The Dakotas Conference has raised $83,000 for Imagine No Malaria.  Fund raising efforts continue this fall through the mission events in Minot, North Dakota, Pierre, Rapid City and Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

United Methodists with key partners, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, have set out to raise $75,000 million to eliminate malaria.

The goal is on target to be reached by the 2016 General Conference. To date, just over $65MM of our $75MM goal has been raised.

Over $68,000 was raised at the 2015 Annual Conference in Fargo, North Dakota in June through the Miracle Offering and other events.  Bishop Bruce R. Ough, Dakotas-Minnesota Area called churches to support The United Methodist Church’s Imagine No Malaria Campaign by bringing a cash offering to the Friday morning worship at the Annual Conference Session.

In addition to the cash offering that was collected at the 2015 Annual Conference several other fundraising efforts were held.  A change war was held.  Districts competed to see who could “Bring Change” at the highest level.  Each day specific coins were designated that contributed towards a total amount—Thursday was pennies and nickels, Friday was dimes and quarters and Saturday was dollars, other bills and checks.  Districts could sabotage each other by contributing undesignated amounts in the competitor’s containers.  This led to some negative totals on day one and two.  The Sakakawea District was the winner of the change war reaching close to $1,400.

An “Imagine No Malaria Style Show” was also held.  Char Ough, wife of Bishop Ough instructed each District Superintendent to form a team of five.  Each team was asked to dress their District Superintendent in a design created from net and several items that were placed in a tote.  Teams created a narrative description for their designs.  The District Superintendent models then walked the runway, while Char Ough read the narratives.  A winner was selected by the amount of donations each of the models received.  Rev. Roy Caudill, Glacial Lakes District Superintendent was voted the winner. Photos: Close contenders in the Imagine No Malaria style show were the Reverends Marilyn Spurrell and Keith Nelson.

Another popular fundraiser at Annual Conference was the flat photo, selfie contest.  Participants in Fargo could chose to have their photo taken with a life-sized flat John Wesley or a life-sized flat Bishop Ough. The winner, by a slim margin, was Bishop Ough. Photo: Char Ough campaigning for her favorite candidate... Flat Bishop.

Participants at mission events held in September at Minot, North Dakota, Pierre, Rapid City and Sioux Falls, South Dakota purchased items at bazaars, live and silent auctions.  Parts of the proceeds from the live and silent auctions were donated to Imagine No Malaria.

Unlike many other diseases that are awaiting a cure, malaria was eliminated in the U.S. in the 1950s. However, in Sub-Saharan Africa, malaria continues to kill a person every 60 seconds. But there is hope! Imagine No Malaria is part of a global partnership and together with our partners our generation can beat malaria once and for all. Through Imagine No Malaria and the predecessor Nothing But Nets the death rate from malaria in Sub-Saharan Africa has been cut in half. Photo: Pastors Jenn Tyler and Sara McManus were thrilled to be photographed with (flat) Bishop Ough and John Wesley at the Mission Festival during Annual Conference 2015.

If your church has not had a chance to contribute to the Dakotas Conference effort for Imagine No Malaria there is still time.  Contact Dakotas Conference Communications now for resources such as pamphlets, fliers, videos, wristbands and more to help assist with your fundraising efforts.