Malaria No More and Nothing But Nets -- and as Major League Soccer's charitable arm, MLS W.O.R.K.S., launched at the start of the season, so too did a public service advertising campaign promoting Nothing But Nets. The organization solicits donations to buy bed nets to send to families in Africa.
The bed nets, which are coated with incesticide, ward off mosquitoes that carry malaria. Because many African families share beds, according to Gutierrez, one net could prevent four people from becoming ill. The nets cost just $10 and last as long as five years each.
Fans can donate to Nothing but Nets at MLSnet.com. With each $10 donation comes an entry for a chance to win a trip to MLS Cup 2007.
For Gutierrez, an MLS original, $10 is a small sacrifice compared to the suffering the children of Africa face.
"If you're a regular person and you donate $100, you're really saving 40 people," he said. "Ten dollars is a bottle of water in some places. It's really not that much. The difference that people can make is just cosmic.
"People continue dying every minute," he said. "Three thousand children die daily in Africa because of this disease, a child every 30 seconds. It's hard to conceive those numbers."
During the offseason, Andy Herron of the Columbus Crew, Nick Garcia of the Kansas City Wizards and Alecko Eskandarian of Toronto FC joined Gutierrez in Chicago to shoot a public service announcement. It airs during MLS broadcasts and on the jumbotron at games in each stadium. Gutierrez said David Beckham, who will join the Los Angeles Galaxy this summer, is also involved in the campaign against malaria.
For their efforts, Gutierrez and MLS were honored at the White House. After a White House "Challenge of Malaria in Africa" summit in December, President George W. Bush designated April 25 Malaria Awareness Day.
"As a compassionate nation, we are called to spread awareness about malaria -- and we're called to act," Bush told those assembled Wednesday. "That's what compassionate people do. When they see a problem, they act. And that's what we're here to talk about.
"On this special day, we renew our commitment to lead the world toward an urgent goal, and that is to turn the tide against malaria in Africa and around the globe."
Gutierrez plans to heed the president's call. He was surprised to have been invited to Wednesday's gathering, but he wants to go back next year, and he had fruitful conversations with various senators and congressmen about how he and MLS can join the government in fighthing malaria. He also spoke to Admiral Timothy Ziemer, the President's Malaria Initiative (PMI) Coordinator about what MLS can do.
"Hopefully, we'll continue raising not only funds, but awareness," Gutierrez said. "Awareness is the most important thing you get out of this whole thing. This is an issue that has flown under the radar for a very long time."
Gutierrez wants to get as much exposure for the cause as he can. There is a photo of he and his wife on NothingButNets.net and a blog Gutierrez has written to detail his passion.
"We're going to knock on every door. And we're not going to rest until we achieve the goal that the president has set, which is to diminish malaria by 50 percent in the next couple of years."
Jason Halpin is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
