HELP THE FUND AVOID  ADDITIONAL  PROXY  SOLICITATION  EXPENSE - PLEASE  VOTE AND
RETURN YOUR PROXY TODAY!

No matter how may shares you own, your vote  matters.  Please return your signed
proxy card to us right away.  If the October 31 meeting  needs to be  postponed,
the Fund will incur additional expenses.

If you have recently  returned your proxy,  we thank you, and apologize for this
second request.



                                            [LOGO] FIRST INVESTORS