Church of Scientology Community News: YWCA Engaging Men Project

The Nashville Church of Scientology supports the good works of others. Today’s highlight: the YWCA launching a project to engage men to help bring an end to violence against women and girls.

The YWCA is spreading its message of nonviolence against women even further with a new project to encourage men to become involved. According to ywcanashville.org, “The YWCA seeks to promote awareness about domestic violence and works in cooperation with other organizations that serve victims of domestic violence.” Hence, the YWCA’s partnership with A Call to Men, a national violence prevention organization providing training and education for men, boys and communities.

The two organizations are joining together to host an event in early August with speakers including the Nashville Mayor and Chief of Police.

The Engaging Men project is being funded by a grant from the Verizon Foundation, which closely aligns with Verizon's strategy to engage and empower men to speak up and be part of the solution to end the violence.  The Verizon Foundation has even listed steps on its website for men to follow when they become aware of violent behavior. These steps can be seen at verizonfoundation.com/yourvoicecounts.

The YWCA of Nashville and Middle Tennessee along with A Call to Men will host an event for Engaging Men on August 7, 2013 at 7:30am at the Belmont Curb Event Center. For more information or to register for the event, visit ywcanashville.com.

Human Rights Day Celebration Will Be Held in December in Tennessee

The Tennessee celebration of International Human Rights Day will be held in December this year.

International Human Rights Day occurs every year to commemorate the ratification of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) by the United Nations on Dec 10, 1948. In Tennessee, Human Rights Day is a day to learn and educate others on these basic rights, while various human rights groups join forces and commit to creating an even better future.

Human Rights Day will be held in early December this year, and is shaping up to have a lengthy educational piece. “Human Rights Day is a day for education,” says Chair of the Planning Committee, Rev. Brian Fesler, “If people don’t know their rights, they are opening themselves up for violation.”

The celebration centers around the Human Rights Lifetime Achievement awards and the Rising Advocate Award. The Rising Advocate award is given to individuals who show great promise in the field of human rights, whereas the Lifetime Achievement goes to those who have worked for human rights the majority of their career. Fesler says, “It is great to see the work being done by prior winners of the Rising Advocate award. I’m looking forward to it again, and we are accepting nominations.”

The committee plans to feature many different human rights organizations, especially the Tennessee governmental and non-profit agencies that have commitments to the thirty rights as laid out in the UDHR.

The planning committee is composed of the Tennessee Human Rights Commission, Metro Human Relations Commission, United Nations Association – Nashville Cordell Hull Chapter, Church of Scientology and others. For more information, visit www.nashvillehumanrights.org.

Church of Scientology Hosts Interreligious Forum in Honor of Friendship Day

Nashville Church of Scientology celebrates International Day of Friendship by hosting a forum dedicated to religious tolerance.

A newly released brochure, Scientology: How We Help—United for Human Rights, Making Human Rights a Global Reality, details human rights work done by the Church of Scientology to assist politicians, governments, community activists, schools and religious groups across the world. The brochure further details how communities are using the United for Human Rights program to educate young and old alike on basic rights to which everyone is entitled.

Nashville Church of Scientology Pastor, Rev. Brian Fesler says, “Education is the first step.  People have to know their rights and know that ‘human rights’ as a topic even exists before they can do anything effective about it.”  

In observance of the United Nations’ Friendship Day, The Church hosted leaders from across Tennessee for a discussion about how to create religious tolerance throughout the state. “Intolerance and discrimination are a problem in Tennessee, and it will take all of us working together to bring about change,” says Rev. Fesler.

Specific instances of religious intolerance have been directed toward the Muslim community in areas such as Murfreesboro and Columbia, Tennessee.  The group that visited the Church for Friendship Day is working on a project to combat bigotry toward that community.

The International Day of Friendship was proclaimed in 2011 by the UN General Assembly with the idea that friendship between peoples, countries, cultures and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities, according to un.org. It is in this spirit that group gathered to discuss ways to create peace and unity.

