UNION SPRINGS - The story of the Burnett family, who recently lost their Springport home in a fire, could easily be one of tragedy, but it has proven to be one of perseverance and triumph.

From the moment the family's oldest daughter, Danielle, 15, saw smoke coming from the garage, the family has been fortunate.

“The first thing I did was run upstairs yelling for my mom that day,” Danielle said. “I just wanted to make sure everyone got out of the house and we all went over to a neighbor's house and someone driving by called the fire department. I kind of blanked out; I just wanted to make sure everyone was OK.”

While the family did lose their home, everyone was safe and sound.

It didn't take long for friends to start looking for ways to lend a helping hand, an effort that began with the family's middle daughter, Tyler's, friends and school.

“My friends went in to the school counselor and were trying to find ways to help us out,” Tyler, 12, said. “It was supposed to be a surprise, but I ended up finding out. It feels really awesome that I have friends that would do something like this.”

Between school friends and parents, a massive undertaking began to get a fundraiser started for the family.

“Really it all began with the kids,” said Debbie Knuppenburg, one of the organizers of the Burnett Family fundraiser. “They were all very upset and they are all really close friends with Tyler and the other kids in the family. Really all of this is because of them. I just made some phone calls and started getting other people involved, but it is all the kids that deserve a lot of the credit for this.”

For Tyler's friends, lending a helping hand simply felt like the right thing to do.

“I've known her for a really long time,” Amanda Gabak, 12, said. “We've been best friends for a really long time and we all just wanted to help her out. A bunch of us got together and we thought this would be the best way. It feels great to be able to help a friend like this.”

The children got the parents involved and after about a month of planning and phone calls, things were ready to go.

On Sunday afternoon, more than 100 people gathered at the Union Springs Fire Hall for a pasta dinner and raffles and silent auctions all to benefit the Burnett family.

Parents like Kathy Harris were not only more than happy to help out, they were also proud of their children's efforts.

“My son Billy is good friends with Tyler,” Harris said. “I'm really proud of what all these kids did and the fact that they were able to pull everybody together to get this going. I'm just happy to be here and help out and lend a hand to all their hard work.”

The outpouring of support form the community served to only deeply affirm the Burnett family's feelings and roots in the Union Springs community.

“I don't even know what to say,” Dawn Burnett said. “There really are no words for this. I feel like I want to cry. I really had no idea they were going to do something like this for my husband Todd and I and our three kids. I never expected anything like this. It is really just amazing, that friends and neighbors can do something like this. I never want to live anywhere else.”