Raising Men Lawn Care Service (Non - Valk)

[carolinarider09]

The Fifty Yard Challenge

I saw this on the news this morning.  They had an interview with the gentlemen who established the group.  I don't know if he is paid or not.  However, I remember mowing lawns as a teenager and getting paid for a couple.  You learn work is what you have to do to earn.  You also learn to help others when needed (church, Boy Scouts, football....)

There is also the notion that some people need "assistance".  Part of being a citizen and Christian (and sometimes I don't know if I meet the mark or not) of the United States of America means we stand for our brothers and sisters and help, when we can, with no expectation for reward except from above.

Raising Men & Women Lawn Care Service is the union of an ordinary yard maintenance service and the commitment to establish an inspiring program to keep our youth (girls & boys) on a positive path while learning and understanding their value in society. RMLCS/RWLCS provides free lawn care to our elders, those who are disabled, single mothers and our veterans, who do not have the time, resources and/or money to take care of their yards.

Their video on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHH3KmnUjTU&t=2s

Their website

https://weareraisingmen.com

[cookiedough]

good honest work not super hard but time consuming and lotsa walking is good for kids  (and adults) IMO.    I helped a local farmer at minimum wage (if that) in the 80's around 3.50 per hour and as I entered age 18 heading to college,  the younger kid about 4-5 years younger than me started helping him and he said NOPE,  not enough money so he quit after a few days. 

I think I got on avg. 5 bucks per mowing nothing special but took usually 1 hour so 5 bucks per hour was more than minimum wage was fine with me, using owners push mowers.    I also shoveled elderly neighbors sidewalk, etc. and a few paid VERY well like 5 bucks, plus free candy, for say 30 minutes of work small sidewalk/driveways with my parents shovels. 

A few years ago I use to during winter, elderly neighbor asked me, to shovel just her long 20x50' driveway.  Even if was 1 inch,  she still wanted to pay me 20 bucks per shoveling.  I refused the money a few times since taking 10 minutes to shovel 1 inch is not worth 20 bucks being my neighbor.   She ended up going with a 'pro' I think because I think she wanted her driveway done BEFORE my work so she could leave her driveway if it snowed overnight.  I guess I was too lazy to get up in the dark to shovel her driveway at 5-6 a.m. which was fine with me. 

[Ramie]

Nothing as satisfying as earning your first buck, I made mine in 1959 using an old 2 cycle lawnboy brick top mower.  Now a days I can't even pay a kid to rake my leaves.

[Jess from VA]

I remember earning five bux to mow a neighbor's lawn that took me four hours (and edging and weeding by hand).  No such thing a self propelled either.

Prices have gone up since then.  

And the guys come with a stand up zero turn and are done in five minutes.

I haven't seen one school age kid mowing a lawn in my neighborhood in 30 years.   

[DIGGER]

Couple years ago I was working in the yard and a young guy about 15 came up my driveway and asked if I had any work he could do for pay. I had never seen him before. I just wanted to hell him out so I told him I would pay him $20 to hand wash my Ford F250 there in the driveway and vacum it out.   I went vack to my yard work and he got started.  A little later I looked up and he was gone.  He had only washed one side.  He got no pay and I never saw him again.   Guess he figured it wasnt worth it.   

[0leman]

we had a neighbor behind us that lost his leg when I was 10. Started mowing his lawn soon afterwards.  His whole lot was 5 acres, but only 3 acres were in grass.  I used his lawn mower, but I provided the gas and sharpening of the blade.   Took me several hours to mow it.  3 time in two weeks.  Got a buck an hour.  Mowed it till turned 15 and could get a job lifeguarding.  This was back in the late 50's.  Also had a couple other lawns that I would mow when the folks were gone.  Not a whole lot of money, but anything helped.

I have had several young boys come by here in the in the last few years asking if I would pay them to mow my yard.  They had a fairly good-looking lawnmower, with weed eater and rakes. They were pushing the mower and did/do live int the neighborhood.   As I can still mow my lawn, I did turn them down.