is- I don't want to stay home. Some of my favorite kids are going home today and I don't even get to say goodbye.

Wow. I just totally twisted the purpose of volunteering. I made it about me- what I wanted. I want to say goodbye to these kids. I should be excited out of my mind they're going home(which I am) but I should also be happy that I stayed home and didn't get them sick.

It can be really easy to make volunteering about you- about how you feel. "I feel good when I help someone." "I love to feel like I'm making a difference." "I feel like volunteering has taught me a lot and opened doors."

Yes! These are good things- good feelings. And its fine and normal and healthy to have good feelings and to like good feelings and be motivated by good feelings. Let's face it- these may be some of the best good feelings out there to be motivated by.

BUT I have to keep in mind that volunteering is about putting others first, attempting to fix problems in our communities, and making an impact. THESE things are more important than feelings.

Picture from Distribution Oct. 2010

2011-01-14T15:42:00.001-08:00

Thanks for all your support guys!

THANK YOU!!

2011-01-14T15:30:00.000-08:00

You did it!

Thanks for all the votes. Because of you, NETwork has earned a permanant spot on GlobalGiving.org.

Senior Service

2011-01-14T15:22:00.000-08:00

For the first three weeks of January, don't look for me-or in that case any of my classmates-in a high school classroom. Instead of heading back to school, we head out to the community. People go to grade schools, day cares, retreat groups, etc. For me, I've spent my morning playing trains and holding babies and my afternoons playing ski ball and Sorry!.

I love volunteering at Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital. Each day I am amazed by the sincerity and optimism of the kids I'm surrounded by. Sometimes the kids are so enthusiastic and energetic, I forget they're sick. Each one has such a unique personality.

One more reason to volunteer- the people around you will astound you!

Volunteering for NETwork Against Malaria

2010-12-18T10:30:00.000-08:00

Volunteering for NETwork and having a ball!

Get involved with someone, something, NOW!

Global Giving

2010-12-18T10:20:00.000-08:00

I know I sound like a broken record, but support us on Global Giving! It makes a great holiday gift!

Congrats!

2010-12-03T14:49:00.001-08:00

Congratulations to this year's NETwork Against Malaria 5k youth winners!

NETwork needs YOU!

2010-12-03T14:31:00.000-08:00

Dear NETwork Team,

NETwork has another amazing opportunity- becoming listed on Global Giving's website. Getting on Global Giving is like the big leagues for a nonprofit. With people and companies all over the world having access to our information, we could make money in our sleep!

Remember all those times we got up at six am on a Saturday to prepare for an event? Well, we'll still probably do that, but there's a chance we could have been making money at 3 am while you were asleep too.

ONLY ONE LITTLE THING: We have to raise $4,000 from 5o different donors by DEMEBER 22!!

So now we need to get on our fundraisin' faces and makes some dough!

Ask friends family, ANYONE to donate. Dotations can be $10 or more sizable. ANY GIFT WILL BE APPRECIATED!

So get out there heros of fundraising, because NO TASK IS TOO DAUNTING- NO TASK IS IMPOSSIBLE!

(oh, by the way, here's the website you'll need!)
http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/network-against-malaria/

Thanksgiving

2010-12-03T14:06:00.001-08:00

Thanks giving is a time to be thankful- for all the wonderful things we have in our lives. It is also a time to reflect on all the things that we can do to improve the lives of others.

As young volunteers, we realize that November is often a time for hunger awarness. Do some research on your community to learn about local hunger issues your community faces.

In my own community, more people are visiting food pantries which has caused them to run low and even run out. I volunteer at a food pantry and have been told stock is high around the holidays, but runs low throughout the rest of the year.

A great cause for you is a random hunger drive for your own community. Call your local food pantry to find out when food runs lowest and when your Non-Holiday Food Drive would be most needed.

Key Chain Days

2010-11-18T16:20:00.000-08:00

So volunteering is sort of like making NETwork jewelry. Sometimes its a safety pin bracelet day and you feel like spending hours volunteering to alleviate the suffering of others. Other times it's a key chain day and a couple of minutes is just right. Either way, giving your time is great.

