As the Holston Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church gathered in Lake Junaluska, N.C., earlier this week for its annual gathering, officials announced that more than $1.13 million had been raised in the fight against malaria in Africa.
The conference had committed to raising $1 million a year ago, and when the announcement was made Tuesday night that the goal had been surpassed, a deafening roar filled Stuart Auditorium on the Lake Junaluska grounds.
Because the cost of medicine to prevent malaria in Africa is estimated at $10 per person, officials believe more than 113,000 lives will be saved.
Churches throughout the Holston Conference – which includes roughly East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia – held various fund-raising efforts, some of them quite creative.
One church even placed pink plastic flamingoes in the yard of Holston bishop Mary Virginia “Dindy” Taylor’s yard in the Knoxville area to raise money.
The entire United Methodist Church membership throughout the world is trying to raise $75 million in the fight against malaria.
jcshearer2@comcast.net