When Henry Bender first heard of the 50-yard challenge, he thought he might be doing some sprinting.
But the fourth-grade student at West Liberty Elementary student quickly learned it wasn’t about running at all – it was about running around and cutting lawns for 50 residents that needed help – the elderly, disabled, single moms and even veterans!
That’s right. Henry Bender wants to cut your grass – for free!
Already at 14 since beginning last summer, the 10-year-old rural Atalissa youngster whose mother is Tara Mendez, hopes he can reach his destiny of 50 by the end of the summer, a goal that will earn him a new push mower, weed trimmer and leaf blower thanks to an international non-profit organization called “Raising Men and Women Lawn Care Service.”
Started in Huntsville, Alabama by Rodney Smith Jr., the group has seen as many as 5,163 participants from eight countries, although the bulk of the youths, aged 7-17, are from the United States, with every state represented since the program began five years ago. However, Bender is the only participant from the local area.
It all developed when Smith found an elderly man in his hometown that didn’t have the ability to take care of his lawn, so he mowed it for him as a courtesy. The idea grew from that day forward with Smith coming up with the idea of challenging youngsters to mow 50 yards for free.
“I set a goal for myself to mow 40 yards,” said Smith in an organization website video. He said it was so easy, he moved the goal to 100.
“I want to show kids the importance of giving back to their community with a lawn mower,” Smith said.
Bender says it’s all about helping local homeowners who may not have the time or resources to mow their lawn, noting it’s rare he returns to the same household. He’s even taken on various other yard chores, from picking up nine five-gallon buckets of walnuts last fall at a household in Wilton, to raking leaves or pulling weeds, something Henry admits isn’t one of his favorite tasks.
Still, they all seem to count the same to the organization, which requires photographic proof the task was completed. “We weren’t sure if picking up those walnuts would count, but it did,” said Henry.
There are a few commitments yet in his back pocket, but Henry says he could use more business from the northern Muscatine County area including Wilton, Durant, Moscow, Atalissa and West Liberty and says he’d even travel as far as Muscatine to take on a task.
“Anybody that needs help and can’t do it, I can help,” he said, noting he’s even willing to help someone who may be having trouble with his or her mower. He says most of the jobs are accomplished with his dad’s used push mower, but some of the bigger footage jobs might require his Simplicity riding mower.
Henry said there is no timeline to complete the challenge, but said it’s surprising that it’s taken this long to get to 14 after starting on June 27 last year.
“I thought I’d get to 50 pretty fast,” he said. “It’s taken me longer than expected.”
Henry gets help from his dad, Dustin Bender, to get from place to place as well as his grandparents, Roger and Mary Bender of Wilton. He said his dad found the challenge when scanning on social media and asked Henry if he might have an interest. “I knew it would help out the community,” he said, earning a special color tee-shirt for every 10 challenges he completes.
“We try to teach him the right thing to do,” said a proud Roger Bender. “He jumped right on it.”
He said so many people try to give him money for completing the task, but he simply says, “No, it’s a freebie!” Recipients can, however, go online to donate to the organization.
Still, Henry can’t wait until the day the founder of the organization shows up to deliver his new mower and lawn accessories, noting he knows he can complete the challenge and is determined to do so.
He says he may use the new equipment to create a lawn care business of his own next year.
Anyone interested in contacting Henry can call 563-299-8137.