Weather you're in a safety pin mood or a key chain mood, there is always something you can do to help, always some way to get involved.

Up Coming Opportunities

2010-11-11T10:01:00.000-08:00

Looking to get involved?

NETwork has some amazing upcoming opportunities for you to jump on.

Come to our 5K this Saturday! Register online at networkagainstmalaria.org. Bring your competitve nature and running shoes or bring your positive attitude and walk the distance. Either way, come out to support NETwork, our volunteer who organized the event, and the children of Uganda.
Join us for beading on Sunday. E-mail us if you're interested in this opportunity.
Start a chapter! Is there not a chapter in your area or are you looking to start something new? Send NETwork an e-mail and get your start-up kit in the mail!
Buy our jewelry. With Christmas just around the corner, you or someone special should be treated with our amazing jewelry.
Start NETwork-ing! Volunteer any where any time to get involved. Maybe blogging is even your thing. Send NETwork an e-mail for a more extensive list of up-coming events in your area or to learn how to set some up!

What You Can Do

2010-11-04T13:55:00.000-07:00

Considering Fund raising for NETwork Against Malaria?

A little dough can go a long way in the fight against malaria. Get together with family, friends, classmates, teammates, clubs, groups, whatever and change the lives of children, pregnant women, and families across the globe!

Sponsor three children- $10

For only $10 you can give a life-saving bednet to three impoverished children at our next net distribution.

Sponsor a family- $40

For $40 you can give enough nets to protect a Ugandan family at our next net distribution.

Sponsor a classroom- $300

For $300 you can donate nets for a grade school or high school class.

Sponsor a school- $2,000

For $2,000 you can sponsor a rural school. Students will be protected from malaria, saving their lives and allowing them to attend school.

Sponsor a village- $7,000

With your gift of $7,000, a rural village can be protected from malaria. This will give the community the opportunity to better their lives and lift themselves out of poverty.

The Glory of Picking Up Poop

2010-10-31T13:24:00.000-07:00

As a volunteer at my local animal shelter, I’ve become all too familiar with the smell of bleach, the grit of hand sanitizer, and the sound of two sides of a pooper scooper clanking together. You’re probably wondering why I’d start there. I suppose I wanted to get the unpleasant part out of the way first. Now let’s get into what’s important.

The glory of picking up poop comes when you see the opportunity for second chances. Don’t get me wrong, I love the warm feeling of wiggly puppies in my hand, their small wet tongues tickling my face, and their enthusiastic curious head cocks that display the most adorable faces. That part’s definitely the most immediately gratifying, but it’s not the most rewarding.

It’s when you’ve watched the same old dog lie on a cement floor for days. It’s when that dog looks up at you with a look of desperation, abandonment, and a loss of hope. It’s when you see someone look into those eyes and make a connection. It’s whenever there’s the opportunity for a second chance.

There’s something amazing about that. There’s something wonderful about seeing the sparkle return to a loyal dog’s eyes.

That Time

2010-10-28T19:25:00.000-07:00

It’s come. That dreaded time I’ve been warned about since freshman year- the time you have to fill in the blanks, check the boxes, and list volunteer hours/ extracurricular activities. That time has come and believe me some amazingly negative attitudes have followed. Some people race around school signing their names to lists and attending the bare minimum of meetings just so they can add it to their resume.

And I’m here to tell you something before this time comes to you.

Don’t make those people’s dumb mistakes. Work hard every year and do your best, because I promise that will be good enough.

If you want to enjoy high school, don’t do something to write it down. Do it because you love it. Don’t volunteer to tally hours; volunteer to make the hours meaningful.

Letter From Uganda

2010-10-27T22:03:00.000-07:00

Below is a letter NETwork received from Stella Matutina secondary school in Uganda. The students and faculty of this girls' boarding school received nets in the October 2010 distribution. I thank you also for your support!

Dear friends,

Greetings from Stella Matutina Secondary School.

Stella Matutina is a girls' secondary school in Katulikire Holy Family Parish,Hoima Catholic diocese, Uganda.

A few days ago we received bed nets from your organisation through our parish priest Rev. Fr. Francis Banura. 315 girls( between the ages of 12-19yrs) and 27 staff members received the bed nets.

