Lost in the Flood

The sticky point remains: Why help a bunch of strangers in the Midwest when so many others everywhere are starving, living with AIDS, surviving on the streets, recovering from Andrew? "I think the people in Hamburg need the help more immediately than we do," Lydia Ojeda says. "What we get out of it is the satisfaction of helping. What about all the people with AIDS? I'd like to help them, too. I'd like to help everybody. Yes, some of these bands are helping themselves by helping others. So what? I'll get the money, I'll make sure it's going there, and I think it will help."

Singer-songwriter Mary Karlzen agrees that help is needed everywhere, but one does what one can. "When things happen, I'd like to send money or help people in some way," she says. "Since I don't have money, I do benefits. That's the way I can help. Sure, there are people with AIDS, people who are homeless. I'm ready to do benefits for them, too.