The Taipei International Women's Club (TIWC) yesterday closed its 48th annual Christmas bazaar reasonably confident that this year proceeds had surpassed last year's figure of NT$467,651.

The proceeds will go to help victims of the September 21 quake. The exact figure will be not be known until tomorrow.

But, said TIWC Ways and Means Chairperson Ma Su-Jing, "I guess we made way over half-a-million dollars this year. And," she added, "that is a very, very conservative estimate." Ma said that the committee, which had expected fewer than the 100 booths participating at the fete in the American School, had turned away dozens of potential vendors who had registered late.

"Unfortunately, we had to turn away more than three times the number participating. But it shows that the TIWC can build bridges between the international and local communities," she said.

The TIWC 9-21 Earthquake Relief Reconstruction Bazaar was emceed by ex-ICRT DJ, Charles "Chocolate" Mack. He praised the efforts of the organizing committee.

"Even though they had only 10 days to put it together, it was all very well organized. It was really wonderful to see everyone giving from the heart.

"It's just disappointing," the popular expat media personality said, "that the Chinese-language media did not get involved. It's a pity that something that brought the community together for such a good cause should have been ignored."

Despite the absence of the Chinese-language media, however, Mrs. Shirley Hu, wife of ex-Foreign Minister Jason Hu, several ambassadors and trade representatives stopped by at the American School to pick out Christmas gifts. Also making an appearance was Canadian Darrell Fox, brother of Terry Fox who before dying of cancer on June 28, 1981, ran a 143-day Marathon of Hope across his country to raise funds for cancer research. Darrell Fox flew in earlier this week to participate in this morning's Terry Fox run.

Hu, Fox and the diplomats joined hundreds of parents and children, both foreign and local, browsing through 100 booths and stalls selling a variety of items, including food and wine from Poland, Hungary, Turkey and India, jewelry, clothes, shoes, handbags and Christmas decorations. The crowds also watched Aboriginal dancing and were able to buy handmade Aboriginal artifacts from a dozen booths.

"I really had a nice time," said a young girl, Karen, "and my daddy and I bought some pearls for my mummy for her Christmas present," she revealed. Her father shared her enthusiasm. "It was really wonderful to see so many people working so hard toward the same goal of helping to make things easier for people who have lost so much."