This effort will go along way in the fight against malaria. We believe as these girls are protected, they in turn will become the ambassodors of this noble struggle you are making. More so when they are healthy they will concentrate more in their studies.

On behalf of the school, I sincerely thank you for this great struggle and promise you our prayers.God bless you abundantly.

Sr. Josephine Acan

Head teacher

Stella Matutina Secondary School.

5K Walk And Run

2010-10-26T18:59:00.000-07:00

Looking for a great way to help out, a good source of exercise and a chance to get involved in NETwork Against Malaria?

Come out and show your support for NETwork Against Malaria at the First Annual 5K Walk and Run. Enjoy, food drinks, live music, while competing to ribbons in each age group. All money raised benefits NETwork Against Malaria

Your $10 registration fee buys one bednet and saves three lives! NETwork Against Malaria needs your support. Come out for this fun day to promote awareness and celebrate a wonderful cause !

Register Online or View Registration Flyer

Dates And Times
- November 13, 2010
- Start Time 9:30 AM
- Location: Family Sportsplex
2346 Mascoutah Avenue, Belleville, IL

- Registration Starting at 8:00 AM
- Cost: $10 for early registration
$12 for day-of registration
- All proceeds benefit NETwork Against Malaria, NFP
Questions? 618-581-8000 or 618-233-6412

This run was organized by a high school senior, Conor Gardner. He needs your help! Come support NETwork Against Malaria's FIRST ANNUAL 5K!

3:45 in The Morning Early

2010-10-23T14:08:00.000-07:00

The first day of school is stressful for everyone. There is no one in the world who can honestly say that they don’t even feel a little nervous as they walk through the doors to the first class. This year I woke up early-really early-3:45 in the morning early. At first I tried to go back to bed, but I realized that I was too antsy to do that. So, I got up and walked around my dark, lonely house. Not even my dogs got up with me. The sun had not risen yet and I could see the moon out off the glass door to my deck. I thought about watching t-v, but I decided that would ruin the perfect peace of half-night. I sat on the lazy-boy in my family room watching the moon make its journey across the night sky. There is something indescribably wonderful about being the only up in the house. I got dressed for the day around 5:30, but my family was still a couple of hours away from waking up, so I read a chapter from the novel I’d been working on, and gazed as the moon disappeared and the sun started to fill the morning with light. If you have never seen the sunrise I encourage you to set your alarm just one day, and then you can go back to sleep. It is defiantly worth seeing at least once in full consciousness. It is one of the most beautiful things I have ever witnessed, but also one of the saddest. As the sun begins to hoist itself into the air, it forces the mystery of the night away. I wanted that night to last as long as possible. There is something so magical about the night that I have always loved. Watching the sun rise is sort of like watching a superhero triumph over a much lesser villain that never really had a chance: you always think that you would want the superhero to win, but when the time comes you realize it was never a fair fight. You wind up feeling sorry for the little villain and secretly hope that he wins.

The Cause of the Silent Killer

2010-10-22T21:58:00.000-07:00

Malaria comes from a parasite…Malaria is carried by single-celled, wormlike parasites called Plasmodia. Before a mosquito bites a person, they surround the area they are going to bite with a circle of saliva. The Plasmodium parasite lives inside the mosquito’s salivary glands. Plasmodia are small—so small that 50,000 could fit inside a period at the end of a sentence. Several dozen Plasmodia enter the blood stream, but it only takes one to kill a person. The parasite travels through the circulatory system until it reaches and burrows into the person’s liver cells.

There are four different species of malaria parasite that affect humans, but the most prevalent and the most dangerous to humans is Plasmodium falciparum. Plasmodium falciparum is the only species that attacks the brain. In the entire world, half of world’s cases of infection, and 95% of deaths by malaria are caused by Plasmodium falciparum. [1]

Just a bite…Malaria comes from the bite of a “loaded” Anopheles mosquito. The Anopheles mosquito is the only insect that can carry the human malaria parasite. In fact, it is only the female mosquito that transmits the malaria disease. The female depends on hemoglobin, the part of the red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body, to nourish her eggs.

