"We didn't know if anyone would come," says Betty Kirtland, who was president at the time of the first rummage sale. "But then the doors opened and--whoosh--people rushed in."

Although Kirtland says they were aiming to raise $5,000 at the time, they ended up surpassing their goal and raised $20,000.

Raising money may have been the goal, but Kirtland says the experience of organizing the first rummage sale was priceless.

"We had so much fun preparing for the sale that it almost didn't matter if anyone came," she says. "We worked together, and it made the organization stronger."

In addition, the sale helped inspire future members. Cupertino's Kelly Walsh said she always knew about it as a child. "The sale made me want to learn more about the Junior League," she said. Walsh joined in 1998.

Despite the camaraderie, putting together the event wasn't easy. Leaguers labored over logistics, distributed 15,000 flyers to publicize the event and pillaged their garages for high-quality items to donate to the sale. They even penned a song for the event and created a mascot named Rummage Sale Rose.

The league's efforts were recognized in local papers. However, in 1969, the San Jose Mercury relegated the sale to the "Women's Page."

"It was the only way we could get publicity at that time," Kirtland says.

Thirty-eight years later, Junior League members are following in the steps of their predecessors. Kirtland is a sustaining member, still involved in the organization but not active full time. She remains involved in the rummage sale and will be stationed in the boutique department this year.

Marit MacDonald, who co-chairs this year's rummage sale, says the fundraiser is thriving.

"It started as a fundraiser, but it has evolved into something more," she says. "It's an opportunity for low-income families to buy high-quality goods."

The sale is set up like a department store in the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds Pavilion the 33,000-square-foot space is divided up into several sections, selling items like pots and pans, kitchen electrical appliances, clothes for children, toys, china and silver.

Repeat customers, MacDonald says, often line up at 4 a.m. to ensure a spot in the front of the line. Families strategize ways to divide and conquer.

"Someone from last year explained to me that they have different family members go to different departments," MacDonald says.

The event has grown in size and popularity since its inception, but the goal remains the same--to raise money for the league's community projects. Funds from the rummage sale will go toward a grant for the Triton Museum and training new members for volunteer work.

And the camaraderie that characterized the first fundraiser is still going strong.

"The rummage sale is a great opportunity to spend time with each other," MacDonald says.

But this year the event has been moved from October to March. Because membership begins in October, moving the rummage sale up allows new members more time to learn how to organize a large fundraiser. And the timing fits nicely with Women's History Month in March.

Since Kirtland was president, another major change has occurred. The majority of members now juggle careers with charitable work. Junior League of San Jose President Leah Schnoor estimates that 80 percent of members work outside the home.

Kirtland says she is impressed by working women who squeeze volunteering into their busy schedules.

Dawn Bussey of Sunnyvale, who joined in 2000, is an example. When not busy as a mom or at her job at a microchip manufacturer or volunteering at Cherry Chase Elementary School, Bussey serves as the Junior League's communications vice president. The position enables her to help get the word out about the rummage sale and other community projects. It also enables her to put her new found web skills to other uses, such as helping teen moms learn website design.

"I really like helping training like-minded women," she said recently by phone as she drove to a noon meeting. "It's a good way to make the community better."

Cupertino's Walsh also balances work, family and Junior League responsibilities. Even so, she finds the rewards worth it. "I like the impact on the community," she said of her volunteering and fundraising work. "I like the friendships I have made in the process," she said. "It's a very dedicated community."

The Junior League of San Jose operates out of the Farrington House on Dry Creek Road. The Italianate-style home was donated to the league by Dorothy Farrington in the late 1970s. Farrington wanted the home to be preserved and used by an organization that was geared toward charitable work.

And voluntarism is a trait that Junior Leaguers are known for. The organization puts its members through a rigorous training process to ensure they are well-equipped for whatever task they undertake.

The Junior League of San Jose has chosen a wide variety of groups to contribute to over the years, such as Big Brothers Big Sisters of Santa Clara County and Junior Achievement of Santa Clara County. This year the league's focus is on preparing children for kindergarten.

MacDonald says her Junior League training gave her the tools not only to be an effective volunteer but to improve her job skills as well.

"You can take your training and apply it in other areas, like your career," she says. "I learned how to build a website and developed my public speaking skills."

The Junior League rummage sale will be held on March 19 at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will also include a Community Health and Service Fair from 8 a.m. to noon. For more information, visit www.jlsj.org.

Hugh Biggar contributed to this article.