An Army of Normal Folks - Rodney Smith Jr: The 50 Yard Challenge (Pt 2)

Episode Date: August 1, 2023

When he saw an elderly man struggling to mow his lawn, Rodney felt called to pull over and finish it for him. This single act of generosity transformed Rodney's life forever, inspiring him to challenge kids to cut 50 lawns for free for the elderly, single parents, veterans, and those with disabilities. And his "50 Yard Challenge" has been accepted by 4,948 kids from 8 countries! Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premiumSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey everybody, it's Bill Courtney with an Army of Normal Folks and we continue now with Part Two of our conversation with Rodney Smith Jr. right after these brief messages from our generous sponsors. So you got all these kids and then I've read you decided I'm gonna cut some grass in every state. That was a crazy idea. That was a crazy idea. Yeah, that's crazy idea. What? That was a crazy idea. Yeah, that was nuts.

Yeah, it was. Because the father's... How many miles your car got on it? Which one? Which... No, of course. Okay, well, I guess what I'm saying is, you go to class,

in between class, you cut in yards. Now you talk to people all over the country about t-shirts and things, and you ain't got no money. So you promise the law and more as you ain't no hate to pay for and then you decide I'm gonna go to every state in the United States and cut somebody's grind. Yeah. And I still ain't got no money. Yeah.

Well, it's, it's, I tell you, everything I went through to get to, that point where the idea of moving someone's lawn at each stage is crazy. So, the whole organization made me find my true purpose in life. That's helping people. So, after getting my bachelor's in computer science, I went back to get a master's in social work. So, yeah, I know too much school. No, you don't do that.

You never going to make anything out of your life in your disability. I don't remember that. They just, what they told me. So after you got it agreed in computer science, you went back and got your masters in social work. Yeah. Right, that's phenomenal. Why are you cutting grass?

Well, I'm cutting grass. Okay, so anyway, the 50 state thing. Yeah, so after getting, when I went back to school, get my master's in social work. So my to school, get my master's social work. So my first year of getting my master's and social work, I was on my internship and I was on my lunch break watching this video

and Netflix of this guy that traveled the world on the acts of kindness to others. So he's going around the world doing acts of kindness. And that gave me the idea of 50 states, 50 loans. I mean, this can't be 50 states, 50 loans. I'm going to go to all 50 states and more alone. How you going to get a loan more than a wife? You can, I didn't know at the time. So, so that's, that was the idea. And you literally said, I'm going to get my car and drive this. And before the funny thing is before that the first

I have a drove was like to Atlanta, which is about three hours away, so I'm Thinking about driving to all 50 states. So at this point Briggs and Shredding the world's largest makers and small lawnmower engines They came down and done like a short video on the organization like a too too many video. And then I was real cool with the PR guy. And as soon as I came with the idea, he's the first guy I called, say, look, Jake, I'm going to all 50 states to make people aware of the organization and encourage kids to sign up for the 50 hour challenge. I said, can you ask Priggs and Stratton, would they give me a lot more so I can take in my car and go to all 50 states. Give you

one more. Give you one more. Give me one. I just need one more and he said, yeah, let me call them and see. And then we hung up. And you've literally put this thing in your trunk. Yeah. What kind of car were you driving? I was driving it.

At that point, I was driving a infinity at 99. How many miles were on it when you finished? So we got a backtrack. So at that time, at infinity, I was about to graduate. I was about to graduate my bachelor's and that's when supporters of the organization they raised about $15,000 to get me a new car. No kidding. Yeah, the people that support people are lady by the name of Lindsey. She lived in, she lived in, uh, who was it? New Jersey. She, she done a secret fundraiser. And she raised $15,000 to get me a bigger car. And I got a 2007 Ford Edge once I graduated and I was took that car

and went to O50 States my first time and yeah it started like that and my back to Brick and Stratton I asked for one law more they said they loved the idea so much of me going to O50 States they wanted to fund the project me to go in my first 50 state tour they wanted to fund it they asked how much would first 50 state tour, they wanted to fund it. They asked how much would it cost. I just said like $8,000. They asked you, you asked for one lot more. And they said, nah, we'll fund the whole deal. An all more.

