SOMA to Help Katrina Victims for Alternative Spring Break

by Rachel Rosenbaum

Feb 28, 2006

Nineteen volunteers from MSUCOM are making their second trip to participate in Hurricane Katrina relief effort in Ocean Springs, Mississippi (Ocean Springs is east of Biloxi, on the Gulf Coast), and will be based out of Christus Victor Lutheran Church from March 5 through 10. The majority of volunteers are from COM, which also include one employee and several CHM students. The first trip was made over the holiday break.

They will be helping in the community with general clean-up, working in the food distribution center, and helping in the kitchen. For COM students, this trip is made possible by the joint funding of the AOA grant program and MSUCOM's SOMA group. The Christus Victor Lutheran Church is providing our lodging during our stay - anyone interested in finding out more about them can visit their website at: www.christusvictordisasterresponse.org.

Below is a list of items that they will be collecting through Friday, March 3. Box are located on the first floor of East Fee Hall (elevator lobby) and in the Kobiljak Center (E101 Fee Hall), or with Beth Courey in Student Services (C110 East Fee Hall)

• Heavy Contractor garbage bags
• Kleenex
• Paper towels
• Insect repellant
• Band Aids
• Neosporin
• Cortisone cream
• OTC medications
• Pots, pans and dishes
• Kitchen utensils
• Manual can openers

Personal Hygiene Items:
• Deodorant: male / female
• Shampoo
• Razors
• Shaving gel: male/female
• Liquid hand soap
• Hand & bath soap
• Hand sanitizer
• NO CLOTHES ACCEPTED!!
• DO NOT NEED WATER!!

Thank you for your support.