Have my pie and eat it too

Working at the UN Foundation, I hear about many important events with the goal of promoting change in the world. Because there are so many good causes out there, I hadn’t given April 25, World Malaria Day, much thought until I was asked to create a map that showed all of the Nothing but Nets Sports Challenges that are going on across the country. When I realized just how many people were hosting fun events to support this worthy cause, I was really motivated to host my own event.

I realized that a NETS Challenge can be both an excuse to play a game with friends and family and also a reason to help end such a deadly and unnecessarily common disease like malaria.

Although I love sports, I lack any hand-eye coordination. For this event, I want to raise money while also participating in a game I have a chance at winning. When thinking of any talents I might have, I soon realized I have one hugely under-utilized talent- eating massive quantities of food. That’s when I decided to throw a pie-eating contest.  

My contribution will be to buy all of the pies for the event and I will ask spectators to pay a fee to watch: $10 to buy a net and save a life!

For my friends, my Nothing but Nets Challenge is a reason to donate to a worthy cause while watching me and a few others make huge messes of ourselves. For me, I get to know that fewer children will die this year from a disease that kills more than a million people a year, and I get to guiltlessly indulge in pie.

I am proud to be part of such a caring and active network of people who are stepping up to host events in their own communities.