Wanted: Books for Africa

It's time to clean out your bookshelves and donate to a good cause. The Tulane American Red Cross Club is holding a book drive starting on Wednesday (April 28) to benefit students in Africa.

The club is placing collection bins on the uptown campus at the Howard-Tilton Memorial Library and Bruff Commons and on the downtown health sciences campus at the School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Ave., and in the lobby at 1440 Canal St, as well as at Barnes and Noble Bookstore locations on both campuses.

The drive continues through May 10. All book donations are welcome, including textbooks, study guides, hardcover nonfiction and fiction books, paperbacks and any books used for college courses.

For additional information, e-mail Saira Ahmed, club vice president.

The Southeast Louisiana Chapter of the American Red Cross earlier this year awarded a certificate of appreciation to the Tulane club in recognition of its work at Mardi Gras festivities in February.

To help maintain the health and safety of Mardi Gras parade-goers, members of the club, who had received training in CPR and first aid, provided 123 hours of service at first-aid stations during Carnival.

The campus Red Cross chapter had been active at Tulane prior to Hurricane Katrina but was revived last fall by a group of interested students. Drew Levinson, co-president, said that the club members have canvassed neighborhoods and residence halls with information on preparedness and safety, taught in schools about flu and disaster preparedness and offered first-aid services at special events.