Generations of Spanish Fork firefighters have been putting out blazes for 100 years, and their spouses have been fighting fires in their own way as well.

Sue Johnson, secretary of the auxiliary, said the group is accepting usable items to sell at the garage sale, with the proceeds going to the burn unit and a burn camp. Unlike fundraisers where some money must go to overhead before it can be donated, Johnson said the garage sale will be run entirely by volunteers using donated items, so 100 percent of the proceeds will go to fire victims.

"I think it's just a good opportunity for serving others," Johnson said. "It's something I can do."

The auxiliary holds about two fundraisers each year for the burn unit, and Johnson said the group also makes I-Spy games for the burn victims. The game is made from a water bottle filled with birdseed and several other small items for the children to find. The bottle comes with a list of what can be found inside, and it is an easy game for the children to use to pass the time.

This is the first time the group will be holding a garage sale to raise money, said auxiliary President Robyn Snyder. Different activities are held every year to benefit the burn unit, and Snyder said the group also works to support the victims' families. Hygiene kits are made for the families, who often leave their homes in a rush to be with their child. The University of Utah Burn Unit serves residents from all across the Western U.S., and many families are relieved to find the small kit of hairbrushes, toothbrushes and other necessities.

"We're always looking for ways to have a fundraiser for the burn center, because we feel like that's a great organization," Snyder said.

Along with monetary donations, auxiliary Vice President Cathy Harrison said the group meets once a month to make a blanket for every patient at the burn unit. Harrison said the donated items can bring a lot of comfort to the patients, who are often victims of chemical burns or child abuse. The children's stay at the unit may last for months, during which time they cling to the handmade blankets.

The money raised at Saturday's garage sale will be donated at the state auxiliary convention in June, where more than 300 blankets and $14,000 were collected statewide last year.

"It's just a great cause," Harrison said. "It's surprising how great people are at the convention and all they contribute."

Fifty percent of the proceeds from the Spanish Fork fundraiser will go to a burn camp, where Harrison said children with burn scars have activities together. The children often struggle with their burn scars, but after craft days for younger children and a week-long river run for teenagers, the children are not as self-conscious.

"At the end of the week, they don't care, because they've all been through the same thing," Harrison said.

Because the state organization makes the delivery of donated items and money, Harrison said many auxiliary members do not have a chance to meet the children they serve. Harrison said she has been to the burn center to visit with the children, and it is humbling to see the difference the group can have in the children's lives.

"Above all else, we're glad that we can impact and help these victims stay a little better and a little brighter," she said.

To donate an item for the garage sale, contact Sue Johnson at 798-6035, or bring it to the sale Saturday morning. The garage sale will take place Saturday at the Spanish Fork Fire Station, 370 N. Main St., from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., and any items not sold will be donated to benefit multiple sclerosis.