The Church of Scientology supports United for Human Rights, the world’s largest nongovernmental human rights educational campaign. For more information about United for Human Rights or programs supported by the Church of Scientology, visit www.scientology.org.

Religion Communicators Council Plans 85th Annual Convention in Nashville, Tennessee

The Religion Communicators Council will hold its annual convention in 2014 in Nashville, TN.

The Nashville chapter of the Religion Communicators Council (RCC) has formed its planning committee to arrange the national annual convention. Led by Rev. Brian Fesler, chapter president and pastor of the Church of Scientology, the event is taking shape. “We are so excited to host the convention,” says Fesler, “everything is starting to fall into place.”

The convention is scheduled for April 3-5, 2014 at the Inn at Opryland.

The National Board of Governors will meet in Nashville in early August for the annual board meeting and to hear from the planning committee about the convention.

The 2014 conference will celebrate the 85^th anniversary of the RCC.  It is open to members and others involved in religious communication on a professional or academic level. According to the RCC website, “Nationally, RCC offers a yearly convention, complete with exciting keynote speakers and challenging workshops. Highlights of the annual convention are the awards ceremonies where work within religious organizations and in secular media is honored.”

The Religion Communicators Council (RCC), founded in 1929, is an interfaith association of religion communicators at work in print and electronic communication, marketing and in public relations. Members of the RCC come from many different religions and backgrounds including Baptist, Jewish, Baha’i, Scientology, Muslim and Methodist among others.

For more information, visit religioncommunicators.org.

Church of Scientology Community News: United Nations Association to Host Ethnic Dinner and Discussion

The Nashville Church of Scientology supports the good works of others. Today’s highlight: the United Nations Association’s Ethnic Dinner and Discussion about the future of the euro.

The United Nations Association (UNA) Young Professionals Group is hosting an ethnic dinner and discussion on the “Future of the Euro.” The group feels this is a timely discussion as Croatia has just been admitted as the 28th member state of the European Union.

Senior Lecturer in Law and International Relations at Vanderbilt University, Klint Alexander, will facilitate the discussion at the event. Alexander is also President of the UNA Nashville Cordell-Hull Chapter.

The discussion will take its cues from the World Affairs Council's Great Decisions Program, which promotes citizen awareness and discussion about timely foreign policy issues. According to worldaffairscouncil.org, it is the oldest and largest grassroots educational program on world affairs of its kind in the country, with about 350,000 participants.

Those attending the event are asked to read the “Great Decisions Briefing Books,” published by the Foreign Policy Association.  New participants are invited to join the program, even if they have not yet read the book.

The event and dinner are free, but the UNA is asking that people RSVP.  The event will be held on July 23 at 7pm at Cummins Station.

The Nashville Cordell Hull Chapter was established in 1945.  According to its website, it is part of a national nonprofit, bipartisan organization that supports the work of the United Nations and encourages active civic participation in the most important social and economic issues facing the world today.  The chapter is named after native Nashvillian, US Secretary of State, “Father of the United Nations” and Nobel Peace Laureate, Cordell Hull.

For more information on the UNA Nashville Cordell-Hull Chapter or to RSVP for the event, visit una-nashville.org.

Church of Scientology Community News: A Pilgrimage for Jobs, Equity and Fairness

The Nashville Church of Scientology supports the good works of others. Today’s highlight: the upcoming pilgrimage being organized to promote jobs, equity and fairness.

The Pilgrimage for Jobs, Equity, and Fairness intends to bring attention to Nashville’s forgotten and disinherited communities. It is planned for July 21-23 and will be a 2 ½ day walk through distressed communities in Nashville. The pilgrimage is being modeled after Gandhi’s Salt March and the Selma to Montgomery March in 1965.

According to the Facebook page for the event, “the Pilgrimage attempts to draw attention to unemployment and poverty, and the urgent need to do something about these crises.”

