ELGIN — The most heartfelt of actions sometimes can miss the mark.

For a classic example look no further than local efforts to help the thousands of fire victims in Western Oregon. Many of those reaching out to the victims have given items that can’t be used — but their good intentions will not go to waste. These items will be sold at a huge yard sale Oct. 9-10 in Walla Walla, Washington.

The sale, which will raise money for fire victims, is necessary because many of the donations from residents in Northeast Oregon and Southeast Washington during the past month will not benefit the people who need help, said Valerie O’Dai with the nonprofit Emergency Equipment Solutions.

Emergency Equipment Solutions and the American Legion Auxiliary in Milton-Freewater are putting on the yard sale. La Grande Strong, which O’Dai and Spring Roberts co-chair, also are pitching in.

The sale will feature at least 10 trailer loads of items that include skis, chairs and mattresses.

“Nobody who has just lost their home and is living in a tent will need items like these,” said O’Dai, who lives in Elgin and is the senior disaster relief coordinator for Emergency Equipment Solutions.

The revenue from the sale will go toward the purchase of what the fire victims need: toiletries, pots and pans, hay for livestock, pet supplies and more, particularly wood boards and galvanized screens for making sifters. Fire victims need sifters to sort through ashes looking for heirlooms such rings and jewelry.

“These are items they didn’t have time to grab before fires hit,” O’Dai said. “We need thousands of them.”

O’Dai is frustrated when people donate items fire victims can’t use, but she also is buoyed.

“People are well intentioned. They want to help. They are incredibly generous,” she said.

Observing this firsthand makes reaching out to victims of tragedy an uplifting experience, O’Dai said.

“What I get to see are communities pulling together,” she said.

While reflecting on this recently, a jolt of realization struck O’Dai.

“Neighbors are not first responders but they are the first to respond,” she said. “That hit me hard.”

Three of the trailer loads bound for Walla Walla are coming from Union County, two are from Umatilla County, one from Baker County, one from Washington’s Tri-Cities area and three from Goldendale, Washington.

The sale will be at the Fraternal Order of Eagles Lodge, 350 S. Second St., Walla Walla, and start at 9 a.m. each day. It will run each day until people stop coming.

Sale organizers have the use of the lodge for free from Sunday, Oct. 4, to Saturday, Oct. 10. O’Dai said normally such organizations charge about $200 a day for use of their facilities.

You still can donate items for the yard sale. In La Grande, the drop-off site is Le Bebe Cakes, 1101 Washington Ave. All items will be accepted through Sunday. To arrange to make a donation, call O’Dai at 541-663-6050 or Le Bebe Cakes at 541-963-2253.

O’Dai said she never ceases to be amazed at how generous people are when stepping up to help others in need.

“It astounds me every time,” she said.