Watchung Hills' Girls Lacrosse Helps to End Malaria

Submitted by Heather Trumpore

While in the midst of their sports season and school work, the Watchung Hills Women’s Lacrosse team is once again taking time to look beyond their community and help others by using their lacrosse nets to the raise awareness and funding for long-lasting insecticide-treated bed nets to combat the spread of Malaria through the Nothing But Nets campaign. 

This tradition started over six years ago with their former Varsity Coach, Lisa Atkins, and has continuing under the leadership of their Assistant Varsity Coach, Sally Dreyer, and their new Varsity Coach Steph Linder.

Their annual net-a-thon is the WHRHS Women’s Lacrosse teams only fundraiser and how they raise money to offset some of their programs expenses such as Senior Night on May 1, yet they choose to send half of the proceeds to the Nothing But Nets campaign because they have found fulfilling to raise awareness and money to help a very worthwhile cause.  Each player has a goal to raise about $100 which would allow them to send enough money to the Nothing But Nets campaign to purchase 270 mosquito nets this year.

The net-a-thon will be held from 2 – 4 p.m. on April 21 at the Mountain Avenue field.  The event is open to the public and will feature a bake sale, as well as opportunities for youth in various categories to win prizes for the fastest shot, most accurate shot, and the most shots per minute.  Several lacrosse themed activities are also planned.

More information on the Nothing But Nets campaign can be found at www.nothingbutnets.net and for more information or to donate to the WHRHS Net-a-Thon please contact Heather Trumpore at htrumpore@verizon.net