AMES, Iowa -- Veterinary students, faculty, staff and a local business answered the call sent out from Mississippi to help Hurricane Katrina victims--both the two- and four-legged kind.
When Cheryl Zimmerman, president of Iowa State's Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association (SCAVMA), got word that her counterpart at Mississippi State University needed help, Zimmerman didn't hesitate.
The ISU SCAVMA quickly voted to donate $2,000 from the organization's emergency fund.
The group asked the College of Veterinary Medicine faculty and staff to match the sum. They did, giving more than $2,100 of personal donations.
The students then wanted to try to match the faculty and staff. Through personal donations they raised an additional $1,700.
"That's pretty extraordinary," said Zimmerman of the amount of the donations.
The MSU branch of SCAVMA contacted vet student organizations from around the country hoping to get each to give to Katrina relief. The MSU group will present half the money collected to the Louisiana Veterinary Medical Association to help with animal assistance, and half to the Red Cross to help human sufferers.
"I am very proud of the group," Zimmerman said. "As a group, we have a pretty busy curriculum so we don't really have time to make money."
When they heard about the cause, Hill's Pet Food, a supplier to the ISU College of Veterinary Medicine, gave $1,000, according to Zimmerman
The entire $7,506 was sent last week.
"This money truly has come from our hearts," said Zimmerman. "I am so proud of our students and the entire veterinary community."