FRANKLIN—If you barbecue it, they will come.

That is what Steve Ivey is hoping will happen when he helps cook up more than 1,000 pounds of Boston butts and sells the results for a good cause on Saturday.

Ivey, a Black Creek resident who leads the Nothin’ Butt Fun cooking team, will sell the award-winning barbecue by the pound to raise money for coats and jackets for the championship Franklin Broncos football team.

“I read about their plight in a Tidewater News story, and I wanted to help,” Ivey said.

Local citizens are trying to raise the more than $20,000 it will take to outfit the 2008 champs with jackets and rings celebrating the winning season.

“They deserve it,” Ivey said. “We’re hoping this sale will raise at least $4,000 or $5,000 for them.”

If barbecue isn’t your thing, a bank account has been set up at Bronco Federal Credit Union so that members of the community may donate money to help buy the rings and jackets.

“Anyone can donate from $1 up,” said Anne Williams, who helped present the first large donation of $1,000 from Southampton Memorial Hospital last month.

The barbecue will be on sale for $7 a pound at lunchtime at the Bronco Federal Credit Union on Stewart Drive on Saturday.