NETwork Against Malaria — an organization that works to raise awareness about malaria in Uganda — raised almost $4,000 at their annual Bid Night for Bed Nets event Friday, where they ‘auctioned off’ 29 Cornell bachelors to over 120 attendees, according to Nora Rabah ’18, NAM marketing and publicity chair.
Rabah said the funds will be used to purchase bed nets, which form a protective barrier around beds to prevent mosquito bites at night.
“NAM raises money through different fundraising efforts in order to purchase and send bed nets for mosquito prevention and ultimately malaria prevention in African countries,” Rabah said.
Bachelors hailed from various organizations and fraternities and were presented on stage to be bid on by friends and attendees.
Louis Caiola ’17, one of the bachelors, said he appreciated learning about NAM’s initiatives through the event.
“I didn’t know what it was at all beforehand until I got nominated and got to meet a few of the members of the organization,” Caiola said. “It was definitely a fun experience. I thought the idea of having a bachelor auction was hilarious.”
The event — which is NAM’s biggest fundraiser of the school year — was sponsored and hosted by Alpha Delta Phi fraternity, according to Rabah. Other sponsors included Delta Gamma sorority, PSE Business fraternity, the Global Health Student Council and the Interfraternity Council.
NAM hopes to expand the auction in the upcoming years to offer a greater diversity of events, according to Rabah.
“We might want to have food vendors there,” she said. “It would also be good if we could have some performances, like an intermission with an a capella group or a comedian. It would create more variety in the event.”
Rabah added that she believes the auction “went very successfully” and succeeded in spreading awareness about NAM and its cause.
“A lot of people came, and a lot of people were becoming more aware of the organization, which is really great,” she said.