No hurricane can stop Bill Strickland. The Pittsburgh man visited New Orleans three days before Hurricane Katrina struck to preach about his success with the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild, a North Side program he founded, and to help the Gulf Coast city open a training center of its own. The storm blew away much of the groundwork, but not the dream. Now, as co-chairman of the Louisiana Rebirth Advisory Board with jazz musician Wynton Marsalis, Strickland has emerged as a leader in New Orleans' rebuilding effort. "If there is a place on the planet that needs a center like this, it's New Orleans," said Glenn Mahone, a Pittsburgh lawyer who chairs the guild's board of directors. "They needed him before. They really need him now." Strickland's formula is simple: Give poor kids a clean place filled with art, music, fresh flowers, light, modern equipment and motivated teachers. Then watch them respond. In Pittsburgh, the Craftsmen's Guild has changed thousands of young people's lives since opening in 1968. Its sister organization, Bidwell Training Center, existed before Strickland took over. "I want to take that story across the country," Strickland said. "Treat poor people with decency. Give them a clean space. Get results. And that's a strong message." He has helped open similar centers in San Francisco, Cincinnati and Grand Rapids, Mich. The centers pay an affiliation fee to Strickland's Pittsburgh-based National Center for Arts & Technology, an umbrella group that he hopes might one day include more than 100 members. Strickland, 58, of Perry Hilltop, brings his work experience and credibility to raise money, said Carl Kelly Jr., executive director of the West Michigan Center for Arts & Technology in Grand Rapids, where backers raised $5 million to open a center that serves about 100 young people. "We're just not used to spending this kind of money on a facility for poor people," Kelly said. "Usually you have a little hole-in-the-wall community center." New Orleans would have its own center by now, if not for Katrina. Strickland teamed with Jay Weigel, director of the city's Contemporary Arts Center. Government agencies and foundations committed to contributing more than $1 million. But after the storm, the government money went elsewhere. What remains is a $150,000 planning grant from the ASI Federal Credit Union, a New Orleans community bank that "never" has any money, said CEO Audrey Cerise. Still, she did not take back the seed money for the proposed New Orleans Center for Arts & Technology. "We needed (the money) very badly," said Cerise, who first heard Strickland speak years ago at a conference. "I think he can do more with it than we can at this point. If we ever needed somebody to do something with our kids, it's now." The original idea was to create a culinary arts program in the Contemporary Arts Center, and later add photography or digital imaging classes. That remains the long-term goal, but Weigel wants to add classes in the building trades. The center occupies two floors of a building now repaired after sustaining water damage in the hurricane. With Strickland's help, Weigel believes they'll raise more money. Strickland hopes to get backers together in a month or so. The center could open next spring. "What this project would do is help build and transform the city -- period," Weigel said. "I can't believe people wouldn't get behind that." Additional Information:

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How to help Checks - with the notation 'New Orleans' - may be sent to the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild, 1815 Metropolitan Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15233. For more information, call 412-322-1773 or visit www.manchesterguild.org .

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