Student groups begin Katrina fund-raising

The IU student body is reaching out to victims of Hurricane Katrina, with more than 30 student organizations helping to launch a massive fund-raising campaign today.\n"I'm excited about the fact that it was a big effort from a lot of groups and the goal is to raise a lot of money," said Union Board President Keith Johnson. "I think it shows we have a heart and we do care."\nLeading the way is a Katrina Relief wristband sale, with 100 percent of the proceeds benefiting the national Red Cross.\nSenior Claire Tramm, who is spearheading the wristband sale, said the bands are important because "they hang around and remind people that it's an important cause we have to keep in our consciousness." \nGroups such as the Helene G. Simon Hillel Center -- which is hoping to sell more than $30,000 in Mardi Gras beads for the IU Katrina Relief Fund -- also responded quickly to the call for collaboration.\nJoanna Blotner, a Hillel member running the Mardi Gras fund-raiser along with freshman Liza Luxenberg, stressed the importance of community involvement. \n"It's a very communal effort on campus," she said. \nThe key to IU's hurricane relief effort is not only to raise funds for the national cause, but also to spread awareness and educate the local community, said Catie Eggert, the coordinator for the Hurricane Katrina Student Relief Program.\n"I want people to know that this isn't just raising donations right now," Eggert said. "This has to be a continued relief and a continued response."\nThe IU Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund is donating the proceeds from these fund-raising efforts to the local United Way. From there, the Bloomington charity will allocate funds to hurricane efforts both locally and nationally.\n"We want to keep it local," Eggert said. \nShe said the funds will help support the hurricane victims who are being taken in around the Bloomington area.\nMany organizations on campus, such as Golden Key and the Residence Halls Association, are supporting Hurricane Katrina relief not only through the school but in their own groups as well.\nFor example, Alpha Phi Alpha was out Monday in the Indiana Memorial Union raising funds for Sierra Campbell, a local yoga instructor, to drive down to hurricane-stricken areas twice a month to help the relief effort.\nThe IU College Republicans will sponsor a blood drive Thursday to replenish national supplies following the hurricane.\nThe Hurricane Katrina Student Relief Program's official kick-off will be Friday with an afternoon festival in Dunn Meadow.