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50 States and 50 Lawns – Man Finds His Purpose

Rodney Smith Jr. just tweeted this message: “Hello to Arkansas . I will be mowing in Little Rock in the morning (June 17) . If you know of anyone who is elderly, disabled, a single mother or a veteran who needs their lawn mowed let me know . It’s free.”

This is not just a one off…it fits into a much larger purpose for Rodney Smith. This summer, he is traveling to all 50 states to mow lawns for people who need help — for free.

Smith found this purpose the day he came across an elderly man struggling to mow his lawn, and pulled over to help.

“That night, I decided to mow lawns for the elderly, disabled, single moms and veterans,” Smith told CNN.

Rodney Smith is from Bermuda, he graduated from college with a degree in computer science, but wanted more. He decided to pursue a master’s degree in social work in Huntsville, Alabama. It was in Huntsville that he started by mowing lawns for free.

His first goal was to mow 40 lawns by the end of winter, but he met that goal too fast. He upped the number to 100, and he did it in a month and a half. 

This inspired him to start the Raising Men Lawn Care Service, a foundation that not only mows lawns for those in need but also works to inspire young men and women to make a difference.

“This is what I believe my purpose is in life,” he said.

Last year, Smith who is 28, decided to try something new. He would travel across the country to mow lawns for people in need. In May of 2017, he began his first trip to mow lawns in all 50 states, which he called “50 States 50 Lawns”. One year later, he’s doing it again, but this time, he’s mentoring kids along the way.

“I’m just a man on a mission by God,” he said. 

A big part of the foundation is its 50-yard challenge. Smith is challenging kids across the country and around the world to get involved in community service by mowing 50 lawns. So far, 12 kids have reached that goal, he said.

During this “50 States 50 Lawns” trip, Smith is encouraging kids he meets along the way to take up the challenge.

“It’s about letting them [kids] know that no matter how young they are, how old they are, they can make a difference, and it doesn’t have to be with a lawnmower,” he said.

Smith is over halfway done with this summer’s “50 State 50 Lawn” campaign. Next summer, he hopes to start a “7 Continents 7 lawns” campaign to continue to spread his message of service around the world.

— itadmin