Bruce Martin wants to help the Hurricane Katrina victims few people have heard about on the news: the American Indian Houma tribe.

"I specifically requested that we send people there because the Houmas live in the bayous way south of New Orleans, literally in swamps, and that tribe was pretty much wiped out," said Martin, the United Campus Ministries (UCM) director.

During spring break, UCM and the Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) are planning to send Penn State students to three locations affected by this year's hurricane season.

The group will split into teams and travel to Century, Fla.; Gulfport, Miss.; and Houma, La. from March 4 to 12.

Martin said the hurricanes affected seven or eight American Indian tribes that are rarely mentioned in media coverage.

"They're invisible, and they always have been; no one knows they exist, and it's always been that way," he said.

Martin said that the Houma site is especially important to him because he grew up in an Ojibwe community in northern Minnesota.

Martin said 40 students have already expressed interest in the trips, but organizers are willing to extend the trip to include as many students as possible.

UCM represents eight Christian congregations in the State College area.

"MDS always goes immediately to disaster sites because they are large and well-organized," he said. "I think they were down there before [the Federal Emergency Management Agency] was."

MDS communications coordinator Larry Guengerich said he is impressed by the character Penn State students are showing by volunteering for the trip.

"I think it's the start of a more active role in the community," he said. "People who are willing to do this in college will be willing to help for the rest of their lives."

Guengerich said he hopes the students will not only work to help the victims but will also hear their stories.

"I hope they really listen to the people who live there and what they want for the future, rather than assuming that we come in with all the answers," he said.

Eric Sauder (freshman-mechanical engineering and aerospace engineering) is helping to organize the trip.

"It's difficult to see the flood images in the newspapers and on TV and feel like there's nothing you can do," Sauder said. "Projects like this give the opportunity to help these people out and experience what they went through firsthand."

Martin said most of the work would involve cleanup, but in Century, where Hurricane Ivan caused most of the damage in 2004, relief workers are at the rebuilding stage.

Students sent to Century will be helping to rebuild homes.

"We can use people with skills or just people with strong hearts," Martin said.

Martin said the trip would also organize activities for fun, including a recreational day on the Saturday before returning home. In future planning sessions, the students will decide what they want to do for this day.

Possible activities could include a trip to the beach or an amusement park, Martin said.