That was a message sent by Johnny Williams, a union meat packer in the Washington, D.C., area, to a May 3 event to raise funds for the Militant and Perspectiva Mundial. His response captured the enthusiasm for these two socialist publications among working people and politically active youth who have contributed to the $85,000 fund campaign that makes it possible to publish them.

Contributions received have now jumped up to $48,444, some 57 percent of the goal. With one week left in the drive and more than $36,000 outstanding to reach the international goal, campaigners in every area are making it a top priority to collect the final payments and send them in to arrive at the Militant offices by the Tuesday, May 13, deadline.

Here are reports of highlights this past week.

From France: A few minutes ago I received word that we have surpassed our goal of $300. Our total now stands at $305 received, as two more contributions were received during the May Day demonstrations in Paris and one during the demonstrations in Marseilles. --Nat London

From Canada: Militant supporters here have raised $3,211 out of our $4,011 goal. In Toronto, five meatpacking workers at the Quality Meat plant have contributed $30 to the fund. --Michel Prairie

From Washington, D.C.: A May 3 benefit here celebrated the launching of the Militant’s Washington bureau. Featured speakers were Militant editor Argiris Malapanis and D.C. Bureau chief Sam Manuel, who will be covering political events in the Southeast region. He will submit articles from a new office located in the Pathfinder bookstore here. Participants contributed some $700 toward the fund at the meeting.

"The coverage of the Iraq war has been excellent and seems to get better each week. The background articles and editorials have been very helpful. The Washington Bureau is an exciting idea," wrote rail worker Jim Sarsgard from Baltimore in a message to the meeting. --Janice Lynn

From Los Angeles: Featured speaker Jacob Perasso, a meat packer from Omaha, Nebraska, said he and several coworkers, organized through their union, drove a van to participate in a rally to support the Tyson workers’ strike in Jefferson, Wisconsin. "The refusal of these workers to subordinate their struggle to ‘national unity’ and ‘homeland defense’ is the beginning of working-class resistance to imperialist war," Perasso said.

Among those attending the brunch reception and afternoon meeting, which raised nearly $2,000, were four students and workers who plan to participate in the Cuba-U.S. Youth Exchange. One of the four, José Velásquez, a construction worker who urged everyone to subscribe to the Militant, said that people he met on a recent trip to southern Mexico and Guatemala "were interested in the fact that a group like the Socialist Workers Party could function in the United States." --Nan Bailey

From Tampa, Florida: A meeting here featured James Harris, a leader of the Socialist Workers Party in Atlanta, on "Defending Cuba’s Sovereignty, Defending Cuba’s Socialist Revolution." It drew people from throughout central Florida, including five students. More than $870 was raised at the event [for fuller report see letters column]. --Rachele Fruit

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