Members of Keyser’s first state-champion Little League team rode through town Sunday afternoon in a fire truck-led parade, as the community celebrated the Keyser Junior League All Star Girls, three days before the team departs for the Southern Regional Tournament in Florida.
Among those lining the parade route were members of the Staggs family from Burlington. Steve Staggs said many of the girls played in Little League with his son Caleb, a sophomore at Keyser High. Staggs also works at NewPage with David Whitlock, father of team member Marlee Whitlock.
“It’s just something that doesn’t happen here very often,” he said.
Also on hand to cheer the girls along the parade route was Rebecca Blacka, mother of Karly Harrison.
“She’s ready to go,” Blacka said of her daughter.
Sandy Blacka, Karly’s grandmother, said she wouldn’t have missed the parade.
“I’m proud of her,” Sandy Blacka said. “It’s not very often something like this happens in Keyser.”
The parade — which kicked off at 2 p.m. from the Keyser wale-Mart and proceeded north on Route 220 before returning by the same route — featured fire trucks from Keyser, Elk Garden, New Creek and Burlington. While the girls rode in the fire trucks, parents drove in between the emergency vehicles, their cars decorated with balloons and signs cheering on the team.
“We’re just so proud of them and want to do whatever we can to get them to where they need to go,” said Barb Kesner, mother of Ali Whiteman. “They play as a team and get along really well. They’re a team on and off the field.”
Andrea Halterman joined the parents’ parade to toot the horn for her daughter, Liz Kinsall. She plans to attend the tournament in Florida. “We won’t leave ‘em behind, absolutely,” she said. “We’re going to Florida, and we’re prepared to go to Washington.”
The Southern Regional Tournament begins Saturday when the Keyser girls take on the state champions from Florida. On Sunday, they play the Tennessee champs, followed by a Monday game against Georgia. The tournament’s semi-final game is Tuesday, with the championship slated for Wednesday, Aug. 6.
The winner of the Southern Regional Tournament will travel to Kirkland, Wash., to play in the Junior League softball World Series.
While the girls took care of business on the diamond, winning the state crown with a 5-0 performance at last week’s state championship tournament in Princeton, Keyser Little League officials are working hard to raise the money to finance the Florida trip, which is expected to cost at least $10,000.
Over the weekend, the girls conducted two “boot drive” fundraisers along South Mineral Street, raising just over $5,000 on Saturday and another $2,400 on Sunday.
“The community has really pulled together,” said Cristy Jamison, president of the Keyser Little League. “It’s just incredible.”
Fundraising will continue as the girls prepare to leave for Florida. Anyone interested in making a donation can drop off the contribution to
Jeff Hoban at the Keyser Armory, or to Jamison at Nationwide Insurance, across from the Keyser Post Office.
“Any and all donations will help,” she said.
Little League officials have also set up a Web site where donors can contribute. Go to the site and help out at  www.active.com/donate/wvkeyserll.
For more information on the team and the tournament, visit www.keyserlittleleague.com or www.littleleague.org/series/2008divisions/jlsb.