AIKEN --- Leadership Aiken needs some help.

The group needs donations for two charity projects its members hope to finish before they graduate in June -- getting books for cancer patients to read and redoing a needy teen's dorm room at the Helping Hands Organization.

Julie Trotter, one of the group's members, said they hope to receive enough help to complete the projects over the next four months.

Leadership Aiken, a nine-month program that provides courses for future leaders from Aiken County, chose hands-on projects this year, Ms. Trotter said.

Donations are needed to:

- Provide books for the Suzanne Messick Library at the Cancer Care Institute of Carolina.

- Make over a room in one of the children's dorms at the Helping Hands Organization.

To do so, Ms. Trotter said, the group needs construction supplies, hardback books, home-improvement items and money.

Many of the group's members knew Ms. Messick, who was a Savannah River Cancer Foundation board member and worked even while battling cancer herself.

Books would go a long way in helping patients, Ms. Trotter said. "Many of the cancer patients have to stay there all day for treatment, and this would give them an outlet, something to read."

The group is looking for all kinds of books -- fiction, nonfiction, educational and inspirational.

The Helping Hands Organization, which is an emergency children's shelter, was chosen for its dedication to Aiken County youngsters, she explained.

The group wants to redo a teen girl's bedroom, which is among many dorm rooms "that haven't been updated in years.

"It doesn't even look like a girl's room," Ms. Trotter said.

Reach Sandi Martin at (803) 648-1395, ext. 111, or sandi.martin@augustachronicle.com.