Powell Valves Keeps Inner-City Youth Baseball Teams Playing

“One of our executives, Tim Fries, and I read the article, and we were touched by the story,” Randy Cowart, Powell’s president, CEO and chairman, said. “We are huge baseball fans, plus this club is great for the boys and girls in the West End. Coach Fred is using baseball as the vehicle to prepare young men and women for adulthood; we could not be more proud of the players, parents and coaches.”

“Coach Fred” is Fred Carnes, CEO of the West End Reds/TS Bulls, who said the Powell and GoFundMe donations will make a huge difference for the teams. For instance, the boys and girls will be able to get new uniforms instead of using those given to them from other organizations that don’t use them any longer. The money also will indirectly help the youths’ families.

“With a lot of my kids, their parents don’t have the means to pay fees; we work with them every year, and they get them to us when they can,” Carnes said. Because of the donations, “we’re now looking at possibly lowering our fees so that they’re more affordable for the parents.”

Carnes, who has been involved in youth baseball for 25 years, said he is thankful for the community’s response, including Powell’s contribution.

“I know baseball is important to a lot of Cincinnatians, but I didn’t know that community-level baseball was that important,” he said. “People just came from everywhere to help.”