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Bengal donates to One Way Farm

Barb Condo (center) sits with current and former Cincinnati Bengals who visited the children at One Way Farm on Tuesday, Sept. 1. The visit kicked off the Pat Sims' Impact Players program. Sims (just left of Condo) is a second-year player with the Bengals.

Staff photo by Michael D. Pitman Barb Condo (center) sits with current and former Cincinnati Bengals who visited the children at One Way Farm on Tuesday, Sept. 1. The visit kicked off the Pat Sims' Impact Players program. Sims (just left of Condo) is a second-year player with the Bengals.

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By Michael D. Pitman, Staff Writer Updated 10:02 AM Wednesday, September 2, 2009

FAIRFIELD — Cincinnati Bengals’ Pat Sims wants to be an impact player on and off the field.

The second-year defensive tackle launched Pat Sims’ Impact Players on Tuesday, Sept. 1, at One Way Farm in Fairfield as a way to encourage youths to have an impact in school, the community and at home.

“I just love kids, and I want to help people get in a better situation,” Sims said. “We chose this facility because we saw some people that needed help and motivation.”

Sims brought backpacks full of school supplies and joined the kids in a pizza party that featured a few of his teammates, including defensive tackle Frostee Rucker, rookie linebacker Rey Maualuga and defensive ends Clinton McDonald and Michael Johnson.

“Anything I can do to help around the community, especially young people, that’s something I love to do,” Maualuga said about joining Sims at One Way Farm.

Sims was connected to the children’s home by former Bengal John Thornton. Thornton and best friend and former Bengal Charles Fisher started Jockbiz to help professional athletes give back to the community.

“He told me he wanted to get out into the community and help kids,” said Thornton, who played with with the Bengals last year with Sims. “It’s my job to go out and find causes that he’d do well with and support.”

One Way Farm Children’s Home has provided about 8,000 abused, abandoned and neglected children residential care since it opened in 1976 by founder Barb Condo, who serves as executive director.

“We just try to encourage them and tell them they may be in a children’s home, but there are people out there that care,” Condo said. “This is a good memory for them to hold to.”

Thorton hopes the players may come back out on their own to visit with the kids at One Way Farm again.

"There is a special connection between athletes and the kids," Sims said. "I want to show kids they can make the same type of impact I am making on the field and in the community in their own lives."

Contact this reporter at (513) 755-5112 or mpitman@coxohio.com.

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