Dear Mission Supporters,
I am pleased to lend my support to this campaign because of my interest
in California history as well as my family's long involvement in mission
preservation. Phoebe Apperson Hearst was a life member of the Landmarks
Club founded by newspaperman Charles Fletcher Lummis. That organization
was responsible for saving many of the missions from ruin in the late
1800s. William Randolph Hearst personally contributed to the restoration
of many of the missions. Over the years the Hearst Foundation has
significantly funded mission preservation projects including those
at San Antonio de Padua, San Juan Bautista, and La Purísima.
It is a privilege to chair the California
Missions Foundation Missions 2000 Campaign, a $50-million initiative
to fund ongoing preservation efforts of the twenty-one historic
California missions.
We are at a pivotal point in mission history and begin
our campaign at a critical time. Many of the missions are experiencing
structural problems and other deteriorating conditions. Projects
including seismic retrofitting, and the restoration and preservation
of mission artifacts are crucial. In addition, archaeological studies,
adobe stabilization, and mission garden renovation and revitalization
must be addressed. The growing lists of deferred maintenance and
repairs are costly and present an ongoing financial challenge.
The California Missions Foundation has committed
to taking the lead in this statewide campaign to ensure that the
rich legacy of mission history is preserved for future generations.
Your generous support is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Stephen Hearst
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