Spread the Net Student Challenge 2009

For the third year Rick Mercer is challenging high school, college, and university students across the nation to raise awareness and funds for his Spread the Net initiative through UNICEF Canada.

At SFU this morning Mercer announced he was pitting the East versus the West to see who can raise the most funds for the cause. The winning school on each coast will play host to an episode of the Mercer Report in 2010. The goal this year is to raise enough for 500,000 bed nets ($275,000) or enough to deliver 27,500 nets to children and families.

Founded by Belinda Stronach and Rick Mercer following their trip to Africa in 2005, Spread the Net aims to ease the devastating impacts of malaria through an affordable solution. The funds raised by students will go toward the purchase of insecticide-treated bed nets for locations in Liberia and Rwanda.

Registration opened today and if your school isn’t already signed up, you can register online and campaign until February 2010. Registered schools will appear in the Spread the Net directory and can accept donations online.

You can follow the initiative on Twitter @SpreadTheNet for updates or follow Rick’s hi-jinx, @RickMercer.