A man with a long proven charitable spirit and a history of uplifting others is at work once again, this time to bring some relief to the people of New Orleans still reeling from the affects of Hurricane Katrina.

DelMonte Davis, Circulation Manager, is one part of a gigantic volunteer effort called Katrina Corps.

It's a one-of-a-kind operation to send spring break college students, armed with hammers and hope, to the Crescent City where they will gut thousands of debilitated homes.

An estimated 10,000 New Orleans homeowners need to have their inhabitable structures gutted soon or the city will have to demolish them.

According to Katrina Corps, it will take "at least six years to gut the wait-listed homes in New Orleans".

But if the organisation can recruit 25,000 volunteers over the five-week spring break period a significant amount of the homes will get the attention they need.

Mr. Davis, 57, will be recruiting young people from Bermuda to give up some of their free time in order to give back.

"I am hopeful that Bermudian students will respond to a Katrina invitation and will be supported by others here," he said.

He added: "Hurricanes provide powerful reminders that we all need each other at such extraordinary times.

"Bermudians know this all too well. We will rally as much support here for Spring Break 2007 as we can. But Katrina underscores larger lessons also: whether it's New Orleans, Bermuda, Kosovo, Tokyo, or Iran, we are all important, we are all connected, the world is really getting smaller and everyday we each must be bigger in heart and in deed."

He also believes the ambitious goals laid out by Katrina Corps are achievable, "(if) you had a fuller appreciation of those involved, you might say that we have a fair chance of accomplishing our New Orleans goals."

Mr. Davis is no stranger to volunteerism on a global scale.

He was a travelling cast member in the group Up With People (UWP) back in the 1960s, and has been instrumental in the involvement of other Bermudians. There are now 80 former UWP members from the Island. In many ways, he has never left the organisation.

I've directly or indirectly travelled to over 20 countries with the organisation, as a regulate cast member, MC and advance person," he said in an e-mail.

"I also played a roll in 1968 and beyond in the start-up of our alumni association, the Up With People International Alumni Association."

It is that group of dedicated alumni which has its sights set now on Katrina Corps and its mission to gut 5,000 homes in New Orleans.

To do it college students from all over the world will be needed between March 5 and April 6 ? the typical span of time when universities break for the spring.

Volunteers pay a $75 registration fee and up to $20 per night for accommodations ? it will cost about a $1m a week to keep everything running.

But as Mr. Davis writes: "Money can't do gutting. It takes heart. Students don't have much money, but they've always had plenty of heart and willingness to sweat."

The labour intensive gutting work will begin each day at 8 a.m., but crews will have the evenings off and will be rewarded with free entertainment.

The project's motto is: "Impossible is nothing," a quote from Muhammad Ali.

At the end of it all, volunteers will have their names etched into a wall erected specifically in honour of Katrina Corps.

For more information or to volunteer: www.katrinacorps.org