Organizers are asking that the Nashville Mayor and Metro Council adopt a county-wide program to require that large developers hire residents from low-income communities to work on publicly-funded projects. The Pilgrimage will highlight the concerns of public housing residents, residents with HIV/AIDS, immigrant workers, labor, youth and other groups.

Those planning to participate will walk 22 miles, documenting anti-poverty programs coordinated by community groups. Some participants will be permanent marchers who will walk the entire route through 12-14 neighborhoods and spend the night in those communities, while other participants are temporary marchers who will only walk part of the route.

Activities will be kicked off with a press conference at Martin Luther King, Jr. Bridge in North Nashville on July 21 at 4pm and will end on July 23 at 4:30pm with another press conference, held at 1 Public Square.

The event is sponsored by the Economic & Equity Development Coalition, the Nonviolent Resistance Movement and Social Justice Committee, the Urban EpiCenter, and the Tennessee NAACP State Labor & Industry Committee.  For more information or to see daily updates of the pilgrimage, visit  movementmatters.com.

Drug-Free South to Present at Crime Forum for National Night Out

Drug-Free South, a chapter of the Foundation for a Drug-Free World, has been educating students on the harmful effects of drugs for years. Now they will be presenting their program during a Crime Forum for National Night Out.

National Night Out Against Crime is August 6^th, and this year Drug-Free South will speak at a forum regarding how drugs relate to crime. National Night Out is an event that was created by the National Association of Town Watch (NATW), a non-profit organization dedicated to the development and promotion of various crime prevention programs including neighborhood watch groups, law enforcement agencies, state and regional crime prevention associations, businesses, civic groups, and individuals, devoted to safer communities.

Drug-Free South (DFS) has been educating students in and around Tennessee since 2009 and in just that time, the group has enlightened over 15,000 students across 30 counties.

Brian Fesler, who coordinates DFS, says, “We participate in National Night Out Against Crime each year because drugs lead to crime.  It’s just that simple. And the way out is education.”

The Foundation for a Drug-Free World is a nonprofit public benefit corporation that empowers youth and adults with factual information about drugs so they can make informed decisions and live drug-free.  According to drugfreeworld.org, “no one, especially a young person, likes to be lectured about what he or she can or cannot do. Thus, we provide the facts that empower youth to choose not to take drugs in the first place.”

The organization provides a “Truth About Drugs” booklet, an informational pamphlet that details short- and long-term effects of drugs, common street names and myths that a dealer might use to make a sale.  The Foundation offers educational materials free of charge to educators and anyone who wants to learn more about drugs.

For more information, visit www.drugfreesouth.org.

Nashville Amnesty Group Receives Help from Neighbors to the South

Amnesty International is preparing for a statewide human rights conference at the end of September 2013, and is receiving support from the Southern Regional Office based in Atlanta, GA.

This week the Southern Regional Office for Amnesty International traveled to Tennessee to provide assistance to the Nashville chapter in planning a statewide conference for the end of September.

“This will be the first statewide conference for Amnesty in Tennessee,” says Julie Brinker, co-organizer of the Nashville chapter of Amnesty International. Brinker has been working to promote and educate others on human rights since 2004 when she joined Youth for Human Rights, a program supported by the Church of Scientology.  With nearly ten years of work under her belt, she is a veteran in educating others on their basic human rights, and now she is working to extend that education further through Amnesty International’s conference.

Brinker couldn’t contain her enthusiasm, “All are welcome to attend – if you’re part of Amnesty International already, interested in joining, interested in human rights, or just want to know more – you should be there!”

The conference is set for September 21, 11am – 3pm in the Belmont United Methodist Church Community Center. 

Amnesty International is a global movement of more than 3 million supporters, members and activists in over 150 countries and territories who campaign to end grave abuses of human rights.  It is independent of any government, political ideology, economic interest or religion, and funded mainly by membership and public donations.  Amnesty International’s vision is for every person to enjoy all the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standards.

