Award-winning Effort with NBA Cares!

These last few weeks have been particularly busy for the Nothing But Nets™ campaign – which is always a good sign. With the Buzz Tour making its way across the country from Chicago to Salt Lake City, to Los Angeles; an event with 2009 MLS Cup winner Real Salt Lake, MLS W.O.R.K.S., and the White House near the Washington Monument; and the World Cup kicking off next week, we have our hands full! So it's always nice to take time to pause and recognize the efforts of our partners and supporters in helping to save lives in innovative and tireless ways.

Yesterday in Chicago the Nothing But Nets™ campaign received such recognition!

I am proud to report that the Nothing But Nets™ campaign and our partner NBA Cares were honored with two awards from the Cause Marketing Forum for our partnership to prevent malaria in Africa. We won Gold and Silver awards for the Send a Net. Save a Life. See a Game. promotion we conducted with NBA Cares last December.

I’m sure you remember it -- thousands of you were able to redeem two complimentary tickets to an NBA game after you contributed just $10 to purchase and distribute a life-saving bed net! Thanks to your overwhelming response, the promotion was the most successful online campaign in the history of Nothing But Nets™.

On a personal note, it was awesome to stand with Tara Gutkowski from NBA Cares, with whom I have worked closely over the last three years. The campaign's success is a success for all of us -- our partners, our supporters, and perhaps most importantly, the families in Africa who are now able to protect their children from malaria thanks to the nets we have raised together.

Congratulations on this most recent award!