Alabama man concludes 50 state tour of mowing laws for veterans

An Alabama man this week finished traveling to all 50 states mowing lawns for free for veterans, ABC News reported.

Rodney Smith Jr., who lives in Huntsville, said he first started mowing lawns for the elderly, veterans and single moms five years ago after he saw an older man having difficulty with a lawn mower.

“It looked like he was struggling, so I pulled over and helped him,” Smith, 29, told ABC.

{mosads}Since then, Smith has recruited kids and teens across the country to help out in their own communities. He started the “50 lawn challenge,” which encourages young people to mow 50 lawns for those who need help.

“Currently, we have about 400 kids nationwide that are taking part in the 50 Yard Challenge,” Smith told ABC.

He also founded an organization called Raising Men Lawn Care Service.

The recent 50-state tour was Smith’s fifth trip across the United States to help with lawn work, and it was his first focused specifically on veterans, according to CNN. Smith added that some of his favorite conversations have been with World War II veterans.

“We need to help our veterans … we need to do more. They have sacrificed their lives so the least we can do is help them when they need it,” Smith told CNN.

Smith said he never charges for his services, but he does accept donations for gas, hotel rooms and other expenses. He drove his car to 48 states, and Delta Air Lines donated airfare to get him to Alaska and Hawaii.

“I’ve come across so many veterans that are struggling to get their lawn mowed,” Smith told ABC. “If they served for our country, we should step up for them.”

“This is the least we can do,” he added. “This is the last thing they need to worry about.”