Ben Best's initiative at the APL91 conference marked the beginnings of
a series of projects aimed at making
it financially possible for Russian APLers to attend    our conferences
in the west.
This is probably the right time for people to
begin thinking about a 'Deserving Attendees Fund' for APL95.

Previous fund-raising campaigns have been organised by volunteers and
have been independant of both ACM SIGAPL and the conference
organisers. We have discussed this within the SIGAPL EC  and feel that
it is right and proper for future fund-raising for deserving
individuals (the Russians are not alone in experiencing severe
shortage of hard currency) to continue on a voluntary basis.

I am posting this message so that anyone wishing to set up a 'Deserving
Attendees Fund' either for APL95 alone or on a more general basis has
the opportunity to step forward. If you know of anyone who might wish
to do so please pass this message along to them. Obviously it is most
sensible for there to be a single fund-raising effort.
Our Russian colleagues are clearly very grateful for the funds that
have  been raised in the past - and we
certainly wish to see them at APL95. This is definitely a volunteer
task which has a visible reward. Please  consider whether you can
spare the time that will be needed to make it happen; and if you can't
spare the time, please think about how else you might contribute.