In our northern climates, with the coming of summer, mosquitos and other insects come in hordes. No matter what we do with our mosquito jackets or nets when camping, they always seem to find a vulnerable spot to bite, usually where there are gaps..ankles, necks and wrists. In Calamine lotion, after bite and a variety of sprays we seek relief. I remember one summer in Kugluktuk, I got a mosquito in my right ear canal and the buzz almost drove me batty especially when it first was noticed intermittently in the Sunday church service...well, the solution was oil drops and cotton balls to eventually drown it. In some of my other attempts at at least a dip in the ocean above the Arctic Circle, it was not usually the temperature of the water but the mad scramble to undress from the rocks and get into the water before the hordes of mosquitos found you.
So why am I reminded of these stories this morning ...well because there are other climates, where the mosquito is not just a pest but bears diseases such as malaria that are much more deadly and devastating than a pesky itchy bite. Last Friday was World Malaria Day and on Friday May 9, I swim with my group to help raise funds for protective nets to protect children in Africa. Please check out the site and if you feel moved add a donation...many thanks!!
" The Gils Swim" group, an odd assortment of mostly
women in mid-life, with the odd daughter and husband thrown in, who
have practised twice a week, for over 10 years, at one of the local
Edmonton pools....Tuesday and Friday mornings at 8:30 am this year and
invariably I am always about 15 minutes late. Some of us also do
synchro or triathlons, but most swim for fitness and friendship.
As
our year end project we are going to do a 30 minute timed swim on
Friday May 9 and doing fund raising. If you feel so moved.... you could
sponsor me or make a contribute
http://www.WorldSwimAgainstMalaria.com/GilsSwim
You can send this link to your friends and family to tell them about it!
100%
of the money we receive through World Swim Against Malaria will buy
nets, they will end up over heads and beds and we will demonstrate that
has happened. Many of the mosquito net distributions have already taken
place and the details, including pictures and video, are shown on the
Against Malaria site.
World
Swim Against Malaria is an initiative of the Against Malaria Foundation
(AMF), a charity registered in the UK, US, Australia and a number of
other countries. 
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