Even if they can repair the damage, some want it razed because they see it is a big symbol of anguish pockmarking the city's skyline.

From the slow federal response that allowed people to die there after they survived a hurricane, to the monsters who raped women in a vulnerable situation, the Superdome is a good place to start in defining Katrina as an unimaginable disaster.

When the unimaginable happens, it brings out our humanity, as if we're all leaning hard in the other direction to steer the world back on course, back to a reality we can handle.

I've probably gotten more e-mail messages this week than in any other in my life. My inbox has overflowed with messages from individuals, institutions and businesses announcing hurricane relief efforts.

In every disaster, there are those who help in a self-serving way -- who offer to give a small portion of their profits to hurricane relief if you come in and spend a whole lot of money in their store. But let me quote from a message I received from a friend of mine who lived in New Orleans up until the hurricane:

"It's just tough to even say now what we need. I am here in Dallas for my job with $60 in my pocket. We haven't gotten paid in nearly three weeks."

My friend, who has two small kids, lost his house and his car. I'll bet he doesn't care how self-serving the fund-raiser was as long as he gets help.

Most fund-raising efforts are sincere, and I don't think you can get more sincere than children. I'm glad our story on the front of today's North Raleigh News focuses on what children have done for hurricane victims.

For your convenience, we've listed fund-raising events in and near North Raleigh. (See "How to help" on page 5N.) And Melissa Draper highlights other activities in her column on today's Free Time page. Then there's the special section in today's paper on how to help.

Please excuse the repetition among all these items. We're inundated, and it's hard to sort it all out. And that's wonderful.