PRESS RELEASES
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA •
The Problems of Work, a 66-minute filmed presentation of L. Ron Hubbard’s book of the same title, has been awarded for exceptional achievement in craft and creativity in the category of educational and instructional films.
The Problems of Work movie was honored Wednesday, June 1, with an Indie Fest Award of Merit for educational and instructional films. The film is a 66-minute book on film of The Problems of Work: Scientology Applied to the Workaday World by L. Ron Hubbard.
LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS •
Sculptor Anne Fewell has the uncanny ability to capture the essence of someone’s personality in three-dimensional bronze. A Scientologist for 51 years, she talks of how her religion bolstered her confidence and helped her tap her potential.
The sculptures of Anne Fewell take on a life of their own.
Fewell has been an artist since age 6 when she first discovered the joy of representing her ideas in tangible form.
LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS •
Sculptor Anne Fewell has the uncanny ability to capture the essence of someone’s personality in three-dimensional bronze. A Scientologist for 51 years, she talks of how her religion bolstered her confidence and helped her tap her potential.
The sculptures of Anne Fewell take on a life of their own.
Fewell has been an artist since age 6 when she first discovered the joy of representing her ideas in tangible form.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA •
Indie Fest recognizes Golden Era Productions’ four-and-a-half hour documentary, How to Use Dianetics, for exceptional achievement in craft and creativity in the category of educational and instructional films.
ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA •
Founder and chairman of the St. Petersburg, Florida, Human Rights Walkathon, Linda Drazkowski believes a better world is in our own hands.
In 2007, Linda Drazkowski was shocked.
“Like so many others, I believed slavery ended a century ago,” she says.
Then she discovered that human trafficking is one of the largest criminal industries in the world today, second only to the drug and arms trades. She was outraged to learn that children as young as 12 or 13 are often the victims.
ITALY •
Annalisa Tosoni of Milan, Italy, found long-sought answers through Scientology.
At age 16, Annalisa Tosoni’s youth came to an abrupt end. At the center of her world was “the best dad anyone could ever have.” When he died, so did her childhood and her happiness.
“I could not understand why it happened,” says Tosoni. “Nothing people told me made any sense. I needed answers to questions I had never thought to ask before: Who are we really? Why are we here? And why him?”
LOS ANGELES •
Citing link between drugs and crime, Sheriff Lee Baca spearheads initiative for L.A. County clergy to train as drug prevention specialists.
Sheriff Lee Baca has given religious leaders in Los Angeles a mandate to bring the truth about drugs to their communities.
On June 9, 2011, Sheriff Baca officiated at a unique graduation ceremony. He acknowledged over 100 members of the clergy with Drug-Free World Prevention Specialist Certificates bearing his signature and the seal of L.A. County Sheriff’s Department.
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE •
Scientologist Julie Forney Brinker has been making a difference in people’s lives through community service for most of her life.
Julie Brinker, née Forney, is carrying forward a family tradition of service. And she is having the time of her life.
Now 21, Julie was only 4 when she first insisted that her mother, Ellen Maher-Forney, President of the Church of Scientology of St. Louis, Missouri, swear her in as a Drug-Free Marshal. That way, she could help other kids pledge to live drug-free lives.
CLEARWATER, FLORIDA •
If all the world’s a stage, Joanie Sigal delivers a stellar performance in every role she plays.
An actress/singer, businesswoman and community activist, Joanie Sigal puts Scientology to use in every facet of her life.
Sigal was in college when she first heard about Scientology.
“I was a drama major at the University of Hawaii,” she says. “I was also taking a class in religion, and one day a Scientologist presented a talk about the fundamentals of Scientology. What struck me was the emphasis placed on communication.”
CLEARWATER, FLORIDA •
Tiffany Condon York feels it was her background in Scientology that made it easy to make things work for her in life.
At 28, Tiffany York née Condon is happy in her work, in her marriage—in life. But when she was diagnosed with viral encephalitis at age 15, the odds were slim that she would live to see this happen.
“I had been in a coma in the hospital for 2 1/2 days,” she says. “The doctors were worried that if I ever woke up I would be badly brain damaged and unable to function.”
SOUTH AFRICA •
Through Scientology, Patience Freeman found the key to accomplishing her purpose—to help the children of her native Ghana and all of Western Africa. Her profile is one of 200 “Meet a Scientologist” videos available on the Scientology website at www.scientology.org.
They know her by her yellow T-shirt, her smile, and her help—Patience Freeman and her husband Bright lead the Scientology Volunteer Ministers Goodwill Tour through Western Africa.
OCALA, FLORIDA, USA •
On Sunday, May 29, Scientologists, friends and neighbors filled 1st Avenue, joining actor and Ocala resident John Travolta and Ocala Mayor Randy Ewers at the dedication and grand opening ceremonies of the Church of Scientology Mission of Ocala, Florida.
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA •
PASADENA, CA—The City of Pasadena honored the Church of Scientology of Pasadena May 18 with a 2011 Historic Preservation Award. At the awards ceremony, held as part of the city’s observance of National Historic Preservation Month, Assemblyman Anthony J. Portantino also presented the Church with a Certificate of Recognition on behalf of the California State Assembly.
UNITED STATES •
Panic attacks used to leave Grant Gannon helpless. Thanks to Dianetics, now they are a thing of the past. His profile is one of more than 200 “Meet a Scientologist” videos available on the Scientology website at www.scientology.org.
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA •
Scientologist Churlya Wurfel is determined to make Scientology assist technology broadly available to those in need. Her profile is one of more than 200 “Meet a Scientologist” videos available on the Scientology website at www.scientology.org.
LOS ANGELES •
May 9, 2011 marks 61 years since the release of Dianetics, the all-time self-help bestseller
This week marks the anniversary of the publication of Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health by L. Ron Hubbard. Released May 9, 1950, the past six decades have seen the popularity of this best-selling self-help book continue to grow. Dianetics is now available in 165 nations in 50 languages, more than 21 million copies have been sold, and it has appeared on 116 bestseller lists, making it a publishing phenomenon.
ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY •
For Adriana Clarizio, disagreeing was the first step in changing things. Her profile is one of 200 “Meet a Scientologist” videos available on the Scientology website at www.scientology.org.
There was nothing particularly wrong with her life—but for Adriana Clarizio “not too bad” was not good enough.
JAPAN •
Volunteers from the Church of Scientology and Scientology Missions of Japan address the underlying issues that made last month’s passage of an anti-bullying ordinance in the city of Otsu necessary.
Volunteers from the Church of Scientology of Tokyo and Scientology Missions in Japan are committed to reversing the underlying attitudes that have made bullying a threat to the children of their country.
TAIWAN •
Scientologist Natasha Lin of Pingtong, Taiwan, takes pleasure in training her staff and designing exactly the right hairstyle for her customers. Her profile is one of 200 “Meet a Scientologist” videos available on the Scientology website at www.scientology.org.
USA •
Scientologist Cindy Gainsforth neé Chu achieved her true potential through Scientology. Her video is one of 200 “Meet a Scientologist” videos available on the Scientology website at www.scientology.org.
Cindy Gainsforth knew she had some problems, but she had no idea how to remedy them.
“I graduated from high school as a barely passing student. I couldn’t get accepted into college. I had a lot of difficulty writing and speaking clearly,” she says.