Heard on the Street

SAFE SWIMMING

Drowning is the third leading cause of death in the United States for people between the ages of 5 and 44. The Springfield Fire Department offers the following tips:

learn to swim and teach children to swim at a young age;

swim near a lifeguard statistics show that people have a five times greater chance of drowning if they swim somewhere that a lifeguard isn't available;

never swim alone and swim sober;

be mindful of currents just six inches of flowing water can knock you off your feet;

nonswimmers should always use Coast Guard-approved flotation devices; and

don't dive headfirst into unfamiliar waters as serious injuries or death can result.

For home pools, the Fire Department suggests that owners enclose the pools and make sure they're is constantly supervised when children are swimming.

VOLUNTEERS FOR(E) GOLF

Volunteer opportunities are plentiful for the 2002 Price Cutter Charity Championship, slated for July 22-28 at Highland Springs Country Club. The championship is an officially designated Unity in the Spirit of America Initiative Volunteer Service Project by The Points of Light Foundation.

Most volunteers are required to purchase a $40 volunteer package, which includes an ivory PCCC golf shirt, visor or hat, fanny pack, mug and four daily tickets for tournament attendance outside of regular volunteer shifts. Volunteer applications can be downloaded from www.golfvolunteers.org or they can be obtained by calling the PCCC office.

TO HEALTH

The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce is accepting nominations for its annual Salute to Heath Care Awards through July 31. Originated by the chamber in 1985, the awards are designed to recognize the significance of health care as a leading industry in the Springfield area. Nominees must meet the following criteria:

nominees must be direct providers of health-care services;

they must have demonstrated leadership in promoting efforts to improve the health of Springfield area residents; and

nominees should have shown a longevity in health care, pioneered a field, brought about a significant change and gone beyond the scope of their jobs to make the Springfield area a healthier place. For more information, or to obtain nomination forms, contact Brad Bodenhausen at the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce.

FRAUD

Fraud and abuse cost U.S. organizations more than $600 billion annually, according to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, and identity theft is one of the fastest-growing crimes in America. One of the best weapons for fighting fraud is awareness, and during the third annual National Fraud Awareness Week, Aug. 4-10, the association will lead efforts to educate businesses and consumers about detecting, reporting and deterring fraud. A Web site, www.fraudweek.com, established solely for National Fraud Awareness Week is a major component of the group's educational efforts.

The site provides resources about different types of fraud identity theft, credit card fraud, small-business fraud, telemarketing scams and health-care and insurance fraud for businesses and individuals. The site also includes an interactive Fraud IQ Test, to show people how much or how little they know about fraud.