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charitySt. Lucy’s Bazaar:Ten years ofchanging livesA fundraiser for a baby home in Tainan that began in2001 has snowballed into an annual Taipei shoppinghighlight and helped transform the lives of many children.Here’s how it has evolved, and how you can help.Victoria Bunao Olsen (center) has been selling herwildly-popular jewelry, bags and accessories sincethe first Bazaar ten years agoTexT: suniTa sue lengimages: Jeannine BaraTi, sT lucycenTer, naomi masina PhoTograPhy,Bruner familyHe who can reach a child’s heartcan reach the world’s heart– Rudyard KiplingSiew Kang is marveling at how afundraiser she and her friends puttogether ten years ago has taken ona life of its very own. Alongsidefounding members Laura Trinnamanand Carol Silvestri, she was part ofthe crew that started the St. Lucy’sBazaar in 2001. Fast-forward tenyears and this energetic lady witha sunny disposition is still hard atwork, spearheading yet anotherfundraiser for the St. Lucy Center,a home in Tainan for babies andchildren whose families are unable tocare for them.“The Bazaar has become a bridgethat helps people do something verymeaningful together,” says Siew. “Itbrings out the best in people.” Forinstance, staff of the American Club,where the Bazaar is held every year,have gone out of their way to makesure it runs smoothly, often goingbeyond the call of duty.“I’m so thrilled that this amazinglegacy has continued,” says LauraTrinnaman via email from the US.Laura was living in Taipei in 2001,with five young children, when friendsasked if she would help the St. LucyCenter get humanitarian aid. Laurawas chosen because she had adoptedchildren of her own and had years ofexperience in adoption education.The home is in the southern cityof Tainan and dates back to somethirty years ago when a group ofCatholic nuns set up a sanctuary forunmarried mothers and their babies.Over time, it also took in childrenof families who were unable to carefor them. Laura soon recognized theopportunity to place some of thesebabies with families in the US. Andso, a Taiwan adoption program wasborn which has since evolved intoFor Every Child Adoption Services,based in Utah.Laura, Siew and a group ofdedicated ladies rolled out the veryfirst St. Lucy’s Bazaar in 2002. Withsupport from the American Club, theMore on St. Lucy’sWhat is the St. Lucy Center?St. Lucy’s provides assistance to birth families who are unablephysically, emotionally or financially to care for their children. It wasestablished about thirty years ago and is run by The Good ShepherdSocial Welfare Services Foundation today.How big is the baby home?The nursery has 45 beds and fourteen full-time caregivers on threerotations a day. In total, staff strength is 22, including administrativestaff, nursing staff and social workers. There were also 157 volunteerson the register as at the end of 2010.How many babies does it help?St. Lucy’s cares for approximately one hundred babies each year.Having been around for three decades, that makes for a lot of babiesover the years!How is St. Lucy’s funded?The Catholic Church licenses and sponsors the St. Lucy Center. Thehome also receives a small amount of financial support from the localgovernment. Outside of this, it relies on donations.How do you help by shopping at the Bazaar?Funds raised from the Bazaar go towards expenses such as medicalbills including vaccinations, as well as childcare items such asdiapers, clothing, developmental toys, and milk formula.18 OCTOBer 2011 www.communitycenter.org.tw