And I can't you count a lot more. Yeah, yeah. So I've done that. I didn't. Man. Hold it. So you started in Huntsville, I guess. I think the first one was in Huntsville, yeah.

All right. So Alabama is off the list. Yes, I said you went to Georgia. Yes, I went to O'Fitti State. So we had supporters across the country. So I said, the first one was finding one Ali, the table, single parent, or veteran. So if anyone knew anyone in the 50 states, let me know.

And I'll put them down for their state. And just running around to all 50 states I had everything mapped out before I left so everyone was pre-arranged. So I I don't think there was any grass in Arizona. How'd you find some grass cut out there? Yeah, just grass in Arizona This grass cuts a by's rocks. Oh, no, there's grass some people could grass out there and Nevada people could grass out there. Hawaii got grass. I mean Alaska got grass.

But yeah, there's grass everywhere. How did you get to Alaska? You flew to Alaska. You had to fly. Alaska and Hawaii, I flew. What'd you do with your lawnmower? I rented one and Hawaii. You rented a lawnmower.

Yeah, home depot. You can rent a lawnmower. I will tell you something. You should be sponsored by Briggs and Stratton, like you are, but four to edge, I'll tell that story in sponsor you home depot. I got to tell another story. Okay. You ready for other story?

So yeah, I love it fast forward in. So to date, uh, to date, I've been told, okay, we're going to get to that. Okay. So the first few 50 state tours for the early disabled single parents awareness, then I start customizing lawnmowers for different causes. So one of the first causes I customized a lawnmower for was for, for military.

I went to all 50 states. I thank veterans for the service. So I moved a veteran loan in each state. And I had a pre-made ladder just thanking veterans for the service. And I got to meet veterans from World War II Vietnam and just moving the loan and sitting down and interviewing them and ensuring the story, capturing the story and ensuring it with people that support organization.

And I done that one, then I done another one called Moong with Cups. So I customized a lot more to look like a police car. I had a light bar on top. Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa. You had a light, but you had a lawn mower or like a rider? No, push this. Oh, push more. Push more that you may look like a police car.

Yeah. So at a light bar, I wanted to come up with this idea and to spend and look the line for a company that made a light bar. And I found a way how the power, the light bar, and lawn more. So I done that mental off of the States. And you were cutting cops?

No, no, or you add cops, LP. Yeah, so for the for the moon with cops tour, you'll find someone elderly disabled, a single parent of veteran and the officers will come out and they will come out and move with me. So the big departments would come out. So like in Boston, like four or five police officers come out, came out with a move with me. The biggest place was Rhode Island.

They had about 15, 17 cars. They had the sheriff, they had the police officers that they detected, they had a SWAT team. The lady was moving forward, she said, what's going on? Because the whole world, Arlen, police force came out to mow. And it was a lot of cops.

All correct. People thought it was a big drug boss or something. And they came out to mow with me. And that was a powerful image. Because at that time, the police was taking a hit in the media. People really didn't back to the police. And so you wanted to give the cops an opportunity

to show compassion. Exactly. And really need back to this. And so you wanted to give the cops an opportunity to show compassion. Exactly. And I found that free long-care and police officers, it just made sense. And after that, 50-state tour with the... To connect the cops back to the community. Exactly. And these special moors, I made with light bar, I told Toro, the idea I wanna make these lawn moors and give them donate on police officers across the country. And they don't need me 10 lawn moors

to customize into these police moors. And I donate them to officers and departments across the country and officers to this day, they go in the community and use them. They still use those lawn moors. And it's so good. And they're building that bridge between officers and the community because like if a kid sees

that special lawn mower with a light bar and a police officer, the community, that kid's gonna come out to that police officer and say, that's pretty cool. And that's gonna start a conversation. So a kid that probably didn't trust the officer because of the parents or whatever, they're now interacting with that officer

and they're building that relationship in the community. And that was the idea. And to this day, I'm making these lawn mowers and giving them to departments across the country. And they're going out in the community and they're building relationships with their community, with these mowers. So that was the whole idea. The eyes of Brown still alive. Sadly, he's no longer here.

