But something else we never planned for began happening. Visiting Scientologists decided to make Clearwater their home, to be near their mecca, until today the city contains the most thriving and dynamic community of Scientologists, well over 10,000 strong.

And as we have grown, so too have our contributions to this city.

And if, through our sometimes trying first decades, we were not as involved in the community as we might have been, today we are, both as an institution and through the dedicated efforts of individual Scientologists.

Let me give you some facts and figures:

– First, there are the 250 hours Scientologists provide weekly for free tutoring programs.

– There are also the many thousands of hours from 170 Scientologists working year in and year out in the name of Criminon.

– Then there is our ‘Winter Wonderland’, held yearly from 1993 onward, which has brought the Christmas spirit to over 68,000 people—children and adults alike, from all around Clearwater.

Continued...