OAKDALE, CT (WFSB) – A teen from Oakdale completed an online global public service challenge.
The 13-year-old mowed fifty meters for free and the founder of the challenge visited him on Sunday.
A pandemic and snowy winter did not prevent 13-year-old Calvin LaFrance from completing the fifty meter challenge.
“I’ve learned how to help people when they are in need, especially single parents, veterans and the elderly,” says LaFrance.
It’s an online challenge created by Rodney Smith Jr. in 2016 with the Raising Men and Women Lawn Care Service.
This is an organization that provides free lawn maintenance to vulnerable people in hopes of getting children to join their city.
“Every ten lawns they get a new shirt of a different color and when they mow fifty I’ll come to them wherever they live and bring them a new mower. Today we have more than 1,500 children across the country,” said Smith Jr .
After Calvin completed the 50 yard challenge by mowing lawn and even shoveled snow for free, Smith Jr. came to thank him with more shirts, a brand new leaf blower, and a lawn mower.
“When a child can mow the lawn for free, they become free, and now they can use those funds for things that they really need like food and medicine,” stated Smith, Jr.
Calvin’s parents say he created flyers and went to senior centers to get customers for his free yard service.
After that, the phone kept ringing because of necessity.
“We’re very proud of him. He’s always doing something constructive. He’s a hard-working kid,” said Calvin’s father, Marc LaFrance.
“Especially this half year when so many of his activities were canceled and he had all the energy he wanted to do,” added Calvin’s mother, Jennifer LaFrance.
Calvin is just the beginning.
“I like the way it helps them so much and makes them happy,” added LaFrance.
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