How much of this did he get to see the belt? You had to have gone back and talked to him. Yeah, but I think he, so I met him in 2015, it was sometimes in 2016 he passed away. But did he get to see what your one happenstance meeting had started to become he didn't see them he didn't see that much of an old sadly

Don't you wish he had yeah, he's smiling down on heaven from yak I believe that bro. Yeah So After the the cop lawn more extravaganza, what else did you do? Yeah, so another one was, I've done another tool for veterans. So I went, 1250 states again, moving for veterans and thinking of them for the servers. And for this particular one, I had a Mac and Flay along. And again, you're going to every state in the country cutting grass. Every state.

All veterans. To illuminate. every state in the country. Yeah, I think that's it. Every state. All veterans. Ever. To illuminate. Just think for this tour, and particularly, just thinking veterans, because I've learned that America is what it is because of the veterans. I'm able to do what I can in America because of veterans. Because if it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be able to do what

I'm doing now. They risk people risking their lives. And that's why you even tell kids in the program, you have to do stuff for people that do stuff for you. The veterans are important. That's why I try to instill to kids in the program. You have to get back to veterans. All way of giving back is to free long care.

So that's, it don't matter how big the loan is, we're gonna move for that veteran. There's a gold star family out where I live in Huntsville. This is when I had to push more. His gold star, he lost two kids, two kids in Iraq and Afghanistan. Was he a veteran too? He was a veteran as well. And he's two sons at the loss. Two acres, I push it. I push two acres. It doesn't matter how big it, when if a veteran doesn't know questions, I'm gonna move along.

And that's why I try to instill in these kids. Do you ever get people that you or your kids do work for that are so overcome with your kindness that they become emotional? You can say that. There's been a few people that come real emotional breakdown and cry. What does that make you feel like? It just makes me feel like, you know, the service that we're offering, offering me so much. No, because especially the elderly, the disabled, even the veterans, a lot of more fixed incomes, you know, that really struggling. So when we come caught up for free, that now frees them up and they use the extra funds

for things they really need food and medication and stuff like that. There's even been some times where my one time in Texas, this lady was telling me that there's people that go around, they measure your grass for stick. If it's a certain height, you get fined. So, you know, the service that we're offering is so important. And that's why I'm trying to get more kids involved. And it's not just money, you know, we also include raking leaves and snow shoveling and stuff like that. So it's a year round. Kids can give back and help and serve their communities. So have you ever rolled up to a lawn that you thought these people could be cutting their own grass and they're using me?

There's been times where you have that feeling. There's been, I remember when I first started, I remember one time, I went to move for elderly lady, and a younger couple came up, oh yeah, you can't move for my mother, she's inside. So, all right, once we get done, we'll be like this meter, just speak to her, move along and then, just they played us, they just literally played us,

because it wasn't for the elderly mother It was for them. You know, no people took advantage, you know One or two stories like that. You know what? The reason I ask is it's important that people know that anytime you reach out to do something There's always gonna be a few bad apples, but you can't let that discourage you. No, no, you can't. You just got to keep on pushing and just find bad ways to, you know, filter those, filter those out. So there was a story about, I remember reading about a lady whose grass was so high, she couldn't even cut it. And then she felt bad when you showed up

because the grass was so high, it was gonna take forever. Do you remember that story? It's been a few of those. So I can't remember the exact story, but it's been a few, like you just shrubbed with lawn, like wow. It just looks like a jungle.

Yeah, and the crazy thing is, like for the first seven years, I was only using pushmoons. And just this year, someone donated a rotting more. So the first seven years, just using a pushmo of all these big loans in a pushing, big told us me using a pushmo or not. What do you mean, nostalgia? Grass, five foot, huh? Man, it's been some like that.

What happened to the to even cut it. Pretty good. But you just had to push it go over a few times, but it's been long like that. And it's been really been a lot of a few longs like that. And you just just got to figure it out. Yeah, it's got a freedom. What's the worst looking yard you ever rolled up to? Hey, it's been a few days.

How to go back and look at some pictures, because, you know, East Long, we do, we take before and after pictures. Yeah, but it's been a few bad long. Like, how can it get so bad? Whoa, a jungle. Completely out of control. Don't you wonder if some of these elderly people that got lawns like that? Where's their family?

