As many try to stay cool in the summer heat, one Mississippi boy is embracing the challenge.
Nine-year-old Jedidah Dupray is braving the heat to provide free lawn care for those in need.
Since starting last year, he’s now mowed more than 100 yards.
“Because they can’t really do their lawn. They can’t really move around and they’re not able to do their lawn, and some of them just can’t pay for it because people that would do it, they charge a lot of money and they just need people to do it for free for them,” Dupray said.
Dupray’s mother found a Facebook challenge by Rodney Smith, Jr.’s Raising Men & Women Lawn Care Service, encouraging children to provides free lawn care to elders, those who are disabled, single mothers and veterans.
“Mr. Rodney out in Alabama had a 50-yard challenge for kids where he said, Hey, if you guys mow 50 lawns, we’ll send you a free T-shirt every 10 yards. And then at the end of the challenge, I’ll deliver a lawnmower, weed whacker and leaf blower to you,” said Rachel Dupray, Jedidah’s mother.
Rachel says her son got his tools and didn’t stop there. One challenge has turned into three.
“You can tell it really touches individuals and you never know the impact that you’re going to have on someone along the way,” Dupray said.
As a fourth grader, he says his next goal is 1,000 free yards by high school graduation.