When Dining Services employee Corinne Terrell and her 12-year-old daughter lost their home and all their belongings in an eight-alarm fire two weeks ago, Eliot and Kirkland House students stepped in to see how they could help.

As a result of their initiative, Eliot and Kirkland Houses will both host separate Dutch auctions this evening, with all the proceeds going to Terrell and her family. Terrell works in both dining halls, and has been a Dining Services employee for 10 years.

Terrell and her daughter Ashley lived in an Upton St. apartment with Jessie Harris, a 20-year veteran of Dining Services who retired a couple years ago. Harris' two grandchildren, Dominiqua, 10, and Scott Michael, 10 and two other adults also resided in the apartment.

The January 30 fire, which occurred on Terrell's birthday, started in another unit and spread to the rest of the building, leaving all 25 residents homeless. Terrell and Harris did not recover any of their belongings and have no insurance.

"I'm sad that we lost our house, but I'm glad we came out alive," Terrell said.

Eliot House residents Demetra C. Koutsoukos '97 and Rachel S. Averbuck '97 approached Masters Kristine Forsgard and Steven Mitchell about the possibility of a fundraiser shortly after the fire occurred, according to House Committee Chair Timothy J. Casey '97.

"It's nice to see people in the house taking initiative like this without being nudged," Casey said. "These are people who are seniors and don't really have a stake in this."

Harvard Dining Services has offered to match any donations made by the house committees.

To date, Eliot House Committee has donated $600, and Kirkland House has raised $1,000.

Dining Services employees also raised $4,000, said Eliot House Resident Tutor Nancy S. Goldstein.

The auction, which will begin in the Eliot House Dining Hall at 8 p.m., will be led by Daniel J. Goor '97 and Roxanne D. Lanzot '99.

"We thought with Valentine's Day coming and a lot of people knowing about the cause, people would donate lots of goods and services," Casey said.

Items up for bid in the auction include lessons in foreign languages, Chinese acupuncture, a "manic panic" hair-dying session, expensive cigars, the opportunity to be the dining hall checker for a day and one hamburger a day for the rest of the year from the Eliot House Grill, according to Goldstein.

Casey said he hopes the auction will raise in excess of $1,000.

Terrell and Harris said they greatly appreciate all the help they have received from the Cambridge and Harvard community.

"I've got a lot of friends I didn't know I had--all the students, workers and everybody in Kirkland and Eliot," Terrell said.

Goldstein said that the Eliot House office will continue to collect clothing and money contributions for Terrell during the next two weeks.

The office is also seeking pots and pans, bath towels, blankets, sheets and pillows.

Goldstein said she is impressed with Eliot House's ability to pull together for Terrell's cause.

"I think Eliot House has been very progressive this year and it's time to stop making ascot jokes," Goldstein said