By THÉRÈSE MARGOLIS

From Fendi baby shoes to LG air conditioners to authentic Ecuadorian Panama hats to designer purses, there was something for virtually everyone at the International Women’s Club’s (IWC) late-summer garage sale at Union Church in Colonia Lomas de Chapultepec on Friday, Aug. 27.

“We had more donations than we ever imagined possible for our members,” explained IWC president Lisa Snyder.

“And this year, we found some truly unexpected treasures among the donations, including a basketball jersey signed by Dennis Rodman.”

With thousands of items up for sale, bargain hunters had to sort through the piles of books, household goods, dresses, pants, shirts and sportswear for men, women and children to find their own personal treasures.

(I ended up buying that Panama hat and a couple of summer gowns, along with a few books.)

And at the end of the one-day sale, which lasted from 9 a.m. to 3. p.m., Snyder, who had set as a target the sum of 50,000 pesos, was amazed to announce that the event had brought in nothing short of 104,800 pesos, all of which will be equally divided among the IWC’s four main charities: Fundación Ora´s home for the elderly, Albergue Inés María Gasca home for girl, baby blankets for the Federico Gomez Children’s Hospital and the Hogar Las Nieves home for abandoned children.

Snyder was quick to point out that the sale would not have happened without the dedicated efforts of more than 30 IWC members who volunteered their time to sort, organize, price and sell the items that were donated.

The women’s organization was so thrilled by the success of its garage sale that it is already planning its next big fundraiser for early spring, possibly a gala dinner-dance.

And as for that Dennis Rodman jersey, the IWC board decided to hold it back and either auction it off or hold a raffle, again, with all the proceeds going to charity.