Monthly Cleanup Brightens Hollywood

Bringing some happiness to the streets of Hollywood

A team of volunteers gathered at the Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre International in Hollywood and set out armed with shovels and bags in the monthly Hollywood Village cleanup.

“This is our own brand of spring cleaning,” said one of the volunteers. “We encourage anyone who wants to take care of the neighborhood to be part of the team.”

Students from USC and Hollywood High School joined the cleanup this month.

In addition to filling heavy-duty trash bags with food wrappers and cigarette butts, volunteers also look for and dispose of used syringes and other drug paraphernalia. They visit encampments, where the homeless also pitch in.

After the cleanup, volunteers handed out hundreds of copies of The Way to Happiness written by humanitarian and Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard. The Way to Happiness is a common-sense nonreligious moral code with 21 precepts to guide people in making better choices in their lives.

The Hollywood Cleanup takes place the third Sunday of every month. Those wishing to help should arrive by 9 a.m. at the Church of Scientology at 5930 Franklin Ave. The morning starts with coffee and donuts provided by community partners including Kettle Glazed Donuts and The Oaks Gourmet Market.

The cleanups are a partnership between the Church of Scientology, The Way to Happiness Foundation and the Los Angeles Police Department.