MEXICO – Thanks to a class at the local university center, teens, homeless animals and Alzheimer’s victims will get a little extra help.

The dozen or so students in Bob Ellis’s group process sociology class wrapped up their semester-long team projects Thursday afternoon by telling their fellow classmates what they have done and how it benefited people and animals in the community.

A team headed by Tina Howard, Roxbury, planned to bring their project to McKennel’s Animal Shelter after the class – three carloads of dog and cat food, towels and paper towels, doggie and kitty toys, and dozens of other items.

“The needs are great for all the animals at the shelter and the resource few,” she said.

She, Julie Reid, Peru, Jenevieve Marston and Jane Doucette, Mexico, held bottle drives and bake and candy sales to raise $540. Howard said nearly 1,000 pounds of dog and cat food, alone, were bought with the funds.

All team members are pet owners and know what it’s like to have the affection of a furry critter.

Two teens from Rumford, one boy and one girl, will have a happier Christmas this year because of the efforts of Bea Jacques, Rumford, Meldoy Hoover, Carthage, Aishah Wolfstone, Farmington, and Ed McCafferty, Mexico. The four-some cleaned out their own homes and blanketed their friends and other residents for yard-sale items. The event took place in November and raised $245 that will be used to buy videos, clothing and other items needed by the teens.

Jacques said they chose helping out teens because Santa’s Helpers, a community-wide project that makes sure children in the River Valley have something under the Christmas tree, cuts off eligibility at age 12.

A third team of four students, and three community residents, took part in Rumford’s Memory Walk in October, raising $445 for Alzheimer’s patients.

Team leader Tonia Surette, Roxbury, said the Memory Walk was chosen because the grandmother of team member, Kristy Wilson, Mexico, is an Alzheimer’s victim. The team walked 3.5 miles and solicited pledges for the effort.

Ellis, who is also the administrator at the college, said students in this class have participated in a variety of socially-conscious projects over the years, ranging from holding blood drives to helping homeless shelters.