Give Back Cincinnati to have a field day on Saturday

This Saturday, over 150 volunteers will make sure that the region's young baseballers open their seasons in style.

As part of Reds Field Day, Give Back Cincinnati will do groundskeeping work on 28 fields at 12 parks in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.

Improvements typically involve new topsoil for the infields, landscaping and weeding, mulching, lining the field and painting backstops and benches.

This is the second year of Give Back Cincinnati's partnership with the Reds Community Fund.

Last year, snow and wind limited the amount of work that they could do, so they hope to make an even greater impact this year.

According to Give Back Cincinnati events director Daniel Kiracofe, the event has proven popular with volunteers - spots filled up in just four days.

Volunteers can expect to put in about two and a half hours of work and are provided with breakfast, lunch, T-shirts and an after-party for their efforts.

But the payoff is bigger for youth baseball.

Give Back Cincinnati president Jared Simmons says that it's important for local kids to play on safe, clean fields.

"It tells them the community cares about them," he says.  "It helps their self-esteem and reinforces their value to the community at large."

"I'm hoping that when the kids show up, they're going to be impressed," Kiracofe says.

Writer: Kevin LeMaster
Sources: Jared Simmons, president, Give Back Cincinnati; Daniel Kiracofe, hands-on events director, Give Back Cincinnati

Photography by Scott Beseler