When weather forecasters predicted a category five hurricane for the Gulf Coast the last week of August, Northwest Mississippi Community College students and employees never realized what an important role they would play in the recovery effort in Katrina's aftermath.

First efforts began the night of Aug. 29, before Katrina hit the Gulf Coast. Evacuation efforts were already in place with some families seeking shelter at the First Baptist Church in Senatobia. When Rocketeer editor Billie Claire Darby of Batesville went to the shelter to take photographs for the yearbook, she and other members of the Ranger cheerleader squad returned minutes later with games for the children at that facility.

"The kids were bored and scared, and we just wanted to do something to get their minds off the storm and their homes," said Darby.

On Aug. 31, the college received an urgent request from the Mississippi Department of Human Services to open Howard Coliseum as an emergency shelter, according to Dan Smith, vice president for Student Affairs. "Through a magnificent effort by our Physical Plant and Housekeeping staffs, and a dedicated group of student, faculty and staff volunteers, we were ready to receive more than 100 evacuees in about two hours," said Smith.

Volunteers brought the shelter up to more than 130 beds, created a clothing exchange, children's play area, medical needs station and other special service areas in the shelter. Smith reported that although the college was prepared, turnout was low, possibly due to the opening of larger shelters in Texas and Arkansas. The Northwest facility closed as a shelter Sept. 9.

Several truckloads of donated supplies were shipped to the coast to help victims. Donated clothing and bedding was delivered to the Salvation Army.

The Northwest Multipurpose Livestock Arena at the college farm was established as a water and ice station for members of the community who were without electricity, according to Don Clanton, arena manager. The farm was also listed as an animal shelter with the capability of stalling up to 20 horses.

"We are so proud and pleased that our students, faculty and staff members volunteered to assist the evacuees as well as other victims of this terrible tragedy," said Dr. Gary Lee Spears, Northwest president. "Two of our Northwest Physical Plant employees, Jamie Kennedy and David Lambert, recently returned from Pearl River Community College where they spent a week assisting with the effort to reopen that college."

Northwest was the host for a community-wide gathering of interested volunteers, health care professionals, ministers, shelter representatives and bankers on Sept. 1 in the David M. Haraway Center. "Funds for financial assistance for evacuees have been established in area banks," said Janie Mortimer, director of the Tate County Economic Development Foundation. Mortimer, who chaired the organizational meeting at Northwest, reported that TCEDF is contacting local businesses for any type of help they can provide for evacuees such as discounts and temporary employment. A Web site www.tatecountyrelief.org was created to coordinate the county's relief effort.

Although turnout was low for the coliseum shelter, the Northwest Baptist Student Union opened a second facility for special needs evacuees. "We have been hosting several individuals with medical or other needs that require special accommodation," said Smith. "These folks will be guests on our campus for an unspecified period of time and will be taking their meals through the Haraway Center." The last evacuee left that facility on Sept. 21.

Across campus in the Tunica Building, student nurses began a community project for hurricane victims in shelters. "The Northwest Student Nurses' Association is sponsoring 'Operation Hurricane Relief' for these people," said Claudia Burkes, adviser. Members of that organization will collect money at the Haraway Center and outside the Tunica and McGhee Buildings to use to purchase items for evacuees in shelters in Horn Lake/Southaven, Hernando, Senatobia, Batesville, Oxford and Coffeeville.

The nursing students will also collect items ranging from sheets and pillow cases to toiletry items for men, women and children. Diapers, snack foods and non-perishable food items are also needed. Community members who wish to donate items may take them to the nursing lab on the Senatobia campus located in Room 202 of the Tunica Building. For information, contact Burkes at (662) 562-3294.

At DeSoto Center, students raised $1,311.08 which was given to the City of Southaven to be distributed to Katrina victims. They also collected non-perishable food items for the Southaven hurricane shelter.

Another student group joined the effort. "Cosmetology students wanted to volunteer to do something to help the displaced people, so we have been providing our services free of charge for evacuees," said Vicki O' Dell, cosmetology instructor. "We think that when you look good it makes you feel better." O' Dell and her students provided services for evacuees from the shelter at the First Baptist Church in Senatobia as well as for those from the BSU facility.

Even though the evacuees have left the Northwest campus, the effort continues. Trucks from the college's BSU will deliver supplies on the Gulf Coast this weekend.

Northwest Mississippi Community College students Nikki Campbell of Coldwater and Candice Lancaster of Grenada give pedicures to New Orleans area evacuees Donna and Amanda Foy at the college's cosmetology department Sept. 6. The Foys were in Senatobia at the shelter located at the First Baptist Church. Students provided cosmetology services free of charge for the evacuees at shelters located in Senatobia and at the college. (Photo by Michel Jarjoura)