I mean, yeah, you have to act yourself like, man, this was my mother or father. I wouldn't let it get like this. Exactly. But you speak to them and be like, no, my kids are living in this other state and they don't contact me no more. That's like wow. Deep, deep just your presence and just showing them that you're there has got to make them

feel cared for too. Yeah, yeah. Cause you know, it's a lot more cut and grass. Yeah. And you get it, especially with the veterans, after you move the lawn, like, wow, they feel so prideful about the lawn. If it's overgrown and stuff like that, the down, but the moment you cut the lawn and make it look brand new almost again, they feel so happy. Oh, look at my lawn, they come up.

Wow, I can see outside now. And the kids you have with you get to see the immediate reaction from the fruits of their kindness. Yeah. And there's been stories like one kid named Wesley shy, quiet kid kept to himself, before he started a program, but once he started it, mom will tell me, if he can't more friendly,

he started getting out doing meet people and he just built relationships with the people that he mode for. That's crazy. So, um, there's, uh, I think you've done, uh, did you cut 50 yards and 50 states for breast cancer? Where else? Yeah. So breast cancer awareness was not the cause I moved for, so I customized, whatever cause I moved for, customized a lot more for that cause, so I had a pink lawn more. And I went to all 50 states I moved for those who have breast cancer, those who lost love

want to breast cancer, those who have survived breast cancer, moved alone, then after I interviewed them and got to learn their story and share their, you know, share the story with my audience online and Encourage men and women to get, you know, check for breast cancer because I didn't realize that man could get breast cancer as well So that's something I learned on the tour. So each tour that I move for, you know I just try to make it educational as well So I moved for breast cancer. I moved for Down syndrome. I moved for autism officers veterans I got a few few more and more customized right now for different causes as well so. So during COVID

obviously you can't go hug and pose for pictures like you've always done and so COVID created a little bit of a challenge in that you still are doing your your service and you're still doing your philanthropy, but it created a different set of challenges. But I understand that you then use the showing up to cut people's lawns to also deliver food and supplies and hand sanitizer and other things to people who needed it. How that work? Work pretty good.

I call them moendrops. You call what? I call them moendrops. Moendrop. Yeah. So mo the lawn and our drop from groceries and other things that need. Especially the elderly people who were stuck inside couldn't come out because when COVID first came, they made it sound like it was, you go outside,

you're gonna die of some of that. So a lot of the elderly people were stayed inside. We would take pictures by the way, at the door, they'd be inside and I'd be outside and take pictures. But I would go out and buy groceries and then drop it to the door after I got done. Ronnie, I think you're the Ben and Jerry of Lawnmoy. Ben and Jerry's lawnmowing.

Ben and Jerry's took a simple thing as ice cream and made like 90,000 different versions. You've taken a lawnmower, you've taken mowing a lawn and come up with every possible scenario of things that you can tag onto it, simply to do something kind for other people. What's next? tag on to it simply to do something kind for other people. Yeah. What's next?

I don't know you, but it's gonna come to me. We'll be right back. I know we're talking about 4,000 kids and I don't know how many lawns but my math says it's well over 200,000 lawns, maybe a quarter of a million lawns, but other than Mr. Brown, which has to be the paramount story because it's what got it all started, do you have an absolute favorite story of a lawn that you've got? Yeah, I mean, misgibs. Misgibs?

Where's misgips from? She's from Huntsville, Alabama. She's part of, I think her photos was one of the ones that went viral at the beginning and moved alone all the way up to this year. This year she sadly passed away. But you know, I remember meeting her for the first time, pressing that story used to move along, but he was charging her and she couldn't afford it

because she's in a fixed income. And we shared that story and that that went viral back in 2016. But we just had this special connection, just bonded every time more alone, she'd come out, bring lemonade and stuff like that. After moving along with the sit on our porch and we talk. And every time we mow the lawn, take a picture with her and people just love misgivings. And she's like a grandmother to me. Both my grandparents have passed away and she became

like that other grandparents. And then I gave everyone the sad news this year. I think it was in May that she passed away. they were hop-broken because they just love to see her smile every time we took their picture together. And you know, just a sweet lady and one of the goals for me is to start a scholarship fun for the organization. And the first scholarship we can give away will be in her honor. You know, the Miss Gibbsibs give some fun. So there's one kid named Quentin, one of the kids from his grandmother that signed up in Ohio, Mary in Ohio at the start.

