The meeting was the first of many now being organized around the country to win contributors to the $110,000 Militant and Perspectiva Mundial Fund. The operating expenses of both publications are financed through sales of the papers and contributions to the fund. The 10-week fund-raising effort will end November 13.

Ginter, a member of the Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, shared the platform with Amy Roberts, a leader of the Young Socialists and a member of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 789. Roberts works at the Dakota Premium Foods meatpacking plant in South St. Paul, Minnesota. Last June workers there carried out a seven hour sit-down strike to demand the line speed be slowed. Seven weeks later a large majority voted to join the UFCW.

Roberts updated the struggle taking place at the plant. She also pointed out the valuable role the Militant and Perspectiva Mundial have played in the workers' struggle in pointing to the need for workers and small farmers to join each others' struggles against their common exploiters.

At the meeting were activists from the Concerned Citizens for Justice, an organization that is fighting for justice for Charles Lovelady, a young Black man killed by security guards at a Des Moines night club.

Lovelady's father and mother were among those in attendance. Lamont Lovelady, Charles's father, thanked those at the meeting for their support to this fight.

The event raised close to $400 in contributions and new pledges for the fund drive.

Cappy Kidd in Chicago reports the fund meeting there will be an eyewitness account of the workers and peasants uprising in Ecuador with Militant staff writer Hilda Cuzco. "We met some activists from Casa Guatemala who have been playing public service announcements on their radio show. At a meeting they organized we were able to announce the event to about 100 people," Kidd said. "They plan to interview Cuzco after her program this weekend."

In Atlanta, where supporters have already sent in 60 percent of their pledge, a fund-raising meeting is set for October 6. "We have been focusing our efforts on building this event among the workers at the Earthgrains Co.," said Lea Bockman, Atlanta's fund drive director. Members of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union struck the company for three weeks. They won solidarity from workers at 27 other Earthgrains plants around the country who refused to cross picket lines, winning important gains in the new contract as a result.

"We met with one of the workers who had been on strike--something we want to do with others we know. He really appreciated the coverage the Militant gave to their fight. He bought a subscription for himself and four copies of the same issue that he wants to show to other workers, and said he would attend the meeting," said Bockman.

Well organized and widely built meetings will be an important part of getting the fund drive on track over the next several weeks. Setting objectives, such as winning new contributors, collecting enough money to get your area in the on-time category, and raising the local goal to help get closer to the $110,000 international goal, are important for the overall drive.

To get and stay on schedule for the rest of the drive supporters need to send in $13,200 a week to the Militant business office. Attention to getting on schedule is needed in every area. The receptivity to publications shown by strikers and the many others who are deciding to subscribe for the first time show the potential for also winning new contributors to the Militant and Perspectiva Mundial. Success in the drive depends on spending the time to talk to many of these fighters about the fund, opening the possibility for them to contribute.  
 
 
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