Dismayed and feeling helpless, several Southern Oregon workers have organized individual and group fund-raisers to provide even modest relief to victims of Hurricane Katrina.

"I was getting ready for work and I was watching CNN and they just looked so sad," said Christine Stout, 38, a manager and server at Pasta Piatti, an Ashland restaurant. "I thought, ‘What can I do to help?’ "

Stout decided to donate half of her tips for a day to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort — and she urged fellow restaurant servers to do so, too.

"We think we can raise $500 (today)," Stout said.

Direct donations to local branches of the Salvation Army and the American Red Cross had topped $47,000 by Friday, organizers said.

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But hairstylists, teachers and other workers were determined to increase that amount as reports of chaos, despair and death flooded in from the devastated Gulf Coast.

Michael Belkin, 42, challenged all hairstylists in Southern Oregon to join him in donating the price of one cut.

"It’s $24 for a haircut and style. It’s all I can afford; I’m a little guy," said Belkin, who works at the Luminous salon in Central Point.

State records indicate there are nearly 1,600 hairstylists licensed in Jackson County. If they all donated even $24 apiece, that would be more than $38,000.

All of the small donors indicated they planned to deliver the proceeds to the local office of the American Red Cross.

Such gifts are more than welcome, said Marj Jameson, director of the local branch. However, people who plan elaborate fund-raisers should contact Red Cross officials before using the agency’s name.

Here’s a list of several local efforts: