By Diane Smith

Record-Courier religion editor

MANTUA -- When an Arkansas pastor heard that a church and its buildings in New Orleans were swept away by Hurricane Katrina, he couldn't just sit home and watch the destruction on the news.

The Rev. Vance Moore left his home in Arkansas, bringing with him his wife, Jeannie, who died of cancer six months later. Together with the few remaining members of this congregation, they rebuilt the church completely and started the Westside Mission.

On Saturday, Moore will be in Mantua to address the crowd at a New Orleans style fund-raising dinner for his mission. The dinner will be held at the Knights of Columbus hall in Mantua from 5 to 8 p.m. and donations of any amount will be accepted.

"He's a charasmatic speaker," said Roger Hurd, one of the volunteers who spent time at Moore's mission last year. "He's a down-home Southerner who has a contracting background and is a licensed minister."

Hurd and 27 other volunteers from area Disciples of Christ churches traveled to New Orleans last year to help the mission rebuild the area. In February, a group of volunteers will return to the mission, from Hilltop Christian Church, Brighter Day Christian Church, Hiram Christian Church and Mantua Center Christian Church.

However, this fund-raiser will not offset travel expenses for the group, Hurd said. All proceeds raised will go directly to the Westside Mission, which has a mission center capable of housing and feeding more than 50 volunteers at any given time so they can come to New Orleans and help rebuild the town.

"Every penny will go directly to the rebuilding effort, including painting, flooring and new drywall," Hurd said.

When the group traveled to New Orleans, Hurd said, the group was shocked to see the vast number of homes that had been damaged, swept away or buldozed after Katrina hit in August 2005.

"The devastation was just unbelievable, even two years after the hurricane hit," he said. "Hundreds of apartments and buildings were just abandoned. Shopping centers and office buildings were gone. You'd see large concrete areas where these buildings were."

Many homes in the "lower 9th ward" are spraypainted with symbols indicating that a dead person or animal had been found there, and whether the building contained toxic chemicals.

Hurd and fellow volunteers were told it would be 20 to 30 years before everything is rebuilt, and only for the people who plan to return. Many former residents have settled in northern Louisiana or Texas because their homes, or the places they once worked, are now gone.

"Brother Vance will only work with people who will put sweat equity into their homes, similar to Habitat," he said. Most live in the now infamous "FEMA trailers," he said.

Hurd said he hopes more than 40 volunteers will go along on the February trip. Members of the community are welcome to come, even if they have no construction background, because there is plenty of painting and general clean-up to keep people busy.

Reservations may be made by calling Lois at (330) 274-8128; Phyllis at (330) 274-8478; or Don at (330) 569-3311. E-mail reservations can be made at sblpop@aol.com.