On July 18, 2026, a 12-member volunteer force from the Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre International conducted a neighborhood cleanup in Hollywood, California, combining street cleaning with distribution of L. Ron Hubbard's The Way to Happiness booklets. The effort, part of an ongoing community outreach program, aimed to foster goodwill and encourage positive actions among residents and visitors.
The volunteers cleaned along Franklin Avenue westbound before heading south to Hollywood Boulevard. After cleaning, they switched to distributing booklets, meeting tourists and shopkeepers. One recipient, a man selling tourist bus rides on Hollywood Boulevard, recognized the booklet, saying, 'I know this book! I read this when I was in prison.' He added, 'Whenever I would read this book, it would just bring me calm.'
At a coffee shop, a woman behind the counter took the booklet, began reading it, and became so happy that she asked for a stack to place on the counter. Another encounter occurred near a historic church building next to an underpass, where an SUV drove by slowly. The occupants rolled down their window and said, 'Did anybody tell you yet today that you guys are awesome?' The volunteers gave them booklets.
A man standing at a corner expressed appreciation for the cleanup effort, noting he lived nearby and agreed the area needed improvement. Mike, a security guard on Hollywood Boulevard, took two booklets, saying he likes to help people. Glen, who works with the Hollywood Partnership—an organization that cleans Hollywood Boulevard streets daily—thanked the volunteers and asked if they had seen the movie 'Pay It Forward,' as he liked the concept of passing along good work. The group gave him two booklets, one filled out with 'To' and 'From' and another for him to pass along.
Nick Kurtz, the cleanup in-charge, distributed bundles of a dozen booklets. He would approach people and ask, 'Hey, do you like to help people?' If they said yes, he explained the booklet's message about being a good citizen and neighbor. A family from the Riverside area took bundles as they got into their car, and a girl waiting at a crosswalk initially suspicious but later took a bundle happily.
For over 8 years, the Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre International has donated The Way to Happiness booklets for local neighborhood cleanups. The booklet, written by L. Ron Hubbard, states, 'Happiness lies in engaging in worthwhile activities' and 'That is my wish for you.' More information about the church's activities is available at https://www.scientology.cc.
