Scientology Kids Celebrate Drug-Free Christmas in Toronto

Scientology-sponsored Drug-Free Marshals of Toronto held 24th annual Christmas Festival

It looked a lot like Christmas at Dundas Square in downtown Toronto last Sunday, when more than 2,000 attended the 24th Annual Drug-Free Christmas Festival, organized and co-sponsored by the Church of Scientology of Toronto.

Superintendent David McCormack of the Toronto Police (52 Division) delivered a special message from Police Chief William Blair and commended the Drug-Free Marshals for their work teaching other kids about the dangers of street drugs. He signed the drug-free pledge and received his own Drug-Free Marshals badge.

Hindu scholar Eshwar Doobay of the Ontario Multifaith Council also spoke and was sworn in as a Drug-Free Marshal.

Performing were Reggae singer Casper; the Y.I.M. (Why I Am) Cheer Team, a group of youth from the First Nation Community committed to being substance-free; R&B/hip hop performers Taz and Rachel Eddy; the Joy Singers, an inner-city music group formed of youth who decided to take a stand against local crime and take back the community with words and song; and 50 dancers from the Tandem Dance Studio.

The winners of the Drug-Free Marshals essay contest were announced and hot chocolate, cookies and presents from Santa crowned the event for the kids.

The Drug-Free Marshals is a youth group founded by the Church of Scientology in Los Angeles and adopted by young boys and girls throughout the United States and Canada.  It also gave rise to similar youth groups in Australia, New Zealand, Asia, South Africa, England and Europe.

With the publication of Truth About Drugs educational materials, the work of the Drug-Free Marshals took on a new dimension, as the Truth About Drugs booklets and videos make drug education so much more effective, they make it easier for children and teens to make their own choices to live drug-free.

The Church of Scientology has published a new brochure, Scientology: How We Help—The Truth About Drugs, Creating a Drug-Free World, to meet requests for more information about the drug education and prevention initiative it supports. To learn more or read a copy of the brochure, visit the Scientology website at www.scientology.org/antidrug.

Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard wrote, “The planet has hit a barrier which prevents any widespread social progress—drugs and other biochemical substances.  These can put people into a condition which not only prohibits and destroys physical health but which can prevent any stable advancement in mental or spiritual well-being.”

The Church of Scientology supports the Truth About Drugs, one of the world’s largest nongovernmental drug education and prevention campaigns. 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.