Malaria transmission is a chain. A mosquito obtains the Plasmodia when they bite a person who is carrying the parasite. The now “loaded” mosquito then passes the parasite to next person it bites. [2]

A person does not stir as the parasite travels through their body. Most people are bit at night at night between 12 – 4 am. Mosquitos creep into uncovered windows and attack their unsuspecting victims. The path of the parasite begins with the bite. The Plasmodium leaves the mosquitoes’ salivary glands and enters the person’s circularatory system. The parasite travels through the person’s blood stream until it stops in her liver and burrows into the liver cells. There the Plasmodia eat and multiply…each one 40,000 times. Stretched beyond capacity, the liver finally bursts. The freed parasites then attack and kill the red blood cells. Without the oxygen-carrying red blood cells, the vital organs fail. [3]

Then the signs come. The child lives unaware as their body struggles against the foreign invader for one to two weeks. But then her temperature rises as her frenzied body struggles to overcome the parasite. What at first seemed to be the flu has morphed into something far more dangerous. High fevers…Shivering…cold sweat…freezing…vomiting…chills…sweat. All the while, the body is raging inside inside. When the fever reaches its peak, the body is so hot it almost boiling itself alive.

At its worst…it is the falciparum species that invades. Some of the red blood cells grow knobs on their surface and hook onto the brain. Locked onto the brain, these cells are prevented from reaching the spleen, where damaged cells are destroyed. But this attachment causes the worst form of malaria of all. This attachment causes the brain to swell. Cerebral Malaria. The worst kind of all.

It is at this point that the body succumbs. The parasite destroys so many oxygen-carrying red blood cells that the lungs and brain shut down. The blood becomes too acidic and brain cells die. The child convulses and falls into a coma. In addition to the coma, the child falls prey to life-threatening anemia and brain damage—and seeps deeper and deeper into the clutches of death.

The child is now at the mercy of malaria. Mothers, fathers, cousins, grandmothers carry children for miles upon miles. They drive, ride, paddle, and run to the nearest clinic. If they reach their destination, they can only hope and pray that it is not too late. [4]

[1] Finkel, Michael. “Bedlam in the Blood.” National Geographic. July 2007.

[2] The Disease.” Malaria No More. 2008. 8 Jan 2008. .

[3] Finkel, Michael. “Bedlam in the Blood.” National Geographic. July 2007

[4] Finkel, Michael. “Bedlam in the Blood.” National Geographic. July 2007

How NETwork Started

2010-10-17T11:46:00.000-07:00

The idea of NETwork Against Malaria began when we met Fr. Mujule, a priest who has come to serve the Diocease of Belleville from the diocease of Hoima in Uganda. Fr. Mujule began 2 girls' schools and a co-ed secondary school. Educating "the girl-child" is not valued in Uganda ; his efforts were met with much resistance. Fr. Mujule is undoubtedly a national treasure of Uganda , and in spite of their poverty, they gave him up to come serve us.

Fr. Mujule represented a Ugandan view of Malaria as he discussed his frustration with the disease. In Uganda, Malaria hospitalizes one out of every 2 children under age 5, costs every Ugandan family about ¼ of their annual income, causes children to miss about 60 days of school every year, and claims the life of one Ugandan child every 5 minutes. Malaria propagates the problem of poverty in countless ways.

Fr. Mujule is not only frustrated by the drastic effects of the problem, he is also frustrated because it does not have to be this way. Malaria is preventable.

How is malaria treated in Uganda?

2010-10-16T09:24:00.001-07:00

The majority of people in countries where malaria is prevalent prefer to use allopathic medicine. They can purchase antimalarial medicines, such as cholorquine and fansidar, at drug stores. Most people do not posses enough knowledge of herbal medicine to use traditional remedies in fighting malaria.

[1]

[1] “Malaria.” World Health Organization. 4 Jan. 2008.

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs094/en/index.html

Real Men Make Jewelry

2010-10-15T14:03:00.000-07:00

“What about you?” the new kid said to me, “What’s your deal? What do you do on the weekends?”

I shrugged.

“Are you a mall rat?” he snickered.

“Watch a lot of TV?” he chided.

I haven’t been to the mall since last semester,” I answered. “When I watch TV – it is movies with friends while we make jewelry.”

