1 year ago
30
150 STUDENTS INITIALLY APPLIED. HUNTSVILLE’S RODNEY SMITH JUNIOR HAS MOWED A LOT OF LAWNS FOR FREE OVER THE LAST SIX YEARS. THREE THOUSANDS, IN FACT. BUT WHAT HE DID JUST DAYS AGO MAY HAVE CHANGED. TWO LIVES OF TWO PRE-TEENS ONLY ON WVTM 13. R RICK KARLE BRINGS US THE STORY OF THE POWER OF FACEBOOK AND HOW A GIVING HEART IS A CUT ABOVE THE DAYS ARE HOT AND HUMID IN GADSDEN, ALABAMA, 11 YEAR OLD TJ RICE AND JT TAYLOR DON’T MIND A BIT. THEY WORK HARD. A FEW WEEKS AFTER CREATING THEIR SUMMER LAWN MOWING BUSINESS, IT ALL STARTED WHEN JT SAW AN ELDERLY NEIGHBOR STRUGGLING TO MOW HER LAWN. HE QUICKLY RAN OVER TO COMPLETE THE JOB. RODNEY SMITH. REMEMBER THE GUY WAS TELLING YOU ABOUT THE LAWNS FOR FREE? HE THOUGHT HE STOPPED BY AND GIVE YOU SOME TIPS. YEAH. THE GUY WHO DECIDED TO PAY A VISIT AFTER SEEING MY FACEBOOK POST THE OTHER DAY IS RODNEY SMITH JR FAME WAS NATIONWIDE FOR MOWING THOUSANDS OF LAWNS FOR THE ELDERLY, SINGLE MOMS, VETERANS AND OTHERS FOR FREE. I KNOW THAT YOU REACHED OUT AND YOU TOLD ME ABOUT THESE YOUNG MEN, SO IT WAS ONLY RIGHT. RODNEY SMITH MADE THE DRIVE FROM HUNTSVILLE TO MAKE TJ AND JT HONORARY MEMBERS OF HIS 50 YARD CHALLENGE. RODNEY’S RAISING MEN AND WOMEN LAWN CARE SERVICE AWARDS, KIDS A LAWN MOWER, A BLOWER AND A TRIMMER. IF THEY MOW 50 YARDS DURING THEIR SUMMER BREAK. YOU DO SOMETHING YOU LOVE. YOU NEVER WORK A DAY IN LIFE. AND I BELIEVE THAT’S WHAT I’M DOING. I GOT THE CHANCE TO WAKE UP EVERY SINGLE MORNING, MOW FREE LAWNS AND ENCOURAGE THE NEXT GENERATION OF KIDS TO GIVE BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITY. WELL, THERE’S NO DOUBT A LESSON TO LEARN HERE. IF YOU DO THE RIGHT THING, YOU WORK REALLY HARD. YOU CAN GO FROM A MOWER LIKE THIS TO THIS. THAT WAS A BLESSING, A REALLY GOOD BLESSING FOR HIM BECAUSE MY BROTHER WAS WORKING ON, YOU KNOW, GETTING THEM A LAWN MOWER AND STUFF, BUT WRITING, THEY CAME THROUGH WITH EVERYTHING THAT THEY NEEDED. TJ AND JT MOWING CAN NOW GIVE BACK TO OTHERS AS THAT OLD BEAT UP LAWN MOWER HAS BEEN PUT ASIDE AND TWO NEW MOWERS, TWO NEW BLOWERS AND TWO NEW TRIMMERS ARE AT THEIR FINGERTIPS. HOW DO YOU THINK THIS EQUIPMENT WILL HELP YOU OUT? T.J. BECAUSE WE GOT MORE EQUIPMENT AND ALL THAT STUFF. JT HOW DO YOU THINK THIS EQUIPMENT IS GOING TO HELP YOU TO HELP WITH MORE YARDS AND MAKE IT MORE MAKE IT MORE LIKE BETTER? TJ AND JT ARE OVER THE MOON AND THANKS TO RODNEY, THEY’VE LEARNED THAT GIVING IS JUST AS REWARDING AS RECEIVING. JUST SEEING THE SMILES LIGHT UP LIKE IT’S CHRISTMAS. IT’S A JOY SEEING THEM. AND IT WAS A JOY MEETING. AND WHILE MOM SUREKHA IS FEELING GOOD ABOUT THE FUTURE, YOU HAVE A SON WHO WILL MOW YOUR LAWN FOR LIFE. NOW NO EXCUSES FOR HIM, NO EXCUSES. WE GOT TO GET OUT THERE AND CUT IT. RODNEY SMITH IS PASSING ALONG HIS LIFE ADVICE THE VOICE THAT WILL GIVE JT AND TJ GOING FORWARD. YOU START HERE AND YOUR POTENTIAL IS ENORMOUS. POTENTIAL THAT TJ AND JT ARE HAPPY TO EMBRACE PART OF THE CLUB NOW PART OF THE CLUB. RICK CALI WVTM 13. ALL RIGHT, JTA, TJ WILL MOW YOUR LAWN FOR TEN BUCKS. 15 IF YOU WANT YOUR BACKYARD MOWED. TO WHICH I SAY IS BARGAIN. IT TWICE THE PRICE. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. THEY LOOK LIKE THEY DO A GOOD JOB TOO. MO
Alabama man embarking on 50-state free lawn mowing tour for first responders
