Members of the National Panhellenic Council (NPHC) collected everything from dress shirts to Pop Tarts from residents of East and Pollock halls Sunday to help victims of Hurricane Katrina.

The "Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief Effort" marked NPHC's first service day of the year. Those involved collected more than 15 cardboard boxes of toiletries, clothing, food and notebooks, which will be taken to the American Red Cross to help victims of the hurricane, said Randy Winder, NPHC executive vice president.

Tahiirah Allen, NPHC president, said the day of service was planned last semester, but the NPHC decided on the day's theme after Hurricane Katrina hit the southern states.

"When the disaster happened and when [we] saw people were affected by the hurricane -- they lost everything -- we decided that it was going to be our focus for the first program," Allen said. "It's such an important goal and such a catastrophe, we just want to help out."

Allen said NPHC also plans to donate some of the items collected to Penn State families who live in the areas affected by the hurricane.

Cyncoya Dillingham, Zeta Phi Beta sorority, said NPHC's goal during the day of service was to collect donations for the relief effort and to increase freshman awareness of the service fraternities and sororities that comprise the NPHC.

Those who volunteered met in the East Halls Quad and set out to various dorms in East Halls, ready to fill their empty cardboard boxes.

Tim Austin, a member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity, partnered with Chidi Nwosu, a member of Phi Beta Sigma fraternity, and approached people sitting on blankets in the East Quad. When they had no luck collecting donations there, the pair turned to residents in Packer Hall.

Austin said NPHC had sent out an e-mail message last week and advertised the day of service at Friday's Meet the Greeks event.

"We were expecting more people, but when we don't see people, we find them and that's what we're doing right now," he said as he stepped into an elevator to the first floor.

After knocking on doors of two floors in Packer Hall, Austin had an overflowing cardboard box filled with cans of food, razors, soap, shampoo, cleaning supplies, Pop Tarts and toilet paper, which he had to empty out at a station set up in Johnston Commons.

"I feel like I'm trick-or-treating," Austin said at one point, as he knocked on a door.

For some who donated to the cause, last week's disaster had more personal effects.

Dave Ericson (freshman-marketing) said one of his dad's friends had planned to go to a southern college, but since the hurricane hit, he had to change his plans.

"Knowing people who are directly affected by it kind of sort of hits home," Ericson said.

Ericson donated a stash of food he shared with his roommate, Jonathan Barr (freshman-business administration), who was out of the room when NPHC members came to collect items.

"He bought it, but it's for both of us," Ericson said.

Ericson red-handed, he did not mind that their food supply was dwindling, because it was going to help the hurricane victims.

Anyone interested can donate toiletries, food and clothing to the East Halls commons desk.