On September 7, Meredith's weekly chapel service focused on the College's disaster relief efforts for those affected by Hurricane Katrina and the December 2004 tsunami in Asia.

In an email to the campus community, Campus Minister Sam Carothers said the service was an effort "to address an understanding of disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and the tsunami from a perspective of faith."

Carothers said that the news reports from the Gulf Coast following the hurricane were reminders of similar images from Sri Lanka in December.

People often question God's role in natural disasters, Carothers said. His message during the service was that God's voice could be found not in the hurricane or the tsunami, but in the world's response to such events. 

Calling the victims of both disasters "our neighbors," Carothers emphasized that "our neighbors in both Sri Lanka and the Gulf Coast" now need Meredith's support.

Students Mary Rand and Elizabeth Loftis spoke during the service about Meredith's disaster relief efforts. Rand spoke on behalf of the College's Service Council about supporting the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Rand said that the College's initial effort is to collect donations for the American Red Cross's hurricane relief fund. The Service Council will meet on Friday, Sept. 9 to determine additional projects.

Loftis spoke about "A Tide of Hope" Meredith's yearlong tsunami relief effort, and discussed her reasons for supporting the effort. (For more information on "A Tide of Hope," visit www.meredith.edu/tsunamirelief.)

More information on Meredith's support of those affected by Hurricane Katrina can be found at www.meredith.edu/response/.