Holy Names high school wins Rick Mercer's nation wide fundraising challenge

Holy Names Catholic High School is going to get a special visit from Canadian comedianRick Mercer after fundraising money for his Spread the Net Student Challenge.

The local high school was one of four Canadian schools to win the competition to raise money for mosquito nets that will help prevent malaria in African nations.

"When we got the phone call we were "shappy," which is shocked and happy," said Luis Alvirez, the department head of catholic studies at Holy Names Catholic High School. "We are incredibly excited."

Alvirez said he has been a Rick Mercer fan for years and pitched the fundraising idea to his students as an end of the year project, he said two students immediately jumped on board.

"Right after class we went up to [Mr. Alvirez] and said let's do this, we can do this," said Angela Hormiz, one of the student organizers.

"We have the opportunity to save lives This is giving people a future, a sense of hope," she said.

The students have raised more than $2,500 which will buy about 250 mosquito nets, although the plan is to keep fundraising until Rick Mercer visits the school at the beginning of April.

"We were not expecting this," said Alvirez. "My expectation was we were going to do some good and we are going to be a small part of a much larger solution."

Hormiz and her fellow organizer, Gabriella Botica said they used social media to help raise money. They also spoke in front of classes and even recruited teachers to make grilled cheese sandwiches to sell at lunch.

"We made sure our whole school got involved and we are very proud of ourselves," said Gabriella Botica. "It's a part of our faith to help our brothers and sisters even though maybe we have never met them before," she said.

Rick Mercer announced the winners last night on the Rick Mercer Report. No date has been set as to when Mercer will be in Windsor to shoot the episode, but the visit will air on April 3.

Alvirez saidhe's beyond excited to personally meet Rick Mercer, but more importantly to show the comedian what a caring community he lives in.

"We are giving people, we are a giving school, we are a giving community," Alvirez said.