After traveling around the country, playing volleyball and finishing 11th in the 2003 USA Girls' Junior Olympic Volleyball Champions in Atlanta, members of the Mizuno Cincy Classics team finally found time to do some real homework.

The nine girls on the team learned to sew.

They made 1,000 fleece headbands and donated them to Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. The headbands were distributed to patients throughout the hospital before the cold weather set in.

The team draws players from all over the Tristate, said Lisa Mahlerwein, one of the coaches.

"We just won first place in a tournament in Indianapolis two weeks ago,'' Mahlerwein said.

Team members are Sarah McGrath, Sycamore High School; Molly Rowland, Mason; Sam Viox, Mercy; Jenna Hagglund and Ali Bergheger,Lakota West; Michelle Kenning, St. Ursula, Brianna Williamson, Ursuline Academy; Kristen White, McAuley; and Lindsay Upton, Mount Notre Dame.

The team is coached by Ron and Lisa Mahlerwein and Jeni Case.

Former resident certified

Former Cincinnatian Linda Mae has been certified by the Hand Therapy Certification Commission as an internationally recognized hand therapist.

Mae formerly lived in Westwood and received bachelor's and master's degrees in occupational therapy from Xavier University.

"It was hard work to get to this status, but I stayed with it until I finished,'' Mae said.

Along with a master's in occupational therapy, she was required to have five years practice in the field of physical or occupational therapy.

"I also had to have 4,000 hours of hand therapy training,'' Mae said.

She completed the required hours at the Scripps Ranch Physical Therapy and Hand Clinic in San Diego. She now runs the clinic, which is part of the Physical Rehabilitation and Hand Center Inc., San Marcos, Calif.

"With the international certification I can work in a lot of foreign countries,'' Mae said.

Screenings offered

Free cholesterol and blood pressure screenings, self-assessment tests and literature will be offered at selected Sam's Club stores on Feb 20 and at Wal-Mart stores Feb. 21.

The free screenings will be offered in the pharmacy areas from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The event, which is being held in recognition of American Heart Month, is designed to raise awareness of the risk factors for heart disease.

Gun locks distributed

SPRINGDALE - Police here are among the first in Hamilton County to participate in a program to hand out free firearms safety kits to residents.

Springdale began the program Jan. 26.

In partnership with Project Childsafe, a nationwide firearms safety education program, residents can obtain up to three free gun locks at the police department, no questions asked.

The kits also contain instructions on how to use the lock and information on firearms safety, Springdale Police Officer Al Maupin said.

The department has about 300 kits to distribute. The locks fit on most types of handguns, rifles and shotguns.

"These locks are being made available to every police department in the United States," Maupin said.

"All the agencies around here, as far as I know, are going to be participating in it. We just got ours earlier than some."

The kits can be picked up at the Springdale Police Department, 12105 Lawnview Ave.

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