“Jewelry-making girls. Ha! Knew it.”

“Not just girls. Guys make jewelry too,” I said. “Real men make jewelry.”

He squinted at me. But I knew I had him. “Yeah, guys make jewelry, necklaces, bracelets, key chains. We make jewelry for this non-proft, NETwork Against Malaria. We use paper beads handmade by ladies in Uganda, combine them with recycled beads. Sell what we make. The money we make goes to buying malaria bednets for kids in Uganda.”

“You do what?”

“Yeah. Malaria kills one child in Uganda every five minutes. It is a terrible disease – high fevers, shakes, death. 300-500 million die of malaria every year in the world. A $10 bednet protects kids from the mosquitoes that spread malaria. Yeah, that is why I say, ‘real men make jewelry’. You should come – we have pizza. Last week I made chocolate chips!”

He smiled, “I’ll think about it.”

I nodded, “Sure, you think about it. You show up and I’ll make sure you get the first piece of pizza.”

The next week he was there. And the week after – two years later he is still coming. We got to be good friends. He can make a pretty sweet necklace, too.

Sometimes it just takes an invite to get somebody involved. You never know where that will lead you. For me it led me to a great friendship and a lot laugh.

Hmph…

2010-10-12T13:52:00.001-07:00

Is there ever a day when you really don’t feel like doing anything? Maybe you just took a giant test and you feel like your brain is oozing right out of your ears. Maybe you just had a really tough practice and for some reason TV sounds more soothing than sleep. How about that feeling when you’re sprawled on the coach and you just stare at a bag of chips because you’re so hungry, but moving the extra inch is just a completely inconsiderable feat?

Sadly, yes. I’ve been there and I hope if you’re reading this you’ve been too. I’m not wishing any discomfort on you, believe me but how dumb would I sound if you read this and were like, “Um, no. You are the only person that’s ever desired to underachieve in the history of the world?”

But that feeling never lasts. You snap to at six pm on a Thursday wondering where in the heck three hours of your life went and how you’ll spend the next six.

Sometimes that feeling is a good thing in my opinion. It means you’ve applied yourself so much that you’re completely drained. Who finishes a race with enough breath to chit chat about the medal he or she just won? Look at accomplished athletes and at the end of a race they’re completely spent.

But others… I’ll be honest. Other times, I’m just lazy. But I’ve found laziness has never helped me accomplish anything. I’m not saying relaxation is bad. In fact, I believe relaxation is sometimes necessary, but laziness is one of those things we all sometimes crave, but should try to avoid.

Welcome to the best place to be non-lazy and in my opinion, the best possible goal. Let’s make this world an awesome place.

Pictures of You

2010-10-11T13:58:00.000-07:00

There’s something hard about volunteering for a group of people on the other side of the ocean- you don’t get to hold their hands and you don’t get to look into their eyes. You don’t learn their names or hear them laugh. But you still you made a difference in their lives and they in yours.

For me, this all turns around when I receive a package in the mail a few weeks after each distribution. I hold the pictures in my hand of the children whose lives we impacted.

They have distended stomachs and dirty clothing. Often there are stains and tares on their prized school uniforms. Many of them look into the camera with wide frightened eyes. In their rural village they have never seen a camera before. Some look back into the camera with pride. They walk themselves to school. They striving towards education, so why shouldn’t they be proud? Others look into the lens with gratitude; they realize the importance and gravity of the nets. They look into the camera, but, as is customary in their culture, they show pressed lips, no smile. Then there are those who cannot contain themselves. They forget their fear of the foreign machine. They forget their customs. They cannot help it. They seem to realize how much hard work has culminated in this moment. They seem to know these nets will protect them from a terrible disease. They seem to realize how these nets are concrete proof of how love exists between people who have never met, how love transcends distance. They beam at the camera.

Holding each picture in my hands shows me that there are no boundaries and although it sometimes takes a leap of faith, helping those children is worthwhile.

Not only worthwhile, but extremely rewarding.