For information on how to get involved with the local chapter of Amnesty International, write to amnestynashville@gmail.com.

Church of Scientology Community News: A Voice is Formed

The Nashville Church of Scientology supports the good works of others. Today’s highlight: a new initiative called A Voice.

A Voice: For the Reduction of Poverty is a new and emerging grassroots alliance of Nashvillians committed to reducing poverty in the community.  According to the website nashvillevoice.org, “Because more than 117,000 of the 635,000 residents of Davidson County live in poverty, we believe that it is both a moral and economic imperative for us to advocate for programs and opportunities that will help lift them out of poverty and place them on a road towards reasonable prosperity.”

According to the 2011 census of Davidson County, the median household income dropped from $50,164 in 2007 to $43,556 in 2011. In 2011, 30.5% of those living in Davidson County under age 18 lived in poverty. The 19.3% poverty rate for all people in Davidson County is higher than the U.S. rate of 15.9% and higher than the Tennessee poverty rate of 18.3%.

A Voice is striving “to create a well-educated and clearly articulated communal voice that speaks loudly to the need for a dramatic reduction in poverty.” It hopes to accomplish its goals by educating people about issues and realities related to poverty and by raising a collective voice to urge elected officials and public-policy makers to provide substantive economic relief for those living in poverty. 

Organizers are asking that more people join the coalition by signing up on the website.

“The reality is that too many among us are struggling just to feed their families, pay their living expenses, and find relief from the high cost of medical care,” according to nashvillevoice.org.

Organizations already actively participating in A Voice include the Martha O’Bryan Center, Nashville Metro Social Services, Room in the Inn, the Interdenominational Ministers Fellowship and others.

For more information about A Voice, visit nashvillevoice.org.

The Way to Happiness Plans Summer of Events

“In early summer, kids are just getting out of school and want to have some fun,” says Chris Hays who coordinates the Way to Happiness locally, “but near the end of summer, they need some activities and some good direction as they are heading back to school. That’s why we have lined up events for August this year.”

The first event the Way to Happiness (TWTH) will participate in is National Night Out Against Crime, an event created by the National Association of Town Watch (NATW).

NATW is, according to its website, “a non-profit organization dedicated to the development and promotion of various crime prevention programs including neighborhood watch groups, law enforcement agencies, state and regional crime prevention associations, businesses, civic groups, and individuals, devoted to safer communities.”

In Nashville, National Night Out is celebrated in neighborhoods across the city. The Way to Happiness will participate by distributing informational booklets. “We distribute booklets that contain a moral guide to better living,” says Hays.

The Way to Happiness booklets have been distributed around the world since 1981 when it was written.  It is has been found that where the booklets are distributed, crime rates drop.

TWTH has also made plans for a community-wide distribution in late August.  Group members will team up with friends to pass out the booklet to every household in select Nashville neighborhoods. Hays is excited about this project, “We are so excited to make this happen. We aim to serve entire neighborhoods with this program!”

For more information about The Way to Happiness, visit thewaytohappiness.org or email twthnashville@gmail.com to learn about local activities.

Church of Scientology Introduces Human Rights Education for Friendship Day

Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard wrote, “Human rights must be made a fact, not an idealistic dream.”

A newly released brochure, Scientology: How We Help—United for Human Rights, Making Human Rights a Global Reality, details human rights work done by the Church of Scientology to assist politicians, governments, community activists, schools and religious groups across the world. The brochure further details how communities are using the United for Human Rights program to educate young and old alike on basic rights to which everyone is entitled.

Nashville Church of Scientology Pastor, Rev. Brian Fesler says, “Education is the first step.  People have to know their rights and know that ‘human rights’ as a topic even exists before they can do anything effective about it.”  That is why the Church is hosting a forum in honor of Friendship Day where human rights will be discussed and action steps taken.

The Church is hosting leaders from across Tennessee for a discussion about how to create religious tolerance throughout the state.

