Donations welcome

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following letter to the Saint Philip’s community was written by John Bremond, Senior Warden, and Herb Burton, Treasurer.

Saint Philip’s leadership has begun executing improvements in campus security and safety.

Sadly, Houses of Worship and schools have become targets of violence:

Since 1999, there have been 23 fatal shootings in churches and 304 fatal shootings in schools in the U.S. Besides the horrific human losses caused by the death and injury involved, the financial cost of these tragic deaths can be staggering.

In collaboration with the Pima County Sheriff’s department, a campus-wide safety plan has been developed.

The church is currently working with a local contractor, Arizona Sound & Light, and other vendors to install new wireless access control locks and vandal-proof cameras at school and office door locations. These enhancements mark the first phase of campus safety improvements. The cost of these Phase 1 improvements is estimated at $38,597.00, plus an estimated additional $25,000.00 to outfit the three decorative gates that provide access to the Children’s and Music centers, with secured locks and hardware for safe exit during an evacuation due to events such as fire.

More than $30,000.00 has been generously donated by members of the parish upon learning of the project. We still need an estimated $34,000.00 more to complete Phase 1. Online donations can be made on Saint Philip’s secure website by clicking here and selecting “Give to Safety/Security Project” from the drop-down menu.

We are requesting that members of the Saint Philip’s community donate to help defray the cost of these critical safety improvements on our church campus. These improvements will allow us to better protect the Children’s Center, which includes—depending on the hour and the day— the Catalina Hills school children, our children, church clergy, staff, and parishioners of Saint Philip’s.

Subsequent plan phases include improved building identification signage, upgraded fencing in the school area and around the campus perimeter, window modifications, enhanced communication technology between the campus and law enforcement agencies, and traffic control barriers.

All of these safety improvements will be done so as to conform to the architectural integrity of Saint Philip’s National Registry recognition.

We dearly love everyone in the Saint Philip’s community, and we want our parish to thrive in the years ahead knowing that we have done our best to provide for the safety of our staff and parishioners.

Thank you for your support! 

John Bremond, Senior Warden
Herb Burton, Treasurer

We thank Mike Humphrey, Susan Black and Mtr Mary for their assistance in preparing this message.