Jason Mitchell heard some of the horror stories from home.

Tennessee's senior linebacker from Abbeville, La., just wanted to contribute in some way to a relief effort for Hurricane Katrina victims.

"It has really been tough," he said Wednesday. "I have relatives who have lost everything.

"Then you hear about people getting robbed and people buying guns to protect themselves. It's disgusting. Stories like that make you want to open up your hands and help each other. People have to come together."

That's what will happen this weekend as UT athletes help with a three-day donation drive Friday through Sunday at Cumberland Baptist Church, 5600 Western Avenue.

"I was talking to my mom (Marilyn) and she was already doing everything she could," Mitchell said. "I wanted to help, but I didn't know how."

Mitchell's family founded the Mitchell Family Foundation to help single families in Abbeville, but they've teamed up with the Vermilion Faith Community of Care to help hurricane evacuees transported to Abbeville.

Tiffany Carpenter, director of public relations for the UT athletic department, got involved and a tractor trailer provided by WEBTECH Conversions is scheduled to leave 5 a.m. Monday with all the collected goods.

Players from the men's and women's athletic departments will help collect goods Friday from 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sunday from noon-4 p.m.

Ja'Kouri Williams, Chris Brown, Parys Haralson, Josh McNeil and Xavier Mitchell are a few of the other football players from hometowns affected by the hurricane that will be donating time to the effort.

Items needed are: diapers, formula, toothpaste, toothbrushes, medicines, pillows, blankets, clothes, canned foods, water and toys for kids.

Monetary donations can be dropped off at the church or sent to Vermilion Faith Community Care, attention Liz Trouchet, 505 Eaton Drive, Abbeville, La., 70510. Note on the check that it is intended for Hurricane Katrina relief.

"I was talking to (teammates) John Poe, Jason Hall and David Yancey just the other day about this," Mitchell said. "We just want to help.

"A lot of people go through life with nothing. We have a chance to help kids get off the street, or help people find shelter. This is just the beginning of a lot of things we want to do later in life."

Fans Come Through: UT fans joined the athletic department to help raise $133,538 at last Saturday's game against UAB to aid hurricane victims.

Fans donated $77,198 at the game and UT tacked on another $50,000 from concession sales at the game. Another $6,340 was raised at the second annual "Orange Aid" at West Town Mall where players signed autographs and sold T-shirts.