“Intolerance and discrimination are a problem in Tennessee, and it will take all of us working together to bring about change,” says Rev. Fesler.

Specific instances of religious intolerance have been directed toward the Muslim community in areas such as Murfreesboro and Columbia, Tennessee.  The group visiting the Church on Friendship Day is working on a project called “Our Muslim Neighbor,” which was created in an effort to combat bigotry toward that community.

The International Day of Friendship was proclaimed in 2011 by the UN General Assembly with the idea that friendship between peoples, countries, cultures and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities, according to un.org. It is in this spirit that the group will gather and discuss ways to create peace and unity.

The Church of Scientology supports United for Human Rights, the world’s largest nongovernmental human rights educational campaign. For more information about United for Human Rights or programs supported by the Church of Scientology, visit www.scientology.org.

Church of Scientology Confronts Education Crisis

Following the March 2013 Faith Day on the Hill at the State Capitol in Tennessee, the Church of Scientology is challenging the community to resolve the problems surrounding education.

At Faith Day on the Hill in March 2013, the Tennessee State Capitol saw leaders from various faiths gather, discuss and make plans for resolving issues in public education, however, that was the last time that group convened. The final segment of Faith Day on the Hill was entitled “After the Benediction, What Then?” and the Church of Scientology has re-issued this as a challenge to other faith leaders.

“We named that segment very carefully,” says Rev. Brian Fesler of the Church of Scientology, a member of the original planning committee for Faith Day. “We wanted to draw attention to action - not just talk.” Fesler says the Church of Scientology is preparing to bring faith and community leaders together again so a solution can be implemented.

Nashville ranks 84th in education amongst the nation’s cities, according to parenting.com. Fesler says his church has a workable solution, and he’s opening the doors to leaders of all faith communities to put it into action. “Education issues cross faith borders—if your child is struggling in school, you’ve got to look where the answers are,” says Fesler.

As early as the 1950s, the founder of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard, recognized failings in the educational system. In answer to this crisis, he developed an actual “technology” of learning with which to master any subject. Known as “study technology,” Hubbard’s techniques have found broad application from pre-school through adult learning environments.

Hubbard said, “The end and goal of any society as it addresses the problem of education is to raise the ability, the initiative and the cultural level, and with all of these the survival level of that society.”

“We want to bring this technology to the students in Davidson County,” says Fesler. “I know that if every child in the city knew exactly how to study, they would be able to succeed in life. And our  education system would be the best in the country.”

For more information on study technology, visit www.scientology.org.

Church of Scientology Community News: Independence Day Celebrations Across Nashville

The Nashville Church of Scientology supports the good works of others. Today’s highlight: Nashville celebrates Independence Day.

It is the 4^th of July. Google has done up a doodle to showcase the day, with a series of family photos at historic sites around the country. Businesses are closed and families are getting together to celebrate the holiday. And, in Nashville, the Church of Scientology is opening up a gathering to the community of potluck and fireworks show.

“Today is a special day for the nation. We are celebrating freedom,” says Rev. Brian Fesler of the Church of Scientology, “This day can bring the entire community together in solidarity.”

And so it does with celebrations popping up all across the Nashville area. The downtown fireworks display in the city promises to be a grand show with celebrity performers including the likes of The Band Perry, Keb’ Mo’ and the Nashville Symphony.

The Adventure Science Center will feature a rooftop view of the downtown fireworks. Lipscomb University is offering a Free Independence Day festival featuring fireworks, musical entertainment, food and games for the entire family.

As newspaper columnist Erma Bombeck said, “You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness.  You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism.”

For more information about 4^th of July celebrations, go to nashville.about.com.

Drug-Free South Turning the Tide of Drug Abuse Across Tennessee

The Foundation for a Drug-Free South is a chapter of the Foundation for a Drug-Free World which educates young people on the harmful effects of drugs.

“Prescription drug misuse and abuse continues to be a major problem in the state of Tennessee,” according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations. This is why the Foundation for a Drug-Free World is making plans to spread its education initiatives even further in the coming months.