He's about to graduate high school. So my goal is to, and made it go up to him and give him the fresh official scholarship and in honor of mischievous. And yeah, and you know most people say well that's a really kind of thought where's the money going to come from but I guess if I ask you you will tell me you'd have no idea where the money's going to come from but you're going to find it. Well organization people doing it all the time now and I think we have enough funds to start a scholarship fund. And even still, I believe if I mentioned it to the audience on social media,

people would help fund it and start a scholarship fund because you know, a lot of the kids come from low income families. So I think it's important to invest in education. It doesn't have to be a four year college. It could be a trade school as as long as they get that education where they can do something with their life. You don't wanna be home doing nothing. You become anything you want to.

I just wanna hope kids to become whatever they wanna become. So, I gotta ask you, you couldn't get a job when you were in college, because you couldn't get a job when you were in college. Yeah. Because you couldn't get a green card because you're on an education basis. That's what it's called. What is your immigration status now? Yeah, so right now I'm still on a visa, but I'm able to work and stuff.

I'm still working on my green card. I had immigration situation come up and immigration law firm has took my case on pro bono. So hopefully this year I have my green card in hand. If there is any immigrant on the face of the planet that deserves for this taken care of, it's you. I mean, dude, you've done more for American veterans than 99.99% of us and probably a lot more than the people who make the decisions about getting green cards. I mean, for gosh sakes, what's the hold up? Why is it a, what's the deal?

It's, immigration is just, just a sticky situation. It's long situation, it costs money, but luckily, like I said, that law firms, Stephen David said, But luckily, like I said, that law firms, Stephen David, said, manor and Cooper, they took my case on pro bono and, I mean, man, they've been a joy that they got my new visa,

which allows me to work on stuff like that. I mean, if it wasn't for them, I probably would be back. I would have had to go back to Burmiro last year. Do you want to be a US citizen? Oh, yeah, that's my goal. So once I get the green card,

I'd wait five years to be a citizen, but the, yeah, that's my goal. So once I get the green card, I'd be five years to be a citizen, but the moon five years. So the woman I'm eligible for becoming a US citizen, I'm going to run to it and become Ronnie, I got to ask something. You come from Bermuda, you overcome all the challenges of your learning disability. You end up with the masters and you're doing all that you do across our country for people because of some compassion you once shared for a man named Mr. Brown. And you're having to have spend money and go through legal hoops just to get a green card to then wait five more years To become a citizen of our country Meanwhile You've driven all over this country many times gone to all 50 states

And you must pass people all day every day that take this country and their citizenship for granted and don't put one ounce of the effort into it that you've devoted your life to. What do you think when you compare your journey with someone whose journey was given to him and doesn't do anything with it. How does that make you feel? What goes through your brain? You have to recognize that. Yeah, I mean, like I have some friends that are born here, you know, they're just lazy. Like you have the opportunity to become anything you want to be in America. You can't do that anywhere else. You can't just start something and become successful anywhere else in the world.

I don't think you can do that here. So just get out there and do it. Don't come up with excuses. I don't know. It's just. Do you talk to the kids that you work with about those kind of things? Yeah, it's how you can become and do anything you want to Anything, I mean anything anything if you want to become a billionaire

You can become a billionaire if you have that idea You want to become a basketball player? Well, it's a little risky, but if you train every day And that's what you want to do aim for, you can become anything. You want to become a lawyer or a doctor. You can do that if you have your mind focused on on that. Or if you want to become a law and moan servant. Exactly. You know, you know, like me, you can do that. You can do that in America. You become anything you want to become. You can't do that anywhere else. I like all the stuff that I'm doing right now. I couldn't do that in Bermuda. I couldn't do that in England. I couldn't do that in Asia or something like that, you know

But I could do that in America in America if you think it you can become you can become it So what you're saying is Just a normal old person who has challenges throughout their life can do extraordinary things in this country. And you can change lives. Yeah. I mean, I didn't like this not the path that I dreamed on, but this is my purpose. And I found my purpose while I was in school and I came across that elderly man.

