BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. (Oct. 17, 2006) - Fire midfielder Diego Gutierrez has been invited to take part as a panelist at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Malaria Forum, which will be held Oct. 16-18, 2007 in Seattle, Wash. The forum will bring together key Foundation leadership, as well as scientists, researchers, development workers, and advocates work together in the fight against malaria.
Gutierrez will participate in a session titled, "Bringing New Partners to the Fight Against Malaria". Gutierrez will be joined by Elizabeth McKee Gore, Director of Partnership Campaigns for the UN Foundation and Director of Nothing But Nets, and Larry Hollon, General Secretary of the United Methodist Church. They will discuss how Nothing But Nets, a campaign to prevent malaria by providing insecticide-treated nets, has successfully brought together a diverse group of partners to raise awareness for the disease beyond the scientific and health communities.
"It is definitely an honor and humbling to think that the work that we've done through this campaign in the last calendar year has gotten us to this point," said Gutierrez. "It also lets us know that our work is just getting started, but an invitation of this caliber lets us know that we are headed in the right direction."
Gutierrez has teamed up with MLS W.O.R.K.S in promoting fundraising efforts and creating awareness as a national spokesperson for Nothing But Nets. Diego and his wife Ginna brought several Major League Soccer players together in April 2007, to tape a public service announcement for the cause, which airs on stadium scoreboards around the league, as well as some nationally televised MLS games. In addition, Diego has invited players in every MLS market to serve as community ambassadors at Nothing But Nets fundraising events. In recognition of his early efforts, Diego and Ginna were invited to the White House on April 25th, 2007 to celebrate National Malaria Awareness Day with President and Mrs. Bush and other campaign supporters.
The Fire midfielder is also involved in Salute, Inc. (saluteinc.org), which benefits military veterans and their families, as well as many various projects with the YMCA. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Fireworks For Kids Foundation-the Fire's charitable arm. A native of Bogota, Colombia, Gutierrez has been recognized by the Changing Worlds Organization as a role model for immigrants and was cited as a strong role model at the 2006 Sports Fans Choice Awards hosted by the Profile Network. Gutierrez also received the Fire's 2006 Humanitarian of the Year award and has been nominated for the 2007 Major League Soccer Humanitarian of the Year award.
