BELLE — A local business is stepping up to support youth athletics, donating time and labor to improve dugouts at the community ballfield ahead of the busy summer season.

Kevin R. Morrison, owner of KRM Services, LLC., began the work of installing new metal roofs on the dugouts April 24, a project made possible through a partnership with the Tri-County Youth Association. According to Morrison, the organization purchased the materials, while his company provided the labor at no cost.

“So the dugouts were needing roofs, and the TCY, which is Tri-County Youth Association that does softball and baseball in the area, paid for the material to help the Lady Tigers out also, because they play on the softball field and our kids play on it,” Morrison said. “So they bought the material to put roofs on the dugouts, and my company donated the labor to put them on.”

For Morrison, the project is personal. His family has been involved in the local youth program for several years, and he said giving back is part of being a member of a small-town community.

“Our kids, we’ve been out here for five years, and our kids have played ball every year,” he said.

Weather delays have slowed the progress. Morrison said his crew has been “rained out a bunch,” pushing completion back slightly.

Despite the delays, Morrison remains optimistic the project will be finished soon.

“Hopefully, we’ll be done by this weekend for the ball season,” he said. “Their first game is tonight (April 30). We didn’t make that deadline, but hopefully we’ll get it done by this weekend.”

The improvements include installing metal roofing and wrapping the structures, providing better shelter for playersthroughout the season. While no additional work is currently planned at the site, the upgrades are expected to make a noticeable difference for both youth teams and the Belle Lady Tigers, who share the field.

Projects like this showcase the important role small businesses play in rural communities. Without large budgets or outside funding, many local improvements rely on partnerships and volunteer efforts. Businesses like KRM Services, LLC, often step in to fill those gaps, donating labor, materials or expertise to support schools, youth programs and community organizations.

Other businesses in Belle, such as Mid-State Pipeline and American Realty & Development, have also repeatedly stepped in to assist the community with the resources at their disposal.