Getting Older
Getting older can be difficult. When people age, they often need some extra help. Some people need a can to walk, some need a hearing aid to hear better, and some need low vision aids to be able to see correctly. When people get older, they also need help with chores around the home. Since many elderly live on a fixed income, unless the money to pay for help, they will need to try to do housework and other chores on their own. If they can’t, things are neglected.
An Elderly Alabama Woman
A woman in Alabama had been living in her home for decades. Most of her neighbors knew who she was because she had been living in the neighborhood before them. Her husband had passed away years earlier, and she had no children. With no family left to speak of, the woman lived in her home alone. Because she was living on a fixed income, the 93-year-old woman couldn’t afford to hire someone to help out with household chores and yard work. Regardless of her age, she did these things on her own. It wasn’t easy, but the woman had no choice.
The Woman’s Neighbors
Rodney Smith and Terrence Stroy were college students who lived across the street from the elderly woman. The two men had lived across the street from the woman for their entire lives. They knew her habits and her routine because they had lived across the street from her for so long. One day, they saw her doing something out of the ordinary, and they couldn’t just stand by and watch. They knew the 93-year-old neighbor’s routine: They run over to her house when she leaves home and it creates headlines.
Cutting Her Lawn
Rodney and Terrance were sitting on the porch of Terrance’s home when they saw the woman go outside to her shed. Shortly after, she came out with her lawn mower. The lawnmower was very heavy, and the woman was struggling to get it out of the shed. Terrance and Rodney saw this, and they quickly ran over to her to help. Once they got the lawn mower out of the shed for her, they told her to go back into the house and relax. They let her know that they would be moving the lawn for her that day. The two men took turns, and they cut her entire lawn.
A Job Well Done
When Terrance and Rodney finished cutting the woman’s lawn, they knocked on her door. They let her know that they finished the job and there would be no charge. They also told her that she wouldn’t need to worry about cutting grass again. They were going to cut her lawn for her every two weeks. The woman couldn’t believe that these two college students would do something so nice for a stranger. The men told her that she wasn’t a stranger to them. They had seen her every day since they were little boys.
Sharing Their Story On Social Media
After they mowed the woman’s lawn, they created a post on Facebook to tell their story. They wrote, “We did this sweet lady’s lawn today. She is 93 and was trying to cut her own lawn. Have no fear, raising men law care is going to make sure her lawn is done every two weeks! Making a difference in our community!”
An Idea Is Born
Helping the woman gave Rodney and Terrance an idea. They decided to create an organization to help people in need of yard work. They also planned to educate young children about being responsible and even bringing kids in to help others with their yards. The people who the men and their organization planned to help were the elderly, disabled, and single mothers. They were sure that it would be a great way to help out.
50 States 50 Lawns
The men decided that their organization needed to help people all over the country and not just in Alabama. This was when they expanded their project. Rodney and Terrance have vowed to visit all 50 states in the U.S. and cut 50 lawns. They would recruit people from each state to help expand their tour project of the Raising men Law Care Service.
Two Summers and Going Strong
50 States 50 Lawns completed its second summer of work. Rodney and Terrance still have plenty of places to go, and they say that they won’t stop until they have cut grass in every state and they will bring on volunteers in each state.
A Selfless Act
Rodney and Terrance didn’t start their organization for fame or publicity. They did it because they saw a real need for help and they wanted to do everything they could. This is an amazing story.
YouTube Description
Two lifelong friends, Rodney and Terrance, saw their elderly neighbor struggling to get her lawn mower out of her shed. This 93-year-old woman was attempting to cut her own grass on a hot day in Alabama. The two men weren’t going to let her cut the grass herself, so they offered to do it for her. They also promised to bell sure that her grass would be cut every two weeks.
That afternoon, their idea for 50 States 50 Yards was born. The men planned to travel to all 50 states and cut 50 lawns in each state. They also planned to find volunteers who would keep the projects going after the men moved onto the next state. Their story is amazing. If you want to hear the whole story, you will need to watch the video.
