Before the fireworks at Summer Celebration!, the Auto Spa wants Islanders to have an ice cream sundae on them.

Mercer Island Auto Spa will celebrate its 20th anniversary with an ice cream social from 6-8 p.m. Saturday, July 11 at the Auto Spa. Owner Suzanne Skone encourages Islanders to stop by on their way to the fireworks show at Luther Burbank.

“[The event] is to thank people on Mercer Island for their support for 20 years, because obviously people can wash their car wherever they want,” Skone said. “I’m thanking people for allowing us to donate back to the community.”

Parking will be available at the Chase Bank across the street from the Auto Spa for those who plan on stopping by.

The Auto Spa opened in the Town Center on 80th Avenue S.E. in 1995. Skone, a trained mechanical engineer, says she designed and built her business from scratch, operating it throughout its 20 years.

“Living on Mercer Island, it seemed like there was a need,” she said.

Auto Spa has served as more than a place to wash your car in the Mercer Island community. The business prides itself as an eco-friendly enterprise and does not send waste water into the city’s stormwater drains, which can runoff into Lake Washington. It has followed the lead of the city’s Solarize Mercer Island campaign and installed solar panels on its roof. Skone says the car wash industry has seen steady growth, with commercial washes encouraged by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the state’s Department of Ecology to keep storm drains clean.

“I’ve been lucky; it’s nice to be in an industry that has a positive attitude about it,” she said with a laugh.

Students and nonprofit groups have been able to hold fundraising car washes there, and Auto Spa has been a regular contributor to community fundraisers like the Youth and Family Services’ annual Giving from the Heart breakfast and the Schools Foundation’s annual Breakfast of Champions.

In 2009, the Chamber of Commerce recognized the Auto Spa as the city’s Business of the Year for its contributions to the city and connections with the community. Skone says it’s important for local businesses to use its community support to pay it forward and support other community services.

“We try to do what we can, just to be a good steward of the environment and a contributor of the neighborhood,” Skone said. “But ultimately that all comes back to the people; it’s just recycling the money. I appreciate the business.”