And every single day I get the chance to wake up and do something I love. I get the visit kids when they finish the 50-year-old challenge. Like, even after this, I'm headed to Kansas and I'm going to visit two brothers that competed 50-year-old challenge. You guys gonna go, so you still go deliver one more? Yeah, so I'm still, after next week I'll be headed to Michigan,

two brothers out there, and then after that I headed to New York to two kids out there that finished the 50-yard challenge. So I'm always on the road, if I'm not moving, I'm on the road, delivering more to kids. How many kids have registered across the United States? So to date, we have over 4,000 plus kids across the United States, at least one in each state. Texas has the most kids with over like 400 kids or

some of that. But 4000 kids. 4000 kids. Cutting ons for free. 4000 kids. For the needy. Yep and 4000 kids in total and organization plus kids in eight other different countries. So we have what countries. Kids in Canada, Bermuda, England, Australia, Germany, Japan, Sweden, and South Africa. All cutting lawns, because one day you pulled over and asked Mr. Brown if you could help him. Yes sir. Do you ever pinch yourself? Yeah, I mean, because I wouldn't know. Like especially when I came across Mr. Brown,

if you were to ask me at that moment, would you see yourself in 10 years, seven years? It wouldn't be this. But it's like a book. Every year is a new chapter, something else happens. And I had to go do all of that to get to worry him today. When I got that car, I didn't tell you that. One of my 50 state tours, Ford Motor Company in Michigan, I was on a veterans tour. They told me, oh, come move for a veteran. We want to film that experience. So I said, okay, and they came out for motor company. This is Ford Motor Company.

It's like, okay, I move for the veterans. After moving that lawn, they gave me a brand new Ford edge. You're kidding. That could only happen in America because they saw what I was doing for veterans they gave me a brand new car. And then just last year, so the food edge is a small SUV. So that's our delivering more than that to kids.

Then last year, a guy, my name of Mr. Neil Hawks, I posted a picture of me going to visit some kids to drop in more and more. And it says, look like you need a new vehicle, a bigger vehicle. I said, Jokelin, yeah. He said, send me an inbox, a sentiment inbox. He said, I wanna help you.

I wanna get you a bigger vehicle. I said, okay, I mean, you can't take anyone serious. Sometimes you wanna get me a car. That doesn't know. I said, okay, I mean, I you can't take anyone serious sometimes you want to get me a car? I mean that doesn't happen She said give me a call. I gave him a call She's just gonna look into it next day. He calls me. Oh my buddy earns a Under car dealership up here in Missouri. I'm gonna buy this 2017

Cargo van I'm gonna buy it can you fly up? Yes, yes, sir. I'll hang up. A few days later, I flew up to Missouri, met him and his wife at the airport at the van. I shook the hand, we talked and I drove to Van Homme to Huntsville, Alabama. And just just seeing what I was doing for the organization, because he just came across that post. He's saying what resonated with him was, he used to move along to when he was younger. And he sees what we're doing with the kids. Until this day, he's a big supporter.

Rodney, what are your parents think? The problem, the problem. The shock that I've come this far, because I guess they didn't see all this happening. Have you, do you go back to Bermuda to visit? Yeah, I try to, like, right now I can't fly back there because I have to get this immigration stuff situated. But, yeah, I, right now I can't fly back there because I have to get this immigration stuff situated. But yeah, I fly back when I can.

Would you do me a favor next time you go back, I'll find that teacher and say you're wrong. Yeah, if she's still teaching. Ha ha ha. Ha ha. Ha ha ha. Ha ha ha. Ha ha ha.

Ha ha ha. Ha ha ha. Ha ha ha. Ha ha ha. Ha ha ha. Man, it's amazing. Rodney, your story, I tell a lot of stories. And I sit across from people and listen to their stories, right? And it's not just the words, it's not just what

you say, but how you say it. And it's also the body language and inflection. And you're so genuinely kind and compassionate. And yeah, the work you've done is amazing. But what is so endearing is how humble you are about it. You're just a guy cutting lawns and this thing's gone crazy. And I think you still get that sense about it. You're just a guy cutting lawns and this thing's gone crazy. And I think you still get that sense about yourself. And I have a big appreciation for that humility. The way I see it is, if you ever see a horse and a race, they have these blinders on their eyes.

