Mowers Needed: Helping Neighbors Can Earn You a New Mower

 

In a world of outrageous and silly Internet challenges, it is nice to see one challenge spreading kindness among neighbors and encouraging a work ethic in youth.

The challenge is called the 50-Yard Challenge.

The group behind the 50-Yard Challenge is Raising Men and Women Lawn Care Service. The Alabama-based non-profit encourages boys and girls nationwide to offer free lawn mowing to people who are disabled, veterans, elderly, and single moms.

The challenge is open to boys & girls anywhere in the United States, ages 8-17.

Currently, no youth in the Springfield metro area signed up for the program. I hope this article changes that because this outreach benefits neighbors and rewards youth for their efforts!

GETTING STARTED

If a child accepts the challenge, they must send the non-profit a picture of them holding a sign saying, “I accept the 50 Yard Challenge.” In return, the organization will send the child a shirt, safety glasses, and ear protection.

As participating youth mow yards and document it, the organization sends them a different colored T-shirt for every 10 yards mowed.

Once the child completes the challenge with 50 yards, the founder of Raising Men and Women Lawn Care Service delivers them a brand-new lawn mower, weed eater and blower.

Individual donations and sponsoring companies fund the shirts, travel expenses, and mowers.

Over 4,400 kids have mowed yards because of this program and since it began in 2015, over 23,000 lawns have been mowed. There are students from all 50 states involved this year.

Another challenge requirement is for participants to find their own lawns to mow. This is important to the founder who wants to inspire youth to go out and meet people they likely would not have otherwise met.

MEET THE FOUNDER

Rodney Smith Jr. started mowing people's yards for free in 2015. He challenged himself to mow yards at no charge for the elderly, single moms or the disabled.

"I'm capable of cutting grass because I'm young. I'm able. A lot of elderly people are unable," Smith during an interview. "My first goal was to reach 40 lawns. But I reached 40 lawns in a month and a half. Two months later, I reached 100."

Smith graduated from Alabama A&M University with a master's degree in social work. He is originally from Bermuda. He started the program while still in college but now it is his full-time work.

Raising Men & Women Lawn Care Service is a 501c3 headquartered in Huntsville, Alabama.

Smith said he is pleased — and a bit surprised — at how his program is spreading.

"I hope it teaches youth that it is good to give back," said Smith. "And that it teaches them good morals and how to be a good citizen."

One of the keys to the success of this program is that its founder leads by example.

He started mowing in 2015 but in 2017, he took the idea nationwide when he set out to mow at least one law for free in all 50 states.

Since then, he has completed 10 US tours where he raises awareness about the challenge and other local causes. On these tours, Smith stops to cut grass with youth taking the challenge.

“When I first started the organization, I really didn’t have a clear vision,” Smith said. “But as it grew, I realized the vision was to encourage kids and to make a difference one lawn at a time.”

With the success of Smith’s efforts, it may be hard to believe that mowing lawns was a chore he disliked growing up. That changed during his senior year in college when Smith spotted an elderly man struggling to mow his lawn and pulled over to help him. That night Smith decided to start mowing lawns for others in need for free.

“God took something I disliked and turned it into something now I love to do,” he said.

MISSOURI EXAMPLES

Anyone who has had a tough time convincing their kid to mow the lawn may want to enlist the help of Raising Men & Women Lawn Care Service. You and sign your child up online.

According to a new report, 102 youths in Missouri are mowing yards as part of this program.

But none of those youth are from Springfield, Republic, Willard, Nixa or Ozark. I am currently leading an effort to coordinate some youth in Republic mowing yards but the results of that effort are still unknown at this time.

"If you can do in Republic what you are describing to me on the phone, this could be a real model for other cities," said Smith by phone. "The idea of having the youth help address yards that would get citations for tall grass otherwise is a great approach."

Taking this challenge could also be job training for the future.

Nationwide there are now 649,131 licensed lawn care and mowing services. At one time, Springfield residents spent the third most (per capita) in the United States on lawn and garden items. That means there is a strong market in Springfield for a career.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

I grew up doing a lawn mowing challenge but I did not have a name for it.

In my hometown of Ash Grove, my dad provided me with a riding and trim mower that I could use to mow other yards if I mowed the home lawn without complaint.

For seven years I had 10 yards within a half-mile of my home that I mowed. When I started, I was getting $5 per yard. In 1979, that seemed like a fortune!

I did some calculations and mowed 1,400 plus yards during that period. I think someone owes me a T-shirt, or two!

Mowing taught me how to run a business and gave me experience with hard work, planning schedules, quality control, customer service and some mechanics.

That experience makes me love the Raising Men and Women Lawn Mowing Service. The program teaches youth the value of hard work and provides a valuable service for individuals who often have difficulty getting their yard mowed.

But more importantly, this is a tangible way for youth to get involved with helping their neighbors.

You can support the program with a donation or learn more about the program online at https://weareraisingmen.com/news-room/. Raising Men Lawn Care Service can also be found on Facebook, where you will find updated photos and videos.