Dear list subscriber, You are probably aware that this mailing list is made possible through the cooperation of RootsWeb. Depending on your own involvement with other mailing lists, USGenWeb, etc., you may or may not know of the magnitude of support that RootsWeb has been providing to genealogical community. The interest in the internet, genealogy, and USGenWeb have resulted in a level of website activity for USGenWeb and other genealogy sites at RootsWeb that has been constantly increasing. When the MAISER mailing lists fell victim to a mass commercial e-mail attack and were shut down, RootsWeb took over the hosting of hundreds of mailing lists. In a recent status report Brian Leverich of RootsWeb mentioned a number like 2 million messages a day being handled through the RootsWeb mailing lists. Additionally, RootsWeb is the host for the Roots Surname List and a multitude of other services to the genealogical community. Several thousands of dollars have already been spent to increase the capacity of the servers to handle the additional load. If you have not done so you may want to go to to http://www.rootsweb.com/ and explore a bit. RootsWeb was founded and is principally funded by the personal efforts of Dr. Brian Leverich and his wife, Karen Isaacson. It is largely their time AND money that keeps RootsWeb consistently providing such great service. In their effort to provide as much data and service as possible for free to the genealogical community, they have been very low key in asking for any financial contributions. There is, however, a mechanism to provide support through RootsWeb memberships ($12/year) and Sponsorships ($24/year). The details are at http://www.rootsweb.com/rootsweb/how-to-subscribe.html If you haven't already done so, are in a position to do so, and would like to express your appreciation and support for all that RootsWeb has provided, please consider becoming a RootsWeb member or sponsor. Of course if you are in a position to be able to contribute a bit more I am sure Brian will not object <G>. It is a good way to support what is, in my personal opinion, one of the finest examples of a FREE resource on the net. ***Important,*** this is a VOLUNTARY membership on your part. You will not be removed from a list because you are not able or willing to contribute. If you belong to more than one list, one membership covers all those lists (you don't have to contribute for each one). As a listowner, I am considered a "Sponsor" and will be contributing for each of my lists as I am financially able. The gratitude I feel in having the lists available again makes it worth much more than the suggested donation to me. Another factor: today (6/20/97) Brian sent out a message to listowners about a person who is making demands and threats against this mail system. He and his assistants have spent many sleepless nights this week trying to protect our lists. Right now, the only way to join RootsWeb is by sending a check in American dollars to: RootsWeb Genealogical Data Cooperative P.O. Box 6798 Frazier Park, CA 93222-6798 Please make sure your name and e-mail address are on the check! Also, please don't send currency, and please don't send drafts denominated in foreign currency. (American banks charge *huge* fees for currency conversions.) If you are outside the United States, please wait until they can process credit cards -- they should have that ready in a month or two. I realize this is not the usual topic for discussion. None of us like to "pay," but there are some things that are worth our support, and I believe RootsWeb is one of them. If you have any questions, please let me know. Judy Marshall Arnold - [email protected] *ARNOLD*BROADHURST*COOK*COWAN*FAUBION*MARSHALL*MCCOY* ***Visit the "All In Good Time" site***: http://www.flash.net/~judyad/