Bermudians are digging deep to help those worst hit by Hurricane Katrina and the money raised so far now stands at $125,000 and rising all the time.

Cash is not the only thing the Island is sending to the stricken communities of Mississippi and Louisiana. In the coming weeks a team of 11 from the Salvation Army intends to reach out with pastoral care for those survivors depressed and even suicidal having lost practically all they owned and loved ones in the devastation.

One of the most touching stories to come out of the Island?s many fund-raising initiatives is that of three enterprising teenagers who have given their free time to pack grocery bags and give their tips to help the pets and animals who survived the flooding after being left behind.

Freya Lawrence, 13, raised nearly $400 when she wore a sign to tell shoppers at Miles Market where her tips would be going. The story was reported in and resulted in a further anonymous donation from a woman who dropped by at Freya?s school, the Bermuda High School for Girls, to give $150 to the relief effort.

Inspired by their cousin, Rebecca Lawrence, 13, and Rachel Lawrence, 15, gave all their grocery packing tips at A1 in Paget to the same fund as Freya.

In total the girls raised $1,020 between them and, in a final gesture of goodwill, Mailbox donated the FedEx fee to send the cash to the Noah?s Wish non-profit animal welfare organisation in the US which is caring for animals rescued in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Freya?s mother Michelle Lawrence said: ?It has been a great experience for her.?

Elsewhere, Bermuda Red Cross has so far received donations totalling more than $104,000 for its appeal.

?As is always the case, the Bermuda public have opened up their hearts by responding to our disaster appeals very generously,? said Director Ann Spencer-Arscott. ?It concerns me when I hear or read criticism about the relief efforts. Each organisation is doing the best they can for the situation they are in.

?Although there was plenty of warning for each of the States to be prepared, it seems that somewhere there was a breakdown in communication.?

She added: ?Now, of course, the Americans have Hurricane Rita to contend with. It looks like the public is taking Rita more seriously and evacuating as needed. Until we get a request from American Red Cross or International Federation, we will not be launching an appeal. We will be monitoring this closely.?

An earlier appeal by the Bermuda Red Cross for help in the West Africa Crisis had been overshadowed by the Hurricane Katrina appeal, but the organisation would like to thank those who have helped bring that appeal?s total currently to $64,000.

The Salvation Army in Bermuda has collected around $20,000 in donations, according to Maj. Clarence Ingram, with about one-third of the money coming via internet donations.

Divisional Commander Maj. Lindsay Rowe is currently in Canada but will be back on the Island this weekend.

Speaking from Ontario, he said: ?We are putting a team together. They asked if we could send a team out this weekend but we could not respond that quick.

?People out there are quite desperate. Some Salvation Army teams have been put in place in anticipation of Hurricane Rita.?

The team from Bermuda, which is expected to reach the affected region during the first two weeks of October, will be primarily concerned with giving pastoral support.

Maj. Ingram said: ?There is concern about the level of depression and suicide within the folks who have lost everything and lost loved ones.?

Names of the Salvation Army?s proposed team have been submitted to the relevant authorities for approval and it is thought the Bermudian team is most likely be sent to the devastated city of Biloxi.

Praising the generosity of Islanders to the Salvation Army?s appeal, Maj. Ingram added: ?People have come across to do as much as they can and we have had a fair number of companies calling us saying they have employees who want to help.?