Although Hurricane Andrew has fallen from the national arena of news topics, efforts are still being made in DeKalb to clean up the mess it left behind.

Kathy Glasscock, director of the DeKalb County American Red Cross, said the organization has collected $9,057 to assist relief efforts in Florida and New Orleans. The Red Cross has nearly met its goal of $10,374, she said.

“I am very pleased with the response of the community to the general request for funding,” Glasscock said.

She said the majority of the funds did come from sources other than NIU, but she blamed the minimal NIU response on poor communication ties between the Red Cross and NIU’s student organizations, not the students themselves.

An attempt will be made to fix the problem of communication by appointing a member of NIU’s student committee to the Red Cross committee, Glasscock said.

NIU did not go without any effort to help the victims of the disaster.

Graduate assistant Angela Baron, adviser to Douglas Hall’s Volunteerism Committee, said the group raised over $75 with their “spare change” fundraiser.

Baron said she was pleased with the funds the committee brought in.

“It’s good because what we had advertised for was pocket change, and the people in the hall were pretty responsive. They’d walk by the tables and empty their pockets,” Baron said. “The bulk of the money was one dollar bills and coins.”

Salvation Army Office Manager Barbara Goken said the organization made other off-campus efforts. The organization sent collected diapers, bottled water, clothing and other hygiene-related supplies to disaster areas, she said.

Contributions can still be made to the Red Cross. Those interested should call 1-800-842-2200 for more details.