CLEARWATER, Fla., May 08, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On Saturday, May 6th, 2017, over 3,000 residents flocked to downtown Clearwater to celebrate the Downtown Clearwater Spring Block Party sponsored by the Church of Scientology Flag Service Organization and six Humanitarian Centers on the block of Cleveland Street and Fort Harrison Avenue.
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“I can’t wait for your block party,” said owner of Princess Nails, a local salon on the 400 block of Cleveland Street in downtown Clearwater when he was invited. “I’ve been looking forward to this for months and counting the days. They are so much fun!”
Designed for the entire family, the party included live music, a balloon artist, a bouncy house, train and face painting for children. The Church of Scientology sponsored some of the area’s favorite food trucks and downtown restaurants at the party so that there was free food for everyone. Vendors and restaurants that participated were: Engine 53 (brick oven pizza), Better than Eve’s BBQ, Crepelicious, La Fondita de Leo, Umai Café and Dunkin Donuts. A raffle was also held that included items donated by downtown Clearwater stores and restaurants.
The Church-sponsored humanitarian programs saw hundreds through their doors during the event. Fourteen non-profit groups who partner with the humanitarian centers, were also showcased at the event with their individual booths.
“It is one of the tenets of the Church of Scientology to do all we can to assist other groups in the community that are helping people,” said Church spokesperson, Pat Harney. “In that way we work together to bring even greater improvement to our city.” The non-profit partners included: the Children’s Home Network, Second Chance Life Skills, Hard2Guard, Owl’s Nest Sanctuary For Wildlife, Haitian Mission Par La Foi, Cole Link Foundation, Clearwater Audubon Society, Angels On Assignment Worldwide, Food Our Children Ministries, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Children’s Home Network, The Refuge, L. Ron Hubbard East Coast Theatre, the Community Learning Center and Narconon Suncoast.
“Volunteering to help my community is something I am very committed to,” said Church volunteer, Kelly Yaegermann, “it is part of being a Scientologist.” Local Scientologists donate an estimated 200,000 hours of their time each year.
Visitors learned the following from the humanitarian centers:
*United for Human Rights -- implementing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
*The Way to Happiness Foundation -- restoring trust and honesty the world over based on "The Way to Happiness" booklet written by L. Ron Hubbard.
*Foundation for a Drug Free World -- empowering youth and adults with factual information about drugs so they can make informed decisions and live drug-free.
*Criminon -- addressing the causes of criminality and restoring the criminal's self-respect.
*The Scientology Volunteer Ministers -- a global force of volunteers, who live by the motto "Something can be done about it".
*Citizens Commission on Human Rights -- helping to enact more than 150 laws protecting individuals from abusive or coercive psychiatric practices.
The Church of Scientology
The Scientology religion was founded by humanitarian and philosopher, L. Ron Hubbard. The first Church of Scientology was formed in the United States in 1954 and has expanded to more than 11,000 churches, missions and affiliated groups, with members in 167 nations. Based on L. Ron Hubbard's words, "A community that pulls together can make a better society for all," the Church of Scientology regularly engages in many humanitarian programs and community events.