An eleven-year-old from Little Rock, Arkansas, won a new lawn mower, weed eater, and leaf blower after completing the 50 Yard Challenge.
Jayden Nelson started the challenge in August 2022, and said it was difficult at first, KARK reported.
“No words can explain how happy I was.” Nelson said. “I was grateful because I finished the 50 yards because I thought it would take me more than a year to complete and I was happy because I got all this new stuff.”
Raising Men and Women Lawn Care Service posed the challenge to young participants to mow 50 lawns belonging to those most in need free of charge. Mowers are encouraged to seek out the elderly, single moms, the disabled, and veterans. To date, over 25,000 lawns have been mowed for free by 4,588 young mowers, according to the nonprofit’s site.
Children and teens as far away as Australia, Japan, Germany, Sweden, South Africa, and England have completed the challenge.
Rodney Smith Jr. started the nonprofit in Alabama.
“The message is you work hard and like anything in life, things will be challenging and things will get difficult but just stick to it if you commit to it,” Smith said.
Nelson said at times he wanted to quit, but his grandmother was his biggest supporter. She even taught him to mow and signed him up for the challenge in the first place.
“I am proud that I got this far and still because of my grandma I wouldn’t be here right now,” Nelson said.
Now, Nelson is creating his own lawn care business called the Reel Deal, but he said he will still be providing free services to those in need.