Anne Vallieres coordinates the local chapter, “It is important to reach youth before drug dealers do,” she says, “and that can only be accomplished by being proactive—going to the schools and teaching them the truth about drugs.”

The Foundation for a Drug-Free South (DFS) has been educating students in and around Tennessee since 2009. So far, the group has enlightened over 15,000 students across 30 counties in the state. And Vallieres has no intention of putting on the brakes. “Students who receive these seminars and learn the real truth about drugs are inclined to look and think for themselves, and they decide not to take drugs. That is the true benefit to this program.”

The Foundation for a Drug-Free World is a nonprofit public benefit corporation that empowers youth and adults with factual information about drugs so they can make informed decisions and live drug-free. According to drugfreeworld.org, “No one, especially a young person, likes to be lectured about what he or she can or cannot do. Thus, we provide the facts that empower youth to choose not to take drugs in the first place.”

DFS provides a “Truth About Drugs” booklet, an informational pamphlet that details short- and long-term effects of drugs, common street names and myths that a drug dealer might use to make a sale.  The Foundation offers educational materials free of charge to educators and anyone who wants to learn more about drugs.

For more information, visit www.drugfreesouth.org.

Spreading the Way to Happiness at Memphis Stone Soul Picnic

Common sense booklets which provide information on how to live better to be distributed at Stone Soul Picnic in Memphis. 

Saturday, August 31, from 1-10pm, Memphis residents and others from around the country will “surry” on down to the Stone Soul Picnic. As this is the 39^th annual event and Memphis’ longest-running outdoor festival, it has gained popularity and attention as an institution in the city.

The picnic is a gospel-loving, family-friendly occasion. In past years, the picnic has brought such luminaries as Johnnie Taylor, Shirley Caesar and Al Green. This year's event will be held at the historical Tom Lee Park on the banks of the Mississippi River in Downtown Memphis and expects over 15,000 in attendance.

While the festival always brings people together for a great time, this year will go a step further to help promote good lifestyle choices with a booklet that is being distributed called “The Way to Happiness.”

The Way to Happiness was written by author, humanitarian and Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard in 1981 to address these problems and to provide a path that can be followed by any person of any background, culture or creed to attain a happier, more prosperous and more fulfilling life.

 “Viewed from almost any perspective, the world today suffers from a moral and ethical crisis of epidemic proportions,” according to the website scientology.org. “Beneath society’s rampant crime and drug abuse, corporate greed, political misconduct and international conflict lie the root problems of dishonesty and immorality.”

Those distributing the booklet report that when it is distributed in communities afflicted by violence, gangs and racism, it has brought calm and peace. The booklet has been used in thousands of prisons and its message has restored self-respect among the most hardened criminals, guiding them onto the path to becoming useful and contributing members of society.

More than 100 million copies have since been distributed in 205 countries and territories since its initial publication in the early 1980s. By participating in the Stone Soul Picnic, organizers hope to reach people that might not be reached any other way. “We go to where people are in order to get this message out there,” says Chris Hays who organizes the Tennessee chapter, “In this fast-paced media age, there are many conflicting messages of right and wrong, but by placing effective answers in someone’s hand they can change around their life for the better.”

To learn more about The Way to Happiness, visit thewaytohappiness.org. For more information about the Stone Soul Picnic, visit Memphis.about.com.

Church of Scientology Community News: Safe Haven Re-Opens Its Doors

The Nashville Church of Scientology supports the good works of others. Today’s highlight: the upcoming grand re-opening of the Safe Haven Family Shelter.

“Family homelessness: It’s not what you think,” are words that pop up, along with ads, on the website for Safe Haven, a shelter-to-housing program in South Nashville. With 28 years experience in changing the field of family homelessness with its proactive programs, Safe Haven will soon double its capacity and spread that help even further.

