In Torino, a Smile and a Friendly Word Greet Those in Need

The Community Civil Protection Volunteers of the Church of Scientology Torino—providing relief to the community for 17 years.

With record numbers of homeless coping with plummeting winter temperatures in the Northern Italy city of Torino, the Community Civil Protection Volunteers of the Church of Scientology, PRO.CIVI.CO.S., are providing relief. They are helping man a relief station set up by the city in the Porta Nuova metro station.

“We try to give them a smile and a friendly word along with the hot tea,” says PRO.CIVI.CO.S. president Beppe Tesio.

Established by a team of Volunteer Ministers from the Church of Scientology of Torino (Turin) in 2002, PRO.CIVI.CO.S. has formed additional chapters in Scientology Churches in Milano, Verona, Modena and Padova.

“We are on call as part of the Municipal Section Joint Operations Center to provide assistance and supervision in times of critical environmental emergencies and disasters,” says Tesio.

The volunteers help provide civil protection at local festivals and events, respond to disasters, and provide flood prevention by monitoring rivers and streams throughout Torino.

To ensure the best possible service to the community, in 2009, PRO.CIVI.CO.S. was involved in establishing a “field school” under the Civil Protection Commission Volunteer Services Center, and their volunteers attend and help run the annual meetings.

“When houses are destroyed or swept away, our priority is to help survivors rebuild and resume their lives as fast as possible,” says Tesio. ”Through the Volunteer Minister technology developed by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard, we can help people learn the skills they need to improve the conditions they find themselves in—useful not only in times of disaster but also invaluable in dealing with all the situations and emergencies that arise in the course of living.”