Five Things You Need to Know Today is a Patch column that provides readers with essential, daily information at a glance. Check back later for more, and let us know what you think of the feature in the comments section.

1. Rain expected tonight
Today there is a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Otherwise, it will be partly sunny, with a high near 86. South wind will be 6 to 14 mph. Tonight there is a 60 percent chance of showers, then showers and thunderstorms likely after 10 p.m. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. It will be mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

2. Worship
Sunday Mass service will be held at St. Mary's 8 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. while worship will be held at Trinitarian Congregational Church 9:30 a.m. Sunday School and worship will be held 10:30 a.m. at Chartley United Methodist Church.

3. Volunteers wanted!
Volunteers are needed for the twentieth annual Alzheimer’s Association Neponset Valley Walk to End Alzheimer’s Saturday, Sept. 22. The walk begins and ends at the Bird Middle School in Walpole.  Help now with the pre-walk preparations and hanging posters or distributing flyers. Money raised by Walk to End Alzheimer’s helps to provide care and support for individuals and families touched by Alzheimer’s and to fund Alzheimer’s research. For more information,  visit www.alzwalkMANH.org and  click on the Neponset Valley Walk and then click on “Volunteer.”

4. Protect yourself from the sun
Did you know a tan is evidence of sun damage, and an indication that a person has high ultraviolet (UV) exposure and is at a higher risk than others to get skin cancer? Sturdy Memorial Hospital’s Cancer Care physicians recommend practicing safe-sun habits and routinely looking for signs of skin cancer. Adhere to the following advice to help protect you and your family from skin cancer:

• “Generously apply a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 15 or higher every day to all exposed skin, even in the winter,” says Dr. Olympia Kovich, board certified dermatologist. “For prolonged outdoor activity or a day at the beach, though, use a sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher.” The term “broad-spectrum” means the sunscreen provides protection from both UVA and UVB rays. Reapply roughly every two hours and after swimming or sweating.
• Wear protective clothing such as a long-sleeved shirt, pants, a wide-brimmed hat, and UV-protection sunglasses, where possible.
• Seek shade when available, especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun’s rays are strongest.
• Use extra caution near water, sand, and snow, because they reflect and intensify the rays of the sun, which can increase your chances of sunburn and skin damage.
• Avoid tanning booths and beds. Ultraviolet light from the sun and indoor tanning can cause skin cancer and wrinkling. If you want the look of a tan, consider using a sunless self-tanning product, but continue using sunscreen.
• Perform regular self skin examinations. Skin cancer is the most curable cancer, particularly when it is detected and treated in its earliest stages. If you notice anything changing, growing, or bleeding on your skin, see a dermatologist.

For more information visit the Sturdy Memorial Hospital website.

5. Looking for a clean beach? There's an app for that.

The Swim Guide smart phone app, launched today in Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut and the Chesapeake Region, will allow people to find clean, safe beaches and swimming areas to recreate and enjoy their waterways. The new, free, smart phone app is available from the App Store, Google Play or www.theswimguide.org.