The Plains softball team held a spaghetti dinner fundraising event at the VFW on Friday as a way to generate funds to help the team continue representing Plains High School on the field. Parents, coaches and players all pitched in to support the team for another year.

As coaches Jeff Rude and David Thompson sat nearby perusing a catalog of equipment and prioritizing their wish list, the Trotters along with a few helping hands in the kitchen were busy dishing out salads, rolls and homemade spaghetti to eager residents.

Jessica Peterson, mother of Trotters infielder Jena Peterson, was in the kitchen along with a few helpers happily cooking for the expected 100 attendees. Peterson was in charge of cooking the food for the dinner as well as some baked goods that were auctioned off.

“We have spaghetti with a homemade sauce. We have various desserts that will be auctioned off tonight. Whatever we raise will go toward next year’s team,” said Peterson.

As people began to arrive, the Trotters took their positions behind the food counter eagerly waiting to serve the hungry customers. Destiny Roberts, Sami Kinzie and Alex Green along with a few other teammates happily dished out salad, rolls and spaghetti during the dinner.

Items up for auction included baked goods such as cookies, cobbler, cakes, cherry and apple pie and apple wontons. The auction also featured non-edible items such as original works of art, t-shirts, candlesticks, gift certificates, stuffed animals, hats and picture frames.

Rude said the team holds multiple fundraising events over the course of the off-season and he was optimistic that the money raised would sustain the team for at least one more season in 2014.

“I’m sure we will be here next year. I think if we get about a hundred people to come tonight that would be a good turnout,” said Rude.

Trotter infielder Jena Peterson said she thought the turnout was on target with expectations. She was helping out the very next day at a booth the team set up during the annual Plains Day celebration on Saturday.

“It went pretty good. We have some stuff left over that we are auctioning off today during Plains Day. But we had a lot of people come by so it was good,” said Peterson.

Coach Rude said the team would be working a concession stand during the Sanders County Fair as another means of raising funds in addition to other efforts. The Trotters finished the 2013 season with a record of 9 wins and 10 losses.