Rodney Smith is a man on a mission. The Bermuda native is in the midst of a trip that will take him to every state in the nation, mowing lawns for the elderly, disabled, single moms and veterans free of charge. Again.
Smith was pursuing an undergraduate degree in computer science at the historically black Alabama A&M University in 2016 when he came across a senior man mowing his lawn. After stopping to help the man finish the chore, Smith said his life took on a new path.
“When I came across the elderly man, my life changed,” the 28-year-old told HuffPost. “I remember a few years before that, I had a one-on-one conversation with God. I asked him to use me as his vessel, and it didn’t happen at that moment. I believe it happened when I came across the elderly man outside mowing his lawn.”
After this chance encounter, Smith went on to create the Raising Men Lawn Care Service (RMLCS), based in Huntsville, Alabama. As part of providing free yard maintenance work, the organization mentors children, teaching them about serving their communities and lawn mower safety.
A key component of RMLCS is its 50-yard challenge, which sets a goal for children nationwide to mow 50 lawns for free in their community. When a kid signs up for the challenge, the group sends them a white shirt with the Raising Men logo, shades and ear protection. The participants receive a different colored shirt after every 10th lawn they mow. When they have completed the task for 50 yards, they receive a special visit from Smith or someone with RMLCS. They give the volunteer a new lawnmower, free of charge, and cut other lawns with them.
“Since this challenge started in 2016, 12 kids have already…
