LEWISTON – Members of the Bates College community will hold a candlelight vigil in support for the victims of Hurricane Katrina at 8 p.m. Thursday, on the steps of the Keigwin Amphitheater.

Though they call it a vigil, organizers of the event say the gathering is more than that.

People often incorrectly view a vigil as a passive act, says Rachel Herzig, interim director of the Office of the Chaplain. A more accurate way to view the word is as a verb: “to vigil, to be vigilant, to stand in solidarity with those who are suffering by opening our hearts, minds and spirit to their pain and loss.”

“To truly open up to another’s pain and stay present, not trying to smooth it over or away, not trying to transcend it too soon, is an act of great courage, compassion and stamina,” Herzig said.

The gathering is intended primarily as a spiritual event, Herzig says. However, donations to relief efforts will be accepted at the gathering as part of a fund-raising effort called the Katrina Relief Initiative, spearheaded by Bates students, faculty and staff, and supported by the chaplain’s office and the Harward Center.

“We have adopted a goal of raising $15,000 from the Bates student body – about $10 per student – marking the college’s sesquicentennial anniversary,” says student organizer Christopher Petrella, a senior from Somers, Conn.

Bates students are challenging faculty and staff to match their fund-raising efforts with an additional $15,000. The fund-raising will commence at the end of this week.

Organizers decided that the bulk of the funds raised will go to the Red Cross for Gulf Coast relief efforts. Because the effects of Katrina also extend to the Maine community, organizers also hope to donate a portion of the funds raised to the Leeds-based Rural Community Action Ministry for heating oil assistance to Maine families in need.

The Harward Center is setting up a special account for donations and will bundle checks and cash. Contributions may be dropped off or mailed to the Harward Center, 161 Wood St., Lewiston, to the attention of Marty Deschaines, community volunteer coordinator.

The public, including children and families, is invited to participate, and candles will be provided.

The amphitheater is adjacent to Lake Andrews and behind the Olin Arts Center. For more information about the vigil or the fund-raising effort, phone (207) 786-8272.