PRESS RELEASES
Meet a Scientologist
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON STATE •
The meaning of the word “devastation” was brought home once again to Al Adriance. Although a disaster relief veteran who provided help after the 2007 Greensburg, Kansas, tornado, Adriance was stunned by the destruction he saw in Joplin, Missouri, in May 2011.
Al Adriance will long remember Memorial Day Weekend 2011, not for the celebrations and parties, but for what he confronted in Joplin, Missouri, after the May 23 tornado.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON STATE •
Always an idealist, Merel Remmerswaal found the perfect fit for herself in Scientology.
Merel Remmerswaal always believed in creating a better world.
Now she is focused on accomplishing her purpose through the community programs and humanitarian activities of the Church of Scientology of Amsterdam.
“My personal goal is to create an environment where people respect each other—to build trust among people,” she says.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON STATE •
Scientologist David Scattergood is a fixture in the volunteer community in Seattle, Washington. Here is his story.
USA •
Overcoming her own study difficulties through L. Ron Hubbard Study Technology, Dr. Mary Shuttleworth became an educator and touched the lives of millions of youth with her human rights education initiative.
How many bright, creative children give up on their goals, frustrated with learning difficulties they simply cannot overcome?
PARIS, FRANCE •
Catherine Remise of Paris, France, found in Scientology the wisdom she had searched for, and a personal mission and true home in the West African nation of Mali.
In her pursuit of truth, Catherine Remise looked to the East.
Yet a yearlong stay in India and several years traveling through every country from her native France to Japan left her disappointed.
“I still had an unquenched thirst for spiritual freedom and to truly understand life,” says Remise.
PARIS, FRANCE •
Catherine Remise of Paris, France, found in Scientology the wisdom she had searched for, and a personal mission and true home in the West African nation of Mali.
In her pursuit of truth, Catherine Remise looked to the East.
Yet a yearlong stay in India and several years traveling through every country from her native France to Japan left her disappointed.
“I still had an unquenched thirst for spiritual freedom and to truly understand life,” says Remise.
LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS •
Sculptor Anne Fewell has the uncanny ability to capture the essence of someone’s personality in three-dimensional bronze. A Scientologist for 51 years, she talks of how her religion bolstered her confidence and helped her tap her potential.
The sculptures of Anne Fewell take on a life of their own.
Fewell has been an artist since age 6 when she first discovered the joy of representing her ideas in tangible form.
LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS •
Sculptor Anne Fewell has the uncanny ability to capture the essence of someone’s personality in three-dimensional bronze. A Scientologist for 51 years, she talks of how her religion bolstered her confidence and helped her tap her potential.
The sculptures of Anne Fewell take on a life of their own.
Fewell has been an artist since age 6 when she first discovered the joy of representing her ideas in tangible form.
ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA •
Founder and chairman of the St. Petersburg, Florida, Human Rights Walkathon, Linda Drazkowski believes a better world is in our own hands.
In 2007, Linda Drazkowski was shocked.
“Like so many others, I believed slavery ended a century ago,” she says.
Then she discovered that human trafficking is one of the largest criminal industries in the world today, second only to the drug and arms trades. She was outraged to learn that children as young as 12 or 13 are often the victims.
ITALY •
Annalisa Tosoni of Milan, Italy, found long-sought answers through Scientology.
At age 16, Annalisa Tosoni’s youth came to an abrupt end. At the center of her world was “the best dad anyone could ever have.” When he died, so did her childhood and her happiness.
“I could not understand why it happened,” says Tosoni. “Nothing people told me made any sense. I needed answers to questions I had never thought to ask before: Who are we really? Why are we here? And why him?”
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE •
Scientologist Julie Forney Brinker has been making a difference in people’s lives through community service for most of her life.
Julie Brinker, née Forney, is carrying forward a family tradition of service. And she is having the time of her life.
Now 21, Julie was only 4 when she first insisted that her mother, Ellen Maher-Forney, President of the Church of Scientology of St. Louis, Missouri, swear her in as a Drug-Free Marshal. That way, she could help other kids pledge to live drug-free lives.
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA •
A Scientologist for more than 50 years, Cherie Ceberano is vibrant, indomitable and going strong.
Cherie Ceberano is the center of a virtual world of help.
A Scientologist since age 14, Cherie learned about Scientology when her parents became involved in the religion in 1959 and she and her sister Kay enrolled on a course at the Church of Scientology of Melbourne.
CLEARWATER, FLORIDA •
If all the world’s a stage, Joanie Sigal delivers a stellar performance in every role she plays.
An actress/singer, businesswoman and community activist, Joanie Sigal puts Scientology to use in every facet of her life.
Sigal was in college when she first heard about Scientology.
“I was a drama major at the University of Hawaii,” she says. “I was also taking a class in religion, and one day a Scientologist presented a talk about the fundamentals of Scientology. What struck me was the emphasis placed on communication.”
CLEARWATER, FLORIDA •
Tiffany Condon York feels it was her background in Scientology that made it easy to make things work for her in life.
At 28, Tiffany York née Condon is happy in her work, in her marriage—in life. But when she was diagnosed with viral encephalitis at age 15, the odds were slim that she would live to see this happen.
“I had been in a coma in the hospital for 2 1/2 days,” she says. “The doctors were worried that if I ever woke up I would be badly brain damaged and unable to function.”
SOUTH AFRICA •
Through Scientology, Patience Freeman found the key to accomplishing her purpose—to help the children of her native Ghana and all of Western Africa. Her profile is one of 200 “Meet a Scientologist” videos available on the Scientology website at www.scientology.org.
They know her by her yellow T-shirt, her smile, and her help—Patience Freeman and her husband Bright lead the Scientology Volunteer Ministers Goodwill Tour through Western Africa.
UNITED STATES •
Panic attacks used to leave Grant Gannon helpless. Thanks to Dianetics, now they are a thing of the past. His profile is one of more than 200 “Meet a Scientologist” videos available on the Scientology website at www.scientology.org.
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA •
Scientologist Churlya Wurfel is determined to make Scientology assist technology broadly available to those in need. Her profile is one of more than 200 “Meet a Scientologist” videos available on the Scientology website at www.scientology.org.
ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY •
For Adriana Clarizio, disagreeing was the first step in changing things. Her profile is one of 200 “Meet a Scientologist” videos available on the Scientology website at www.scientology.org.
There was nothing particularly wrong with her life—but for Adriana Clarizio “not too bad” was not good enough.
TAIWAN •
Scientologist Natasha Lin of Pingtong, Taiwan, takes pleasure in training her staff and designing exactly the right hairstyle for her customers. Her profile is one of 200 “Meet a Scientologist” videos available on the Scientology website at www.scientology.org.
USA •
Scientologist Cindy Gainsforth neé Chu achieved her true potential through Scientology. Her video is one of 200 “Meet a Scientologist” videos available on the Scientology website at www.scientology.org.
Cindy Gainsforth knew she had some problems, but she had no idea how to remedy them.
“I graduated from high school as a barely passing student. I couldn’t get accepted into college. I had a lot of difficulty writing and speaking clearly,” she says.