With Just One Bead

2010-10-10T12:12:00.000-07:00

One of the best things about NETwork Against Malaria is that so much comes from so little. We started small and grew large. We had a little bit of money, and we acquired enough to literally save lives. We had five people involved. We have thousands. One of the best ways, in my opnion, to illustrate this is to show just how much NETwork can do with a bead. Let’s meet bead number one.

A grandmother watches her eight year old granddaughter play dress-up in the dining room. She sits at the table as the little girl parades into the room in one outfit then another. One time, the girl enters in a beautiful blue dress with a ribbon holding back her hair. She has on shimmering silver sandles and a gaint smile. The grandmother is so awed by the little girl and her adorableness that she goes into her closet and finds an old costume bracelet to match the outfit. The little girl tries on the bracelet and loves it. The grandmother gives it to her to keep.

The little girl keeps the bracelet on her wrist at all times. She constantly pulls it off to show parents, friends, and teachers. One day, while she is walking home, she tugs too hard and the elastic gives way. The beads scatter all over the sidewalk. She and her friends scoop down to collect the beads. Without noticing she forgot one, the little girl runs to her grandmother’s house. At first the little girl is disappointed, but the grandmother pulls out an old box and gives it to the little girl specifically for the beads and she feels much better.

That same afternoon, a little boy is walking home from baseball practice. He notices a pretty blue color in the grass and he puts it in his pocket. His mother finds it two days later while she’s doing the wash. She puts in a jar near the sink. The bead sits there forgotten for a few days until the mother begins spring cleaning. She puts the bead in with other used and broken jewelry to drop off at the church.

A teenage girl checks the box at the church and notices a bag of jewelry and beads. She especially likes one blue bead. She uses it for a bracelet and brings the bracelet to the farmers market in town that weekend to sell for NETwork Against Malaria.

A little girl and her grandmother walk past the NETwork Against Malaria booth. They stop to hear how ten dollars buys one net and saves three lives. They pay attention while the teenage girl says that each bracelet is half a net. Then the little girl notices something, a bead just like the ones on her old bracelet. Except next to the beautiful paper beads from Uganda, the bead doesn’t look like it used to. It looks wonderful. The grandmother helps her try on the bracelet and insists on buying it and one for herself.

The little girl and grandmother walk away wearing their bracelets after saving 3 lives.

DISTRIBUTION DAY!!!!

2010-10-09T15:08:00.000-07:00

DISTRIBUTION DAY!!!! (on Friday)

1,000 nets.

rural village. people who had never even heard of bednets before. lots of kids sleeping safely tonight.

3,000 lives.

yeah. it's been a good day.

Thanks all!

Boundary Waters

2010-10-06T21:06:00.000-07:00

You know how many times I’ve heard “This will change your life!” and do you know how many times its happened. Yeah, I’ve done things that I’ll remember for life or that have changed my day, but do you know how often something truly changes your life?

Usually the things that change your life aren’t the one that are forwarded that way. “This is going to change your life,” was not how most of the most important things to me began.

One of the only youth leaders who has never told me that is my Venture Crew leader. He tells me things will be fun or I’ll learn a lot, but he avoids the cheesy cliché that automatically lowers a truly amazing experience a few notches.

Two years ago, I went on a trip with my Venture Crew to the Boundary Waters. We spent ten days canoeing, camping, cooking out, talking, and relaxing in northern Minnesota. We had adventures, close calls, and lots of great times, and in the end it did change the way I view my life.

I walked away sure I could survive ten days without facebook, e-mail, phones, ipods, or electricity. I knew that I was self reliant enough to get by, and I understood how much I really treasure nature and great people.

Flashback

2010-10-05T16:48:00.000-07:00

In movies and books we always are told about these flash-back moments. In my life I have always wanted to have one. I have always thought that they looked so reveling and exciting. Today I had my first flash-back moment, and it was not at all as I expected.

The world didn’t stop around me, and I could still hear everyone in the hall way of my high school laughing and talking louder than it should be humanly possible. I just remembered a time when I was little. I was sitting at a miniature picnic table that used to be in my family room. It was wooden, cherry wood I think. My sister was sitting next to me, and she was talking for our dog, Shadow.

