Malaria No More gets two stiff drinks at Burger’s Zoo

The Round Table Netherlands (NTR) held their annual board meeting on Saturday 25 September 2010 at Burger’s Zoo in Arnhem. Members and district chairs met from 1 to 5 p.m. in the zoo's beautiful Safari Meeting Centre. The annual board meeting enables members of the round table to meet their local chair and executives from other tables. Because NTR likes combining family and business, the Tablers’ families visited the zoo and joined the drink at the Safari Meeting Centre after the meeting.

National service projects of the Round Table Netherlands were also presented at the meeting, which is why Malaria No More! Netherlands and the Bart Foundation had also been invited. Malaria No More! (MNM) set up an information stand near the elephants under the motto ‘Make an elephant out of this mosquito’, the Dutch equivalent of ‘making a mountain out of a molehill’. A lot of people came to get information, share their experiences with malaria or buy mosquito swatters.

In the afternoon, during the Tablers’ meeting, Bart Knols, member of MNM's expert group, used photo, film, and audio to explain what malaria is and does and the role malaria played, and still plays today, in world history. But before Bart could begin his presentation, he was given a ‘stiff drink’ by NTR. Stiff drinks are given to people who make a mistake. Bart had introduced his presentation by saying ‘I don't usually give presentations to all-male audiences’, although four women were visibly among the listeners. After drinking the stiff drink, Bart considered making another mistake… After some seven or eight yes/no questions, one Tabler was left, who had correctly answered Bart’s quiz questions about malaria and mosquitoes. He won a copy of Bart’s book, Mug, which contains all kinds of scientific facts and general knowledge about mosquitoes. You can purchase this very informative and entertaining book from the YouBeDo webstore.

The new director of MNM, Diederik Slot, was also given a stiff drink: from now on, he will talk about the round table instead of the ‘circular table’. Diederik explained what members of the round table can do for MNM, like organize fundraising activities, donate Flying Blue Airmiles or provide knowledge and volunteers.

Malaria No More! Netherlands is really happy with the support it is getting from the Round Table Netherlands and the local round tables, and is looking forward to continuing this pleasant cooperation.

For more information about the Round Table Netherlands, visit their website at: www.roundtable.nl.