Josh Richardson | Daily Times

Wheelersburg Dairy Queen employees Emily Bagnall, left, Bev Ferguson and Amanda Mitchell, right, display the four decorated ice cream cakes that will be auctioned Saturday to raise money for the Challenger League state tournament in Wheelersburg this summer.

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By WAYNE ALLEN

PDT Staff Writer

Four Challenger League players have decorated ice cream cakes to help raise money for the state tournament, scheduled to be played this summer in Wheelersburg.

The Dairy Queen cakes will be auctioned off on Saturday. The Wheelersburg DQ is also donating 20 percent of sales on Saturday to the Challenger League.

“Bids are being taken throughout this week on each of the cakes at the Wheelersburg Dairy Queen. All the the cakes will auctioned off Saturday evening to the highest bidder at the store,” said Mike Bell, a Challenger League coach.

Wheelersburg DQ owner Shane Allen said the league had asked for help raising money for their summer tournament.

“Rather than just write a check, we decided we would try to be a little more involved,” Allen said.

The Scioto County Challenger League will host the District 11 Southern Ohio Little League State Tournament the weekend of July 21 in Wheelersburg.

“During that weekend we will have a lot of teams that will travel here,” Bell said. “Last year we traveled to Akron, Ohio, to play in this tournament. The year before we were in Toledo, Ohio, and the year before that we were in Cleveland.”

Tournament Director Ryan Salmons said hosting the tournament in Portsmouth has its own set of challenges.

“It will take a minimum of $25,000 for us to run this tournament,” Salmons said.

The Challenger League has issued a challenge to the community to help raise the necessary funds. They have issued the “Challenger Challenge.”

“It was easier for us to issue a challenge to the community that if 3,500 people can give us $10 that would raise $35,000,” Salmons said. “If people can give us the change in their pocket that’s fine or if they want to give us $100 that’s fine as well.”

Salmons said 3,000 to 5,000 people could visit the area for the tournament from across the state.

For more information about the Challenger League or for ways to donate, call 740-727-8485 or 740-353-5143.