Thanks to a locally sponsored fundraiser, the Charleston Girls Softball Association and other Coles County softball organizations may soon have a new softball field complex.

Charleston’s Veterans of Foreign Wars Ladies Auxiliary sponsored the fundraiser Wednesday to help raise money for the CGSA through an auction, dinner and bake sale.

Trailmobile Trailer LLC, a Charleston semi-trailer manufacturer at 1000 N. 14th St., donated land to the CGSA, which the group plans to use to build a new four- field complex for all softball teams in the Coles County area to use.

“We feel very fortunate that the VFW chose us to be the beneficiary of the fundraiser and we hope to begin construction of the new fields sometime in Spring,” said Gail Clayton, president of the CGSA.

The total donations received are expected to be around $6,000, $500 of which was donated by the Charleston Moose Lodge.

“We feel that this is a good cause because our donation will be able to effect a great number of people,” said Gary Beavers, Charleston Moose Lodge administrator.

The Ladies’ Auxiliary provided attendees with a pork chop dinner and entertainment with an auction.

Along with donations, the $4-a-plate dinner, auction and a bake sale also helped to raise money during the fund raiser at the VFW lodge at 1821 20th St.

The auction consisted of various items which ranged from hand-made wooden furniture to decorative baskets. There was even a giant, stuffed purple tiger donated for the auction.

Charleston resident Steve Daley donated his time to serve as auctioneer. The VFW Ladies Auxiliary sponsored the fund raiser as part of its “Make a Difference Day.”