A relief effort for Hurricane Katrina has sprung up in Ames and on the ISU campus. Government of the Student Body members and Terry Fisher, owner of Club 8, 216 Stanton Ave., have teamed up to form I KARE — Iowa Katrina Aid & Relief Effort — with the goal of collecting enough supplies in the next week to fill two semi trailers.

“If we can get two semis full, that’s enough to feed a town for a couple of days,” said John Tillo, senior in political science and former GSB senator.

Tillo said nonperishable food, medical supplies, clothes and blankets can be dropped off at boxes inside Parks Library, the Memorial Union and Club 8 beginning Friday to be sent to the victims of Katrina.

A trailer will also be set up near the Campus Book Store, 2300 Lincoln Way, and boxes will be available at residence hall desks.

At a planning meeting held Thursday night, GSB President Angela Groh said donations would also be taken at Saturday’s football game — three locations are planned outside the stadium and four are expected in the stadium.

“We will be taking donations up until halftime,” she said.

Chris Deal, GSB vice president and senior in mechanical engineering, said drop-off points could also be located at Hy-Vee and local churches.

Tillo said donations will be taken until Wednesday night when the trucks are planned to be loaded into Thursday morning. He said the effort is seeking volunteers to help load the trailers. The trucks, which were provided by Fisher, will leave for Gulfport, Miss., on Thursday and should arrive with the supplies late Thursday night or early Friday morning.

Tillo said Fisher called him about the idea of a supply drive, after visiting hurricane affected areas.

Tillo approached Groh and Deal on Thursday with the idea for a relief effort.

“Essentially those people are scavenging for the necessities just to live,” he said, adding that the relief effort is time-sensitive. “Right now is when they are suffering; no aid has arrived yet.”

In a statement, ISU President Gregory Geoffroy said he is pleased Iowa State is joining the nationwide response to the crisis and will provide aid in emergency relief and relocation efforts.

“The university stands ready to work with any student from a college or university in the New Orleans area who has been displaced by Hurricane Katrina and who is interested in temporarily transferring to Iowa State,” he said in a letter to ISU faculty. “We also may be able to house a limited number of displaced persons in some of our unused residence hall space.”

Fisher was driving back to Iowa from the area affected by Hurricane Katrina on Thursday afternoon and could not be reached for comment.