THE GOOD FIGHT

A&M; Records announced Monday that it has transferred $3 million in proceeds from the 1987 album “A Very Special Christmas” to the Special Olympics. That brings the total the album has raised for the sports organization for the mentally handicapped to $8 million. The album, which features performances of Christmas-themed songs by pop stars including Bruce Springsteen, Madonna, U2 and Whitney Houston, has sold nearly 2 million copies in the U.S. and 800,000 copies in the rest of the world. Special Olympics founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver also announced Monday that the funds would be used to help the organization meet its goal of doubling its current 1 million participants by 1991.