Celebrities contribute to Katrina relief

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Published: Updated: (Travolta, Preston, Moore, Stones, Three Doors Down, Johnson, Smith)

After Hurricane Katrina passed across the United States, various artists and media stars have leapt at a call to action.

John Travolta and wife Kelly Preston flew his private plane to deliver a load of supplies and tetanus vaccine to Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Part of a Scientology project which has been using their non-massage "assists", in an interview Preston mentioned that "auditing" had also been performed on victims.

Kevin Smith is holding an online auction on his Web site.

Sean Penn actually went to Louisiana. After loading down a small boat with his entourage, it was discovered one of them had neglected to seal a hole in the bottom. Penn was wearing a white vest rather than a life vest while bailing. After the motor wouldn't start, the crew paddled down a flooded New Orleans street. Bystanders jeered at whether any victims could fit aboard the crowded craft. No report on rescue stunts. Local authorities had previously been criticized for not allowing volunteer boaters in to help.

Morgan Freeman, whose home fared well, is organizing an online auction of celebrity items at charityfolks.com, to benefit the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.

Curt Schilling opened his home to a family of nine driven out of their New Orleans home. The Schilling family will provide housing for the Fields for a year while their home in New Orleans is rebuilt and repaired.

Some celebrities "graced" disaster zones with their presence in the days following Katrina.

Singer Macy Gray and television personality Phil McGraw visited Houston's Astrodome.

Celebrities visiting New Orleans include Michael Moore (opposite side of lake), singer Harry Connick, Jr., CNN's Anderson Cooper, actor Jamie Foxx, singer Faith Hill, actor Matthew McConaughey, singer Lisa Marie Presley, comedian Chris Rock, and The Oprah Winfrey Show contributor Lisa Ling and interior decorator Nate Berkus.

Oprah Winfrey visited New Orleans, Houston, and Mississippi.

Donations with press releases

Personality Contributions Beneficiary Jerry Lewis Half of Monday telethon Salvation Army Shelter From the Storm (US TV networks) Friday telethon   BET Relief Telethon Friday BET telethon National Urban League and the American Red Cross MTV ReAct Now Saturday MTV telethon several Dave Matthews Band Sept 12 concertRed Rocks Amphitheatre   Grand Ole Opry Country Reaches Out Sept 27 telethon   Serena Williams $100 for every ace she hits on the tennis court   Jay Leno celebrity motorcycle auction   Barry Manilow matching contributionsmanilowfund.com Red Cross David Banner Sept. 17 benefit concert in Atlanta     Lance Armstrong $500,000 Affected cancer survivors. Nicolas Cage $1 million Red Cross George Clooney $1 million United Way Ellen DeGeneres $500,000 + donations   Celine Dion $1 million Red Cross Hilary Duff $250,000 Red Cross & USA Harvest Michael Jackson charity single   Jay-Z and Diddy $1 million Red Cross Magic Johnson jobs   Ludacris $100,000   The Rolling Stones $1 million Red Cross Steven Spielberg $1.5 million American Red Cross and Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund Three Doors Down $300,000 Better Life Foundation

Celebrities in the storm

Singer Fats Domino was missing during the New Orleans flood but has since reached safety.

Celebrities out of the storm

New Orleans residents who were out of town during the Hurricane included:

Juvenile, who left New Orleans before the storm.

Dave Pirner, who was visiting his Minneapolis hometown.

Master P, whose family members are missing.

The Neville Brothers have relocated to Round Rock, Texas.