FUFOR - 1996 Q3 and Q4 - Quarterly Report July-December

Magazine Overview

This document presents the combined Quarterly Reports for the Fund for UFO Research Inc. covering July-September 1996 and October-December 1996. The reports aim to catch up on delayed publications and will be released alongside the 1st and 2nd Quarter reports of 1997. The organization is based in Washington D.C.

Newspaper Clippings

The Fund acknowledges receiving newspaper clippings about UFO sightings and related news, noting that while individual acknowledgments are not possible, many submissions have provided valuable information or leads.

Financial Support

As 1996 concluded and 1997 began, the Fund's treasury was described as adequate, though not excellent, to continue its programs. The organization relies on two major contributors who support specific projects, sometimes at a five-figure level. Additionally, there are two supporters who contribute a few thousand dollars annually, and a larger number contributing a few hundred dollars per year. The Fund expressed a need for more contributors in these latter two categories, which are crucial for planning and budgeting. They welcomed regular monthly, bimonthly, or semi-annual contributions, highlighting that special discounts are offered to supporters pledging $500 or more annually. Donors can select from three funds: Unrestricted, Special Awards Fund (for Keyhoe & Davis annual awards), and Reserve Fund (for long-term funding). Contributions from U.S. citizens are tax-deductible, and the organization's IRS identification number is 52-1164176.

Fund International Reach

The Fund has experienced increased international engagement, partly due to a 1996 British book about the factual basis of the X-Files program listing the Fund's address. This has resulted in correspondence from across the British Isles and continental Europe. The Fund's funding program, which includes grants to residents of England, Australia, former Soviet republics, and other countries, has also gained wider recognition. Letters have been received from Ukraine, India, and several African and South American countries.

Isabel Davis Award to Walt Webb

Walter N. Webb was the recipient of the 1996 Isabel Davis Memorial Award, having received the most votes among four candidates, including Mark Rodeghier, Ann Druffel, and Jenny Randles. The award, which included a $1,000 check, recognized Webb's excellence in long-term UFO research. His work cited includes the Barney and Betty Hill investigation and the Buff Ledge, Vermont, dual abduction case.

Grants and Projects

Grant for Abduction Counseling

The Fund provided a small grant to Carolyn Thompson of Madison, Wisconsin, to assist with the production costs of an academic resource book aimed at counseling UFO abduction victims. Ms. Thompson holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from Chicago Theological Seminary and is involved in outreach ministry for individuals in crisis, having previously served as a volunteer and executive director for a victim assistance program in Chicago.

McDonald Files

With grant support, Ann Druffel has completed the organization and transfer of the UFO files of the late Dr. James E. McDonald to a special collection at the University of Arizona Library. These files are now publicly accessible. A group of researchers associated with the UFO Research Coalition plans to spend a week in 1997 at the library to study these files and gather information.

Jack Kasher Artifact Analysis

A grant of $600 was awarded to Dr. Jack Kasher, a physicist at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. The grant will fund the laboratory analysis of an artifact reportedly taken by an abductee during an alleged onboard alien encounter. Dr. Kasher is collaborating with a laboratory scientist in New Mexico to conduct transmission electron microscope (TEM) analysis and a hardness test on the material.

Executive Committee Members

The executive committee members of the Fund for UFO Research are listed as:

• Richard Hall, Chairman
• Craig Phillips, Vice Chairman
• Don Berliner
• Rob Swiatek, Secretary-Treasurer

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the ongoing operations and financial needs of the Fund for UFO Research, the importance of recognizing significant contributions to the field through awards, and the support of specific research projects through grants. The editorial stance is one of gratitude for support, a call for continued and increased financial contributions, and a commitment to advancing UFO research through documentation, analysis, and public accessibility of information. The Fund actively engages in international outreach and supports various aspects of UFO research, from counseling to artifact analysis.