The sun was shining down on Pasadena on the morning of Saturday, July 20 where nearly 100 people of all ages participated in a 5K run, hosted by secular non-profit organization “The Way to Happiness,” and sponsored by the Church of Scientology Mission of the Foothills in Montrose. The purpose was to promote health and longevity.

“‘The Way to Happiness’ is a non-religious common-sense moral code containing 21 basic principles for a better quality of life written by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. Of its 21 precepts, the first is titled ‘Take Care of Yourself’ where the author states, “People who do not eat properly are not of much help to you or themselves. They tend to have a low energy level. They are sometimes ill­-tempered. They become ill more easily.” 

Case-in-point: per the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, more than a million Americans die every year from diet-related diseases like cardiovascular disease, diabetes and certain forms of cancers. In 2020 alone, an estimated 800,000 people died from cardiovascular disease, a number even greater than the horrific toll of COVID-19 during that same year.

And per the World Health Organization, worldwide adult obesity has more than doubled since 1990 and adolescent obesity has quadrupled.

In the name of promoting health and longevity, “The Way to Happiness” LA Chapter and the Church of Scientology Mission of the Foothills hosted the 5K run at the Pasadena Rose Bowl for local families.

Stacy Kitchens, executive director of the Mission, stated, “Getting exercise is part of taking care of yourself, which is a part of ‘The Way to Happiness.’ This 5K run promotes this precept, as well as just being a good family activity.”

Some ran, some walked, some rollerbladed, some pushed their little ones in strollers and some even rode their scooters. No matter how they participated in the 5K, all who participated ended happy at the finish line.

Best known in the community for its annual Halloween Haunted House and other family-friendly community events, the Church of Scientology Mission of the Foothills is also hosted a free first aid seminar on Saturday, July 27 to help residents prepare in the case of a medical emergency.

The Church of Scientology Mission of the Foothills has been part of the Montrose/Glendale community for over 40 years. The Mission offers communication and study courses for children, plus 20 life improvement courses including parenting courses, relationship courses and personal finance courses, as well as counseling for adults. In addition to free informational seminars and other activities open to the public, the Mission also supports various community outreach programs including “The Way to Happiness,” The Foundation for a Drug Free World, and Youth for Human Rights International.

For more information, call (818) 957-1500 or visit the website at www.scientology-montrose.org.