Published by the Church of Scientology International

Volunteerism for Every Season
From Winter Wonderland (1) to the Ebony Awakening African Americam Achievement Awards (2 - Marva Denard, 2003 recipient, right) to year-round “Storytellers” performances (3) to Easter Egg hunts each spring (4), Clearwater Community Volunteers speak hope and happiness for the city and its people.

Additionally, Sigal is an elected member of Clearwater’s Downtown Development Board, a member of the Jazz Holiday Board and a full-time executive of Monitor Fund Advisors. And she sings, too, regularly performing in and around Pinellas County.

Why such intensity? “Many of us live, work or frequent downtown Clearwater,” she says. “Our city government officials are making positive strides and doing all they can to better conditions here. As concerned citizens, we have a responsibility to help them create a downtown that is a vital and exciting locale both for those who are here to visit and for those of us who are here to stay.”

She adds that her involvement on the Downtown Development Board and the Clearwater Jazz Holiday Board are both “extensions of that wish for Clearwater.”

Like the volunteers of other churches and organizations who offer succor in times of disaster or a kind word to a sad or lonely person, Sigal takes her mission as a Scientology volunteer very seriously.

“As a member of one of the world’s fastest growing religions, I feel that I have much more of a duty to care for our community,” she says. “We must reverse the plague of drugs, crime and illiteracy that threaten our children and our culture. CCV’s aim is to help those community groups that are doing something effective in this regard.”

Aaron McGlon, Clearwater Area Director of the Boys & Girls Club, says “The CCV is very concerned about the youth in our community and the Club is proud to be connected with this group of hard-working and dedicated citizens.”

Among the more hard-working and dedicated is Craig Burton, the Chief Operating Officer of Clearwater-based Agent Media Corporation and Clearwater resident of 10 years. He told Freedom that his CCV volunteering started by helping out on a small basis at first, for Winter Wonderland. However, as he received more training in Scientology, he saw that he could do more for his community.

“I was listening to a taped lecture by Mr. Hubbard [the Founder of Scientology] on the subject of responsibility, and I realized that I needed to do more than just work to improve myself and my family. I needed to become more involved in the community,” he explained.

Echoing this statement, Sigal ended her Freedom interview with this closing appeal: “The Clearwater Community Volunteers is always looking for more people throughout Tampa Bay who would like to volunteer — people who have a purpose to move out into the community and get things done. Our watchwords are responsibility, caring and action because we’re taking responsibility for our community, because we care about it, and because we actively work on projects that make a difference.”

And, she adds, you need not be a Scientologist to volunteer — in fact volunteers of many faiths participate in the group’s events. If you are interested in teaming up with the Clearwater Community Volunteers, call Joanie Sigal at (727) 298-5406.