No matter how resilient someone is, they need assistance as they get older. Luckily, some people are doing things to help.
The 95-year-old lady in this story knows that to be the truth.
And something that happened to her caused a sensation online and allowed an incredible charity to gain ground.
In 2016, she appeared in a Facebook post that has since received over 1.3 million likes, over 250,000 shares, and almost 1,000 comments.
But what about the photo caused such a strong reaction?
Here’s that photo:
The man on the left, Rodney Smith Jr, posted the photo along with the following text:
“We did this sweet lady’s lawn today. She is 93, the neighbors told us that she been out their trying to cut her own lawn :O”
Although the woman in the photo would never admit it, cutting the lawn, and other home chores, were becoming more and more difficult for her.
Luckily, Rodney Smith Jr and his charity came to her aid.
Raising Men Lawn Care Service is a charity that encourages young people to cut the lawns of the elderly, veterans, the disabled and single mothers. At the time of the Facebook post, Rodney Smith Jr’s charity was only three months old.
The amazing reaction that that photo got really gave Raising Men Lawn Care Service a boost.
In the two years since it was posted, the charity has achieved a range of incredible accomplishments.
Although it started in Huntsville, Alabama, its work has since spread around the United States and beyond. In 2018, it has chapters that service 41 states as well as Canada, Bermuda and the UK.
It’s also seen the participation of over 200 kids, 53,000 supporters and claims to have mowed over 2,000 different lawns.
And the charity has developed some clever ways of encouraging its volunteers.
For instance, like martial arts, it showcases accomplishments through colors. Except that instead of someone wearing a black belt, they wear a colored T-shirt. After someone cuts 10 lawns, they advance in rank and earn an entirely new shirt. For instance, when someone cuts 10 lawns, they advance to orange. When someone cuts 50 lawns, they advance to the highest rank, black.
But just who is Rodney Smith Jr, the founder of Raising Men Lawn Care Service?
He was inspired to begin his charity when he saw an elderly man struggling to cut grass. Originally from Bermuda, Smith Jr wanted to bring the friendliness of his country to America.
He founded Raising Men Lawn Care Service before he’d even graduated from Alabama A&M University. At the time, he had modest aims for his charity. He envisioned it reaching 40 lawns, but that goal was met within a month and a half. And two months after that, he’d reached 100.
The main inspiration in Smith Jr’s life has been his father. He explains that “My dad, he spent his life building houses. His love for helping people rubbed off of him. I caught a little bit of that.”
It’s inspiring to see such strong support for Rodney Smith Jr and his charity.
Hopefully, Raising Men Lawn Care Service will go from strength to strength and will inspire others to help those in need.
Anyone who wants to help the charity out can do so on its website. People can donate, start a chapter and much more.
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