Event to clean up Katrina

IU Habitat for Humanity will be holding its annual Rake-a-Thon this weekend with all proceeds benefiting the victims of Hurricane Katrina.\nThe Rake-a-Thon is a weekend-long event in which volunteers rake lawns for local homeowners and collect donations in return.\nHabitat has been holding this event for six years. The organization raises about $3,000 to $4,000 each year through the Rake-a-Thon.\nThis is the first year there will be two Rake-a-Thons -- one this weekend and one on the weekend of Nov. 19 and 20.\nPrior to this weekend, the Rake-a-thon committee called local homeowners to set up appointments to rake their lawns. Alternatively, homeowners can visit the organization's Web site to set up appointments.\nAs of now, 50 houses around the Bloomington community have scheduled appointments with the group.\nTony Bruno, president of the IU chapter of Habitat for Humanity, said volunteers will be providing their services to the community by going door to door from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. after taking care of the scheduled properties.\nIn previous years, the donations received through this event have been used by the organization to purchase materials to build houses. However, this year, all proceeds will go to Habitat for Humanity International's effort to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The organization has a leading role in rebuilding the Gulf Coast. \n"The houses Habitat will build in the Gulf Coast will not be for people who lost their homes during the hurricane, but rather for the people who lived in apartments or the janitor's closet at a restaurant or any other kind of sub-standardized housing before the hurricane," Bruno said.\nHabitat for Humanity partners with people in low income ranges to build houses and then sells the houses to them at a 0-percent interest rate, costing the homeowners about $48,000, Bruno said.