Although the summer softball season has concluded for the Belles, coach Larry Sanders said the coaches and team are thankful for all the support they received from the City of Troy and the community as a whole.

“They provided so much financial support, and they gave the girls an opportunity to go down there and play,” Sanders said of the team’s trip to the World Series in Louisiana. “We didn’t have to worry many of our parents having to pay expenses.”

Sanders said donations from more than 60 businesses helped provide uniforms, bat bags, food and more for the team as well as helping with parents’ travel expenses.

“That’s a big plus not having to worry about how you are going to do things financially,” Sanders said. “When you have the public backing you, it’s a big bonus.”

With three teams making a World Series in 2015 from Troy, the community along with the Troy Parks and Recreation Department helped tremendously.

“It’s tremendous all the work that all the local people, the City of Troy, the mayor and the Recreation Department do for these three teams” Sanders said. “There were banquet dinners, home run derbies and many other fundraising opportunities for the three teams from Troy.”

The players played an important role in the fundraising efforts, many of them grouped up and visited business and bagged groceries at Food World in Troy.

“Those girls really appreciated it and they had a lot of fun doing it,” Sanders said. “They talked to all the business and local people when they got together in small groups, and they had a good time doing it.”

The Belles were sponsored by Alice Williford, C&K Nails, Wal-Mart, Ideal Graphics, Half Shell, Witherington Insurance, Russell Thomas, Triple H. Enterprises, Curtis Blair, Troy Eye Care, Dr. Hamlin, Victoria spa, South Alabama Electric, Dr. Robert Howard, Reeves Farms, Wallace Pump and Supply, Merle Norman, Chris Wilkes, David Adams Realty, Home Gallery, Sticky Frog Signs, Bakers Metal, Danielle’s Beauty Shop, JC Beauty Supply, Milky Moos, Outdoor Power, Hazel’s Gifts and Engraving, Lyncoach, Roadmart, Buff and Stuff Nails, Murphy USA, Budweiser, Horn Beverage, Signature Hair Designs, Brad Money, Earles Glass, The Pointe, Troy Cable, Troy AAA Rookie Team, Paul and Jackie Fleming, Sherrill Crowe, Robert Jones, UPS, Troy Animal Clinic, PC Plus, Split Ends, Jeans Flowers, Brooke’s salon, Garnett Enterprises, R.A. Goodson, Elaine Hutto, KW Plastics, Sanders Lead, Pronto Grassing, David Hennigan, Crowe’s Chicken of Brundidge, Johnny Garrett, Blackmon Family Dentistry, The Old Barn, Little Caesars and Hooks BBQ.