Leading the way are supporters of the Militant and Perspectiva Mundial in Atlanta. A big collection this past weekend brought their total contributions up to almost $2,000--42 percent of their goal.

Atlanta fund director Lea Bockman explained what they did. "A group of supporters were getting together this past weekend, so we asked them all to bring a check. Everybody responded really well." The one-week collection netted $1,720 for the international goal.

Bockman added, "Another thing we did was to reproduce and mail out the letter by Militant editor Martín Koppel asking everyone to contribute to the fund." She said the mailing went out to a number of people who are involved in political struggles in the area and others who have subscribed to the socialist press in recent months. "We included a number of farmers in this area we have gotten to know. Now we have organized people to do two calls a week to follow up on the mailing."

As a result of some of the initial follow-up calling that was done after the mailing an additional $200 in pledges was received from partisans of the paper in Savannah, Georgia. "One person sent us a check to renew his subscription to the Militant and included an extra $20 donation to the fund," Bockman said.

On October 7 Atlanta will be hosting a public meeting by Militant editor Koppel to give the campaign a big public boost. "A couple of Militant supporters] have volunteered to host a house party to raise funds for the plane fare to bring our speaker to Atlanta," said Bockman.  
 
What is needed now
What the Militant campaigners in Atlanta have done in the first two weeks of the drive includes the elements needed in every city to catch up and get the campaign really rolling.

"While the fund campaign is behind in most cities, there are some basic things that can and need to be done in every local area to turn the fund-raising around," Koppel said in an interview.

"First, there are many supporters of the Militant and Perspectiva Mundial in every area who have already made pledges--what is needed is weekly organization to solicit and collect payments on those pledges. It's important to point out that the money for the fund--which helps cover the weekly cost of producing the two socialist publications--is needed now.

"Secondly," Koppel said, "reaching out as broadly as possible for contributions is crucial in having a successful and energetic campaign. This includes organizing a mailing of the fund-raising letter and following up with phone calls, as well as approaching co-workers who read the Militant and PM one-on-one.  
 
Fund-raising meeting key
"Third, organizing a public fund-raising meeting as soon as possible is key. This meeting can be used so that those who have made pledges can make a large payment on it at the event, and others will be spurred to make a pledge."

Koppel noted, "Where else but the Militant will working people find truthful coverage and political answers about the skyrocketing fuel prices and the massive protests against this crisis by farmers, truckers, and fishermen throughout Europe? It's because of big political questions like this that a number of militant workers, farmers, and radicalizing young people who rely on the Militant and Perspectiva Mundial will be glad to be part of financing these publications."

A few other areas have made progress similar to Atlanta this past week. In Pittsburgh, for example, contributions now total more than 30 percent of the goal. Supporters there credit the success to early payments on substantial pledges by workers who are members of the United Mine Workers of America and the Steelworkers union. Work has also begun to follow up a recent mailing of the fund drive letter to readers and others in the region.

As the chart indicates, increases in local goals are needed in a number of areas to raise the cumulative amount to the $110,000 international goal.

Supporters in each area are urged to send to the Militant this week their plan of action to carry out the fund campaign and achieve the goal.