By Xiao Pan

　　LOCALS are ever more enthusiastic about charitable causes, with the latest statistics showing that this year's annual charity campaign, entitled "Love under the Blue Sky", raked in 50 million yuan (US$6 million), more than the figure for last year.

　　The campaign which ended last Saturday collected over 137 million yuan from both individuals and enterprises.

　　Some 200 local celebrities, including the city's former and current leaders and sports stars, along with hundreds of middle school students, joined the volunteer team, helping bring in street donations during the month-long campaign.

　　The money will be spent on 10 items, including helping some 20,000 local impoverished families buy Spring Festival goods and enjoy the holiday; providing free medical operations to local impoverished old people and children; helping students whose families can't afford their tuition fees, and also assisting with charitable help the victims of certain accidents.

　　"Prosperous as the city looks, there are over 600,000 people living below its poverty line," said Ma Zhongqi, spokesman from the Shanghai Charity Foundation.

　　In the past 10 years, the foundation has helped more than 300,000 people.