For the fourth straight year, Calvin athletics will be using their events and resources to raise money for the purchase and donation of Malaria nets to help combat one of the world’s most deadly problems.
Titled “The Knight of Nets,” Calvin’s homecoming games (women’s volleyball versus Kalamazoo and men’s soccer versus Olivet) will be selling shirts for fans to buy. According to Calvin, a portion of the proceeds will go to buying Malaria nets or towards donating to the cause. Fans can make donations as well. One donation of $6 is enough to buy one net.
The World Health Organization estimates that almost half of the world’s population is at risk of Malaria, and the Night of Nets information guide says that “a bite of a mosquito is one of the deadliest actions in our world, still taking lives of close to 2,000 children in Africa each night.”
Calvin is one of three colleges to participate what is otherwise called “Night of Nets” events; other schools include Hope College and Cornerstone University. Cornerstone’s assistant men’s soccer coach Chip Huber spearheaded the event for west Michigan schools, and Calvin’s head coach for men’s soccer, Ryan Souders, last year told MLive how pleased he was to add Calvin to the cause.
“Knight of Nets is one of the best things we do here at Calvin,” said Souders. “Having influence for real change as a result of our athletic endeavors might be the greatest thing we can do in athletics. It’s an absolute joy to partner with other teams here at Calvin and other institutions like Cornerstone University, among others, in order to strike back against Malaria in communities that can use help.”
Athletes from Cornerstone have actually gone to Zambia in the past few years to see the impact their efforts in the US have been making. They come back with lovely stories to tell about the big impact small events like these are having.
The women’s volleyball game is this Friday, Sep. 23 at 7 p.m. and the men’s soccer game is this Saturday, Sep. 24 at 2:30 p.m.
Quotes from Calvin Sports Informaiton.