Video above: Rodney Smith, 'The Lawnmower Man,' surprises 11-year-olds with new lawn gearRodney Smith, Jr. is mowing a lawn today. The 34-year-old from Huntsville is staying in shape before his big marathon.Not 26 miles, but rather 23 days. For the past seven years, Smith has mowed lawns for free. Rodney has traveled the nation mowing the lawns of older, disabled, single people and veterans.It’s all part of his Raising Men & Women Lawn Care Service. It’s a venture that has brought smiles and warm hearts to thousands.“I’ll be heading out on my 50-State Mowing Tour in early September," Smith said. “I’ve done 16 of these nationwide tours, and I’ve picked one group for which to visit each time. Next month I’ll visit all 50 states in 23 days and mow lawns for first responders.”A moment of joy: News We Love“I will drive to 48 states and then fly to Hawaii and Alaska," said Rodney. “I will mow about two lawns in each state, all of the lawns of first responders. This includes law enforcement officers, firemen, doctors, nurses and 911 dispatchers.”Smith is not a rich man, but his heart is as rich as ever. He will auction off his custom mowers from the trip. He plans on giving that money to non-profits associated with first responders.And when he returns to Huntsville, he will plan another 50-State Tour. Causes such as breast cancer, teachers, autism, and so many more will benefit from Smith's motor.Follow us on social: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube Smith has mowed over 3,000 lawns across America.His 50-Yard Challenge allows teenagers to sign a pledge to mow 50 yards during their summer vacation- they receive a free mower, weed eater and blower if they do.“It teaches the kids discipline,” Smith told me. “It gives them business sense and helps them set the table to be future company owners.”
Video above: Rodney Smith, 'The Lawnmower Man,' surprises 11-year-olds with new lawn gear
Rodney Smith, Jr. is mowing a lawn today. The 34-year-old from Huntsville is staying in shape before his big marathon.
Not 26 miles, but rather 23 days.
For the past seven years, Smith has mowed lawns for free. Rodney has traveled the nation mowing the lawns of older, disabled, single people and veterans.
It’s all part of his Raising Men & Women Lawn Care Service. It’s a venture that has brought smiles and warm hearts to thousands.
“I’ll be heading out on my 50-State Mowing Tour in early September," Smith said. “I’ve done 16 of these nationwide tours, and I’ve picked one group for which to visit each time. Next month I’ll visit all 50 states in 23 days and mow lawns for first responders.”
A moment of joy: News We Love
“I will drive to 48 states and then fly to Hawaii and Alaska," said Rodney. “I will mow about two lawns in each state, all of the lawns of first responders. This includes law enforcement officers, firemen, doctors, nurses and 911 dispatchers.”
Smith is not a rich man, but his heart is as rich as ever. He will auction off his custom mowers from the trip. He plans on giving that money to non-profits associated with first responders.
And when he returns to Huntsville, he will plan another 50-State Tour. Causes such as breast cancer, teachers, autism, and so many more will benefit from Smith's motor.
Follow us on social: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
Smith has mowed over 3,000 lawns across America.
His 50-Yard Challenge allows teenagers to sign a pledge to mow 50 yards during their summer vacation- they receive a free mower, weed eater and blower if they do.
“It teaches the kids discipline,” Smith told me. “It gives them business sense and helps them set the table to be future company owners.”
English (US)