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Consumer Forum *^^^^^^^^^w%^%%%%%%%%%%%%%,%%jS3agjS%t BY Nina Herrmann Office of the Illinois Attorney General Dear Readers: All too often we forget that children are readers and consumers, too. And, therefore, today's "Consumer Forum" is written especially for children. It tells of a friendly little book­ worm named Clive, who, un­ fortunately, falls into a very typical consumer trap that may intrigue a child. I hope your children--and you--will welcome him. THE ADVENTURES OF CLIVE, THE BOOKWORM Clive Thurgood Bookworm, III is a handsome young book­ worm who lives with a nice family in Illinois. The family has a Mommie, a Daddy, two boys, two girls, two cats, and a basset hound named Silver Bullet. Bullet and Clive are very good friends, and Clive is loved by the whole family. Because he is a bookworm, Clive loves to read' He reads school books and newspapers and magazines. One day Clive was sitting by the fireplace in his favorite chair, sipping a glass of milk and reading a magazine. His friend, Silver Bullet, was eating a chocolate cupcake and watching television. Wilver Bullet never was much for reading! "That's it," exclamied Clive, suddenly jumping up from the chair and almost upsetting his milk all over Bullet. "That's it," he repeated! The. basset, who was ac­ customed to Clive's sudden outbursts while reading, casually answered, "That's good, Clive. That's good." "No, no, listen," said Clive excitedly. "Look here." He thrust the magazine under Bullet's nose. "See," asked Clive? And he read out loud, "Make money in your spare time. Earn up to $25 per week in the comfort of your own home." "Umhum," said Silver Bullet, to whom the mere THOUGHT of work brought goose bumps. "That's how I can buy Ellie a birthday present," said Clive. , "I was so worried about that!" (Ellie, who was going to be nine, had found Clive in some underbrush and brought him home to live with her family. She was very special to Clive.) "What do you have to do for the money," asked Bullet? "It's easy," said Clive! "I send this company $3. - it's almost all I have in my piggy bank, but it's worth it - and they send me a packet of leather pieces and strings. Then I make 25 pairs of baby shoes and send them back to the company. They sell them and send me the profits. Ellie's birthday is nearly two months away," Clive continued ex­ citedly, "so I have plenty of time!" The little bookworm ran upstairs, shook $3.00 from his piggy bank, filled in the ad,and sent it all away to the company, two weeks later a packet of leather goods arrived. Using all eight of his hands, Clive finished making the baby shoes in only two days. He had read the instructions very carefully and was very neat in his work. He packed the little shoes in a sturdy box and sent them off to the company to be sold. And then Clive eargerly began to look for his $25.00 in thejanail. But week after week went by...and no money for Clive. He was very sad. On the morning of Ellie's birthday Clive returned from the mailbod in tears. "The money's not there," he sobbed! "It's not fair; it's just not fiar," he cried to Silver Bullet. "I worked so hard. What can I do for Ellie's birthday? What can I get her without any money?" Silver Bullet thought and thought. He walked around in circles following his tail. He scratched the resident flea under his left ear, and then the one under his right ear. Finally, the basset came up with a plan. Clive could take the few dimes he had left in his piggy bank and,buy Ellie a nice card. On the card he could explain what happened and promise to buy Ellie a gift just as soon as his money arrived. "That way it will be like two birthdays," Bullet explained to Clive. "Ellie will understand." And Ellie did understand! She told Clive how impressed she was with all his work on her behalf. And she qlso made him promise not to spend all $25 on her...whenever his money came. But Clive's money never came. The little bookworm waited for two months. He. wrote three letters to the company. Then, one day, the mailman brought an answer - an answer, but no money. The company told Clive they a p p r e c i a t e d h i s effort, but that his "workanship had not been up to company standards." They asked if he'd like to try again! "Not up to company stands!. Try again!" Clive nearly hit the ceiling. "Those shoes were perfect," he said. "Perfect!" And then the little bookworm started to cry. '"You, Clive, likely were the victim of fraud," said Silver Bullet knowingly! "What," asked Clive through huge tears? "You likely were the victim of fraud," Bullet repeated. "I'll bet that particular company wasn't an honest work-at-home company and never intended to send you $25.00. They just wanted to get YOUR $3.00. Now don't cry," the basset added soothingly. "Talk with Ellie's Daddy tonight and he'll know what to do. He's very wise." So, Clive told his whole sad story to Ellie's Father, who agreed with Silver Bullet. "I think, in this case, you likely WERE the victim of fraud," Volunteers Needed For SSI-Alert Red Cross is looking for volunteers _ for a short-term project to help find local people who may be eligible for federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments. The project, called "SSI Alert," is initiated and financed by the federal government. Because of its nation-wide network of local chapters, the American Red Cross has been requested by the federal Administration on Aging to a s s u m e s u p e r v i s o r y responsibility for enlisting volunteers and carrying out the said Ellie's Daddy. "But I know what to do. We'll contact At­ torney , General William Scott and ask him to help you. Maybe that company has cheated a lot of other people - and book­ worms! At least he may be able to get your $3.00 back." "You mean the Illinois At­ torney General would care about my little $3.00," asked Clive, surprised? "Sure," said Ellie's Daddy. "Attorney General Scott will try to help anyone in Illinois who may have been the victim of fraud. But, "added Ellie's Daddy, "I think this should be a lesson for you, Cfive. Be very careful how you spend your money. You usually get in life only what you pay for. Very few people - or bookworms - get rich overnight." project in local communities. Red Cross is helping to locate persons who may be eligible for SSI payments, who are unaware of their rights, or don't know where to go to claim the money provided by the program. Volunteers will concentrate on finding people in financial need who are 65 or over and persons who are blind or disabled. The work of finding eligible persons must be completed by June 30 of this year. Red Cross volunteers will be involved by contacting those persons who are not now on welfare or Social Security. They will seek out possible eligible persons and provide information on the SSI program. They will give assistance to those needing additional information, or encourage them to go to their local Social Security office, or PAGE 9 - PLAINDEALER-WEDNESDAY. MARCH 20, 1974 arrange to have a Social Security representative visit them at home, if necessary. Anyone in Lake and McHenry counties who wants to volunteer for SSI-Alert should contact Catherine Stage at the Red Cross regional office in Waukegan, 308 Julian St., phone 662-4057. No special skills are needed. Volunteers will be trained for their specific duties and can work in their own communities. Miss Stage is the local project director for SSI-Alert. A Waukegan resident, she has extensive experience as a caseworker and community organizer for the aged. She received a Masters degree in educational counseling from the University of Wisconsin, Superior. Her office will handle the job of locating all eligible persons within Lake and McHenry counties, which is the geographical area designated by the Social Security Administration to correspond with territory covered by its district offices. For more information, to volunteer, or if you think you may be eligible for SSI payments, contact Miss Stage. Newspapers; Magazines 9 A.M. - 5 P.M. Bottles, Cans 9 A.M. - Noon Third Saturday every month Market Place 9:00am - y:uu pm ALL FOUR #£411 SERVICE STORES x,*tv SALE ENDS M* NIGHT • PRIZE DRAWINGS EVERY HOUR .* REGISTER FOR DOOR PRIZES (No Purchase Necessary) • REFRESHMENTS AVAILABLE AT THE ' McHeniy County Faiigrounds IN WOODSTOCK (Thursday MAR. 21 Thru MAR. 24 Sunday) ModelFU182R Westlnghouse 18.0 Cu. Ft. 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