Safe Haven is planning a Grand Re-Opening for mid-Summer to celebrate the much anticipated expansion project of the shelter on 3^rd Avenue South.  Not even a year after the ground breaking ceremony on October 2, 2012, Safe Haven will be ready to open its recently renovated doors to residents before school is back in session.

“Expanding and renovating will help us keep more families together while ensuring their dignity and empowering them to achieve self-sufficiency,” said Executive Director Joyce Lavery.

Safe Haven houses an average of 38 families, including 57 children, each year. After the renovation, the shelter will be able to serve at least 100 families, including more than 150 children, annually. The program has demonstrated success for nearly three decades, with almost 85 percent of Safe Haven’s residents departing from the shelter with stable employment and secured housing.

Safe Haven is a unique shelter-to-housing program in Middle Tennessee that accepts the entire homeless family. The staff works to keep families together and provide comprehensive services that empower them to achieve lasting self-sufficiency. Safe Haven Family Shelter’s comprehensive approach is one of service and compassion. More information can be found at www.safehaven.org.

Drug-Free South Arms Students Against Drugs

The Foundation for a Drug-Free South, a chapter of the Foundation for a Drug-Free World, is educating young people on the harmful effects of drugs throughout Tennessee.

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, “In 2007-2008, Tennessee ranked first among all states for past-year non-medical use of pain relievers among persons age 26 or older. Tennessee also was one of the top ten states for rates in other drug-use categories, including past-month use of illicit drugs other than marijuana among persons age 12 and older.” This is why the Foundation for a Drug-Free World has plans to spread its education initiatives further in the coming months.

Anne Vallieres coordinates the local chapter of the Foundation, Drug-Free South.  “It is no longer difficult for children to get their hands on drugs,” she says, “they are everywhere.  Our purpose is to educate young people on their harmful effects, so they know why they should stay away.”

Vallieres says this program doesn’t just tell a student to say no. “We give them the truth, then they can make up their mind. It becomes their decision to say no.”

Drug-Free South has been educating students in and around Tennessee since 2009. So far, the group has enlightened over 15,000 students across 30 counties in the state.

The Foundation is a nonprofit public benefit corporation that empowers youth and adults with factual information about drugs so they can make informed decisions and live drug-free. According to drugfreeworld.org, “No one, especially a young person, likes to be lectured about what he or she can or cannot do. Thus, we provide the facts that empower youth to choose not to take drugs in the first place.”

The organization provides a “Truth About Drugs” booklet, an informational pamphlet that details short- and long-term effects of drugs, common street names and myths that a drug dealer might use to make a sale.  The Foundation offers educational materials free of charge to educators and anyone who wants to learn more about drugs.

For more information, visit www.drugfreesouth.org.

The Way to Happiness Curbs Crime in Nashville Communities

The Way to Happiness Foundation is based in Los Angeles, California and has local chapters around the world. The team in Nashville has plans to spread its message further.

According to cityrating.com, “The city violent crime rate for Nashville in 2010 was higher than the national violent crime rate average by 181.15%.” For this reason, the Way to Happiness chapter in Nashville, Tennessee has amped up its efforts and is planning even further distribution and dissemination of the booklet.  

The Way to Happiness was written by author, humanitarian and Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard in 1981 to address the decline of the society and provide a path that can be followed by any person to attain a happier, more prosperous and more fulfilling life.

Those distributing the booklet report that when it is spread throughout communities afflicted by violence, gangs and racism, it has brought calm and peace. The booklet has been used in thousands of prisons and its message has restored self-respect among the most hardened criminals, guiding them onto the path to becoming useful and contributing members of society.

“This is why we have to get this booklet to everyone in Nashville,” says Chris Hays who coordinates the local chapter, “every child deserves a happy life and deserves, too, the tools to create one.”

More than 100 million copies of “The Way To Happiness” have been distributed in 205 countries and territories since its initial publication in the early 1980s.

To learn more about The Way to Happiness, visit thewaytohappiness.org.