I don’t remember how old I was or what “Shadow” said. What I remember is that my sister and I were laughing so hard my sides hurt. It’s weird to look back at the times when nothing seemed more important than what my dog had to say to me, and the first question you asked a potential friend was “What’s your favorite color?”.

I don’t really know why I randomly thought of this today; I was walking down the hall towards the main office during the passing period before 3^rd hour, Portraits and Profiles. I don’t think I should wonder why I was given this gift. I should just be grateful that I can still think back to the stress-free days when all I wanted was to hear my sister talk in her nasal “Shadow” voice.

Everyone has Something to Give

2010-10-04T21:05:00.000-07:00

To be poignant a book doesn’t need to be hundreds of pages long. To make an impact, leave an impression, inspire someone a book doesn’t need small print, footnotes, or long words. All a story needs is to have a message, a theme that readers walk away with touched. If you haven’t visited the children’s section of your library or pulled your childhood books of your shelves in a while, I advice you do so. netWORKinProgress’s first book review is about one of these short books that I’ve loved since before I could read.

Everyone out there should read The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. It’s the story of a tree who befriends a boy and loves the boy so deeply, he is willing to give entirely of himself. The story challenges the limits of love and proves that true friendship knows no bounds. Every friend, every person, every volunteer could take a lesson from the giving tree.

Distribution Day

2010-10-04T20:28:00.000-07:00

August 2^nd, 2010. I woke up like any other morning. Showered. Brushed my teeth. Fixed my hair. Checked the mirror and headed off. To anyone else, August 2^nd 2010 would seem pretty darn ordinary but to me and my fellow NETwork supporters, it was the culmination of months of hard work. On August 2^nd 2010, 1,000 nets were distributed deep in the Ugandan bush.

1,000 nets. 1,000 nets that would protect 3,000 lives.

I sat amongst people at a conference who had never heard of NETwork Against Malaria or the village receiving nets. I sat beside them and listened to their conversations. I sat hoping someone would ask what was new so I could scream out what was going on thousands of miles away. And I sat wondering what else was going on in these strangers lives on August 2^nd 2010.

I sat wondering if any of them were having a completely normal day. I wondered if someone had something exciting they were dying to share. I wondered if August 3^rd would be as significant to someone as August 2^nd had been to me.

I suppose, there is no such thing as an ordinary day. It is the start, the end, the tragedy, the celebration, the hope, the despair, the promise for someone, somewhere. I suppose there is nothing so under- marveled than a sunrise and a sunset.

What you are looking forward to?

2010-09-25T21:49:00.001-07:00

I am looking forward to October’s distribution. My heart beats faster when I think of the next net distribution. I can’t wait to see the photographs and videos posted on the website of the students and sometimes the mothers with babies receiving a net. I know we our work is really paying off.

Lemonade for Lives

2010-09-24T13:49:00.000-07:00

When I was younger, I spent a good amount of my time in the summer sitting behind milk boxes waiting in my neighbors’ yard at the top of our cul-de-sac. It was St. Louis weather- which typically translates to about 110 heat index. We sat with watered down lemonade (the ice had long since melted) and waited not so patiently for a car to drive by. And typically that’s exactly what they did- drive right on by. Our lemonade stand had a higher purpose than buying the much envied bouncy balls that sat right out of reach at our dollar bill store. Usually, any money we made went into the hands of our local humane society. We sold our lemonade for about a nickel and usually sold about ten glasses to our patrons, the neighbors, our parents, and the mailman. The day ended most often with us, hot, sweaty and giddy and sticky from all the glasses of lemonade we snuck along the way. We would proudly present approximately fifty hard-earned cents to our mother (a major humane society volunteer) which seemed fairly substantial after nine hours of work.

Looking back at that simplistic desire to help reminds me of what truly matters in volunteering. I don’t care how little of a difference you feel like you’re making. Sometimes you spend hours fund raising and walk away with 500 dollars, 50 dollars, or fifty cents. No matter what you made a drop in the bucket, and sometimes it takes a whole lot of drops to make a difference.

If I saw a couple of ten year old kids braving the weather to make a couple bucks for charity, nothing would make me tell them to give it up and try something else. No, I think I’d pull over and buy a glass of their watery lemonade then drive away smiling, optimistic about where this world is going.