The substantial sales of Pathfinder books--more than $2,100--at recent meetings in Georgia and Alabama to hear Cuban revolutionary leader Víctor Dreke underscore the potential to gain contributions to the Pathfinder Fund from those who value these political weapons.

Fund campaigners from several areas report they are taking the steps needed to meet their fund-raising goals, through final public events promoting the Pathfinder Fund or following through on consistent work they have been carrying out all along.

At a November 9 Pathfinder Fund event in Seattle, featuring Socialist Workers Party leader Tom Leonard speaking on the imperialist war drive in the Middle East and Washington’s attacks on working people at home, two longshore workers were among those attending. The unionists had heard about the program at a table of Pathfinder literature on the docks the day before. The two, members of the International Longshore Workers Union, have been part of the fight by West Coast dockworkers for a contract in face of government intervention. They explained that the border cops had prevented them from entering Canada as they tried to join union picket lines north of the border.

Some 50 people attended the Seattle event, including a number of workers and young people from Vancouver, British Columbia. The fund collection at the program helped Pathfinder supporters in Seattle surpass their goal of $7,500. Tom McCarthy, a young worker, spoke at the event, explaining how Pathfinder books have helped him to understand the importance of the revolution the Cuban people carried out 43 years ago against the U.S.-backed Batista dictatorship, and the history of the labor movement in the United States.

Reaching out to long-term Militant subscribers who value Pathfinder literature has helped campaigners in western Colorado approach their goal. They report that they sent out a mailing to subscribers in the region in September, and have received a number of contributions.

In the past week one Militant reader from Denver and another from one Nucla, Colorado, each sent in payments of $100 toward maintaining Pathfinder Press’s ambitious publishing plans. Another long-term subscriber, a press operator in Denver, made one in a series of contributions he has sent in during the fund drive. He has decided to contribute the money he receives for company-paid lunches, and his total contributions to date stand at $120.

By carefully organizing to collect the final payments on pledges from contributors over the next few days, Pathfinder supporters around the world can bring home a success.

Contributions to the fund can be made out to Pathfinder and mailed to the Militant, 410 West Street, New York, NY 10014.  
 
 
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