The Troy Belles are raising funds for their third trip to the Dixie Softball World Series.

The team heads to West Monroe, La., on Aug. 1 to represent Alabama in the tournament.

“Our main goal is to help the parents, “said head coach Larry Sanders said. “After three years in a row it starts to add up. We want to make sure we raise enough money for the players and the parents.”

Eight of the 12 players on the roster will take the trip for the second year in a row.

The money raised will not just go towards travel and lodging but to entertainment for the players as well. After spending much of their year practicing and training for their regular seasons, they continue their hard work during the summer months. “We want to make sure we have enough money for the girls to have fun,” Sanders said. “These girls have worked so hard over the summer we want them to have a lot of fun while playing at the World Series.”

In addition to personal solicitations, the team members will be at Food World beginning at 2 p.m. Tuesday to bag groceries. They are also selling donuts as a fund-raiser.

Sanders said the fund being raised will help supplement the financial support from the Troy Recreation Department and Alabama Dixie Softball’s state organization. In addition to the financial support, Sanders said the Troy recreation officials provide a tremendous amount of support for the players.

“Last year when we went to the state tournament we had other coaches come up and asking about our recreation department,” Sanders said. “We found out that other teams around the state don’t get the support that we do. What Dan Smith, David Dickey and Mayor Reeves does goes above and beyond ever since I started coaching.”

The main goal for the Belles is to be able to help out the parents of the players on the team to ensure that they have the opportunity to travel and partake in the World Series.