After moving his way across the U.S. and cutting the lawns of those in need for a second time, Rodney Smith Jr. is ready to up the ante.
The Good Samaritan turned charity founder plans to take his grass-cutting skills to at least seven yards -- one in every continent -- starting in May 2019. It’s all in service of veterans, single mothers, the elderly and people with disabilities, but also to inspire kids around the world to become charitable.
Smith, who started the Raising Men Lawn Care Service organization, has been challenging young people through social media to take part in the “50 Yard Challenge,” in which they mow 50 lawns in their community. So far just one Canadian youth is involved in the initiative.
“My goal is to inspire kids around the world to make a difference 1 lawn at a time,” he wrote on Twitter this week after completing his 50-state tour.
His inspiration for the community service project came in 2015, when he drove by an elderly man mowing his own lawn. “It looked like he was struggling so I pulled over and helped him out,” Smith recalled on CTV News Channel Thursday. That moment of kindness inspired his foundation and the 50-state tour he has now completed twice.
When he returned home to Huntsville, Ala., on Thursday he got right back behind the lawn mower for a woman he called Ms. Chaplin, a local resident who has cancer. “She’s one of my favorite (people) that I mow for,” he wrote on Twitter. “I ask for you to continue to have her in your prayers as she battles cancer, a fight she will win.”
First day back home in Huntsville,AL , I came and mowed Ms. Chaplin’s lawn for her, she’s one of my favorite ppls that I mow for . I ask for you to continue to have her in your prayers as she battles cancer , a fight she will win . Making A difference one lawn at a time pic.twitter.com/2ti4Z3s43x
— Rodney Smith Jr (@iamrodneysmith) July 19, 2018
He posted a selfie with Chaplin and photos of the cut lawn along with the words “Making a difference one lawn at a time.” Since this year’s 50-state journey began in May, he has been posting selfies, always showing off a grin and a peace sign. The stories accompanying the photos vary from a 98-year-old man battling cancer in Little Rock, Ark., to a 102-year-old woman in Montgomery, Ala.
“My goal is to encourage others to be kind to one another. There are many ways to do that , I have simply picked a lawn mower as my tool of choice,” he wrote on Twitter last month. “To some I might just be mowing lawns, but to me it’s more than that.”
To some I might just be mowing lawns, but to me it’s more than that. My goal is to encourage others to be kind to one another. There are many ways to do that , I have simply picked a lawn mower as my tool of choice. Making a difference one lawn at a time pic.twitter.com/mpRhcRjOAW
— Rodney Smith Jr (@iamrodneysmith) July 1, 2018
Mission Complete . Two months on the road traveling to all 50 states mowing lawns FREE for the elderly, disabled, single moms and veterans with a goal to encourage kids to join our 50 yard challenge by doing the same in their city . Over 200+ kids have signed up . pic.twitter.com/cC8NrguMZy
— Rodney Smith Jr (@iamrodneysmith) July 17, 2018
What’s next ? There's a famous quote that says,"Don't tell me the sky is the limit when there's a footprint on the moon." With that being said, my goal for 2019 has been set, 7 Continents 7 Lawns. My goal is to inspire kids around the world to make a difference 1 lawn at a time. pic.twitter.com/wAMdIy3OTD
— Rodney Smith Jr (@iamrodneysmith) July 17, 2018