Zumba-thon: First United Methodist Church
Imagine No Malaria fundraiser to be held May 10th
April 30, 2014
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
You can Imagine No Malaria while dancing away at a special Zumba-thon, where participates can donate a life-saving $10 for a 90-minute session that will combine getting their moves on while helping to eliminate malaria in Africa.
The May 10 Zumba-thon will be held at The First United Methodist Church, 133 N. Mill St. from 10 to 11:30 a.m.
The United Methodist Church is a leader in the effort to stop malaria, said Pam Strange of Santa Paula, the North District Coordinator of the Imagine No Malaria fundraiser, which includes 240 churches.
Every minute a person-often a child-dies of malaria, which can be prevented just by placing netting around the sleeping area to keep out the mosquitoes that spread the disease.
Each $10 donated will save one life and The United Methodist California-Pacific Annual Conference has set a goal to raise $3 million to save 300,000 lives.
Said Strange, “This project is an extraordinary effort by the people of The United Methodist Church... this is a huge goal, but one that can make a huge difference in the lives of those suffering from a treatable and preventable disease.
“Imagine No Malaria not only provides mosquito nets to those in need, but also provides education, treatment, communications and additional methods of prevention.”
Improving medical facilities by providing medicine, diagnostic tests and necessary equipment to treat malaria in the hundreds of Methodist run churches, schools, hospitals and clinics in sub-Saharan Africa also benefits from the fundraising. In addition, the church also funds more than 11,600 community health workers to help families install bed nets in their home and help people understand the cause of malaria as well as when and how to seek treatment.
All are invited to take part in the Zumba-thon where all proceeds are used in the Imagine No Malaria effort, which includes support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
“We want to raise awareness of the issue, of the event and how all the money goes directly to the cause,” said Strange.
You don’t have to Zumba to take part in the fundraiser, which is being overseen by five noted local Zumba instructors who are donating their time and best moves for the fundraiser.
Pauley Perrette, a longtime star of television’s NCSI who plays Abby Sciuto, a forensic scientist at the Naval Criminal Investigative Service headquarters at the Washington Naval Yard, is the spokesperson for the Imagine No Malaria campaign.
For more information on the Imagine No Malaria campaign and to make online contributions, visit www.Buzzkills.com
For more information on the May 10th First United Methodist Church Zumba-thon fundraiser, call the church office, 805-525-2214.
