Tampa Leaders Honored at Scientology Open House

 The Church of Scientology of Tampa honored five civic leaders August 4 at a special open house held in honor of International Day of Friendship. The Church presented awards to Shannon Edge, Maria Asuncion Lopez, Sam Mobley, Dr. Wallace Reyes, and Pastor Essie Sims for their work to make a difference in the Tampa Bay community.

Shannon Edge has served as director of the Neighborhood and Community Relations Office of the City of Tampa since 2003. Her office works with Tampa neighborhood and civic associations and provides a liaison between residents and city government, helping people resolve issues, find information and connect with city agencies that offer the services they need.

Maria Asuncion Lopez is president of the Hispanic Alliance of Tampa Bay and founder and president of Voz y Acción de Puerto Rico, a nonprofit organization established to improve community interaction. Maria also heads LPNet—the Latino Professionals Network—which creates career, educational and social opportunities for Hispanic professionals.

Sam Mobley, president of the Eastern Heights Neighborhood Association, secured a Hillsborough County neighborhood grant to upgrade community facilities and regularly leads anti-drug marches through East Tampa to bring police attention to suspected drug dealers, making the neighborhood safe for local families and unsafe for criminals.

Ybor City historian Dr. Wallace Reyes conducts tours of local historic buildings, thus helping to preserve the heritage of the city by educating residents and visitors on the history of the region.

Pastor Essie Sims, Senior Pastor of Telling the Truth Ministries, is chairman of East Tampa Community Revitalization Partnership, which provides activities and opportunities for East Tampa youth such as midnight basketball and dances through the East Tampa Have a Safe Summer events program. His work with the National Football League Youth Education Town (NFL YET)—an educational and recreational center operated by the Boys and Girls Club of America on behalf of the National Football League—provides activities and opportunities for East Tampa youth.

During the awards presentation and throughout the day, the Church of Scientology Tampa introduced those attending the open house to The Way to Happiness, a nonreligious moral code written by L. Ron Hubbard and based entirely on common sense. The booklet and brief informational videos that illustrate its precepts provide a roadmap to a happier life through compassion and understanding, virtues essential to accomplishing the purpose of International Day of Friendship—to foster friendship between peoples, countries, cultures and individuals to inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities.
To learn more about the Church of Scientology Tampa, visit their website at
www.scientology-tampa.org.


^{Happiness and strength endure only in the absence of hate. To hate alone is the road to disaster. To love is the road to strength. To love in spite of all is the secret of greatness. And may very well be the greatest secret in this universe.~~L. Ron Hubbard}, founder of theScientology relgion

Church of Scientology Amsterdam Sponsors 2nd Annual Anti-Drug Marathon

Former drug addicts carry out 350 km (217 mile) run to raise awareness on the danger of drugs

Volunteers from the Church of Scientology of Amsterdam joined former addicts in a two-week 350 km (217 mile) anti-drug marathon through Holland to raise awareness of the dangers of drugs. The team kicked off their cross-country journey August 2 in the town of Den Helder with the mayor joining them for the first kilometer of the run.

Along the route, the runners are distributing booklets and flyers presenting factual information on the effects of drugs. The former addicts on the team know all too well the damage drugs cause—how drugs can lead to stealing, prostitution and other criminal activities. They also have firsthand knowledge of longterm physical, emotional and mental consequences of using drugs.

"It all seems so innocent at first," says one of the former addicts, "but if I had known how drugs would destroy my life I would absolutely never have started. If I can prevent even one youth from suffering the horrors of addiction through this marathon, then I'm happy."

According to a recent study, there is twice as much cannabis use among Netherland teens age 15-16 as the European average. The purpose of the marathon, co-sponsored by the Say No to Drugs—Say Yes to Life Foundation, the Church of Scientology, and Narconon, is to decrease teen drug use by raising awareness of the dangers of drugs.

For more information on the drug education and prevention initiative of the Church of Scientology, visit www.Scientology.org.

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The Church of Scientology sponsors the world's largest nongovernmental drug education and prevention campaign. It has been conclusively proven that when young people are provided with the truth about drugs—factual information on what drugs are and what they do—usage rates drop commensurately.
 

^{Happiness and strength endure only in the absence of hate. To hate alone is the road to disaster. To love is the road to strength. To love in spite of all is the secret of greatness. And may very well be the greatest secret in this universe.~~L. Ron Hubbard}, founder of theScientology relgion