On July 18, 2026, the Hollywood Neighborhood Cleanup team, associated with the Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre International, conducted a cleanup and booklet distribution event in Hollywood, CA. The 12-member volunteer force worked around the blocks near the Church, cleaning along Franklin Avenue west and then heading south to Hollywood Boulevard. After cleaning, they switched to distributing copies of The Way to Happiness, a booklet by L. Ron Hubbard, to tourists and shopkeepers.
The effort was met with enthusiasm from the community. A man selling tourist bus rides on Hollywood Boulevard recognized the booklet and shared, "I know this book! I read this when I was in prison. Whenever I would read this book, it would just bring me calm. Sometimes you just gotta read, you know, and I remember this book. I liked it. Excellent." At a coffee shop, a lady took the booklet, opened it, and started reading, becoming so happy that she asked for a stack to place on the counter.
Near a historic Church building, an SUV with two occupants drove by and shouted, "Did anybody tell you yet today that you guys are awesome?" The volunteers thanked them and gave them booklets. Another man standing at a corner expressed appreciation and agreed that the area needed cleaning. Mike, a security guard on Hollywood Boulevard, took two booklets, while Glen, who works with the Hollywood Partnership—an organization that cleans Hollywood Boulevard daily—thanked the volunteers and asked if they had seen the movie "Pay It Forward." The group gave him a booklet filled out with "To" and "From" plus a second one so he could "pay it forward."
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 would explain, "You can really pay it forward with this book. It's a beautiful book about help your parents, love your kids, basically be a good citizen or be a good neighbor to make the world a better place. You can help someone by giving them this book and you can suggest they give another copy to someone else." A family from the Riverside area happily took bundles, and a girl at a crosswalk who initially appeared suspicious eventually took a bundle and was pleased.
For over eight years, the Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre International has donated The Way to Happiness booklets for neighborhood cleanups. The booklet, written by L. Ron Hubbard, states, "Happiness lies in engaging in worthwhile activities" and "That is my wish for you." The event highlights the positive impact of community service and the booklet's message, as evidenced by the grateful responses from recipients. More information is available at https://www.scientology.cc.
