OUTDOOR LIGHTING AWARD PRESENTED TO ST. FRANCIS CHURCH 

The St. Francis Church, 4625 E. River Road  in Tucson received an "Excellence in Outdoor
Lighting" award from the International Dark-Sky Association, Southern Arizona Section (SA-
IDA) on Sunday November, 17, 2002, presented at both of their morning services.  Members of
Dark Skies and the astronomy community were invited to attend the award ceremony which was
held during the morning services.  St. Francis Church recently retrofitted their modern looking
parking light fixtures so glare, light trespass, and sky glow were mostly eliminated.

The SA-IDA "Excellence in Outdoor Lighting" award honors local businesses, organizations and
individuals who promote safe, effective and non-polluting night lighting for their properties.
"Light pollution, caused by excessive and inefficient lighting, results in energy waste,
unnecessary glare and light trespass onto neighboring properties, plus the destruction of the
beauty of night skies," explains John W. Polacheck, SA-IDA acting president. "Furthermore,
light pollution affects bird migrations and astronomical observations."