DEVELOPMENT LETTER
February 2011
Greetings in the Glorious Name of our Savior Jesus Christ.
Our Capital Campaign Development Team is still working for you. After the initial launch of the “Embrace the Dream Campaign” nearly 3 years ago, the leadership at Venice Christian School reconsidered the sequencing of its building plans, based on feedback from parents and the needs of our Christian community. We found that we needed more classrooms to accommodate the anticipated increase in enrollment and we needed a gymnasium and multipurpose room for physical education, sporting events and assemblies. We also realized at this time that we could not afford the $2.6 Million Phase 1 building that was originally planned. Accordingly, the VCS Architectural Development Team responded. They worked with our General Contractor, DE Murphy, and our architect, Norm Sharrit, to design a downsized, lower cost steel and block building in the east area of the current playground that would house five classrooms and a gymnasium which could also serve as a large multipurpose assembly hall. This new building, which would have been Phase 2 of our overall plan, will measure 120 ft. by 120 ft. and cost $1.1 million. It will include an art classroom , a science lab, weight training and fitness room, and a new computer lab in addition to the gymnasium with lockers and showers, as well as additional parking on Center Road. The gymnasium will have bleacher seating for 192 people. This expansion should allow for freeing up of a few rooms in the current buildings for classes and offices and will allow our sports teams to practice and play games at “home”. The additional classrooms will allow VCS to accommodate between 60 and 100 additional students. We will continue to keep the architectural drawings for the original Phase 1 building and return to plan and build that building when economic conditions permit.
In the meantime we have re-launched the Capital Campaign to build Phase 2. It’s possible that if we raise enough money for a substantial down payment that we could break ground within the next year. You may view the new building plans in the VCS Office and at Coffee and Dessert Meetings we will be sponsoring in Lions Hall at 7pm on the following dates: March 17, March 21 and March 25. At these Meetings you will be able to ask questions and become more informed about the specifics of our building plans. Look for invitations to these Meetings in the mail soon.
All for Him,
Al Burda
Development Director and Interim Campaign Director
Click HERE for the Campaign Newsletter Vol. 4
VCS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
Meet Al Burda
For those of you whom I have not had the pleasure of meeting, this should serve to introduce me as your new Development Director and Interim Campaign Chair. My name is Al Burda and I have replaced Debbie Mason as VCS Development Director and Stacy Pinkerton as Interim Chair of the VCS Capital Campaign. I am humbled by the experience of working at VCS.
As background, I am a retired executive from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission with experience in Planning, Budget and Finance, Human Resource Management, Contracting and Training. I have taught in public schools. My education is from the U.S. Naval Academy and The George Washington University. While not a development professional per se, I understand how important relationships are to building goodwill. Before taking this position, I worked as a volunteer at VCS helping to establish the High School.
Even though I have no children or grandchildren at VCS, I am 100% committed to VCS and the Campaign because I believe in Christian Education. I will do everything in my power with God’s blessing to raise the funds necessary to expand VCS and to improve it so that it can become a place where every graduate is morally, mentally, physically and spiritually grounded and prepared for college or work and the challenges of responsible Christian adulthood. As Development Director I will assist Principal Jerry Frimmel in donor management, grant writing, special events, business and community relations and any other ways to make VCS a better school. Until a new Campaign Director is found, I hope you will help me and be a part of this dream that we have for VCS. If you see me on campus please introduce yourself—I’d love to meet you!
All for Him,
Al Burda
To contact Mr. Burda please e-mail him at
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Click the following links to download copies of the Building Blocks Devotionals:
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