And that's what I believe what God is doing to me. I have these blinders on my eyes to keep me straight. So I understand what we're doing is important in its movement, but God has these blinders on my eyes to keep me humble, to keep me straight on the mission. So that's beautiful, man. So keep straight. You know, we've talked about the 50 states and the 50 lawns and you've done all kinds

of tours, but that's not the only kind of tour of you've done. What's the other? Yeah, so in total, I just finished one, but in total, I've done 15 50 state tours. Ten have been for mowing and five have been something called hope for the holiday. And that's when I go to all 50 states, it really started with me going to all 50 states, dressers, Santa Claus and I went to all 50 states and I met a homeless person in each state and then I gave them 10 sleeping bags for backpack and things they need and then I'll-

Would you get this stuff together? Yeah, social media. So on social media, for the first one, I made Amazon Whistlest with 10 sleeping bags, hygiene kits, hand warmers and stuff like that, and put them on Amazon Whistlest and supporters by another and they bought these items. And for that to where at least met one homeless person at each state, gave them these items

and everything was wrapped in Christmas wrap and add. You just, all right. Now the homeless people, they're not reaching out to you on Facebook are they? No. So you just literally tried to see let me get this right dude. You ride up fit off 50 states, you ride up dress like Santa Claus to a homeless dude with a tint. Well, tent, tent is wrapped up and then in the backpack there is hygiene kits sleeping makes.

What in the world do they think when you ride up just like Sam McCalls, pop out of your car with all this stuff? Santa Claus is real. Ah! Yeah. Ah! Ah! And you've done this five times?

Yeah. So first ones with the homeless, mental-fiddle states. I'll give them these items and I'll ask them what's one thing they want for Christmas. Some said they wanted a hot shower, so I'll go out and I would buy them a two or three night stay in the hotel room. Some would say they wanted a ticket home, I would go out and buy them a Greyhound ticket

so they can get home and stuff like that. And this is from people that support organizations. They do dress like Santa. Dress like Santa and people would donate while I'm on the road and I would just use those funds to buy these items and then I teed out my friend Yuri Williams he's in kind of California and he dresses up as different superheroes and we went to all 50 states and we went visit the kids it got bullied kids with cancer and other disabilities and we give them gifts for Christmas.

And we just finished our most recent one a few days ago in Hawaii. And again, all 50 states, we found kids with cancer, other disabilities. We found kids who have low incomes that might not have had a chance to have Christmas gifts, we gave them gifts. And that's all because of people around them.

And you dressed a salmon, he dressed as a superhero. He dressed as a superhero. For this one, we both have elf jackets on, so we're playing the elf. Just on there. Ha ha ha. Dude, you continue to come up with ways to just give. Yeah.

Phenomenal story. We'll be right back. You know, Rodney, I've just, I can't hide the miles up, but it's millions that you travel. And you clearly spend, I mean, if you're going around delivering lawnmores to all these kids, you spend a lot of time outside of Huntsville and on the road. You know, what's that mean for you and a family life one day? Yeah, hopefully I can start a family eventually. I'm only 33, so you know, kind of young, kind of young. So next few years like the start of family, right now, with me being in the road so much,

you know, I can't, but... You're gonna have to have a Mo Winnabego. Mo Winnabego, a motor home. Oh yeah. Yeah, just load up up at that and go, huh? Just go and bring the family with me. Yeah, well. But defensively, yeah, I like to start one,

but with me being a rose so much, it's kinda impossible. Yeah, but like if I had a family right now, I won't be able to do all the things that I'm doing right now. I'll probably be divorced, you bet. In a portion. You gotta probably be divorced, you bet. In the portion. You gotta get me time, don't you?

Yeah, exactly. But right now, I have the freedom to do what I want with the organization. So next few years, as the organization grows and start chapters across the United States, people can step up and they can start delivering normal hours for their state. And I just oversee the organization. What do you see? Makes good sense. Make a bunch of little rod n And I just oversee the organization. What do you see? It makes good sense. Make a bunch of little Rodney's. That's all over the place. Yeah. I cannot imagine that there's not parents listening to us right now who are thinking

I need to get my fat lazy kid off the couch and out of the video games and doing something for somebody other than themselves. And so if somebody wants to reach out to you and get their kid involved and be part of raising men, how do they reach you? Yeah, so they can go to my Twitter at I Am Running Smith. There we have a link that takes them to the FIT-YAR challenge. And it's not only raising men now, we also have raising women. So it's raising men and women. So we're trying to encourage both boys and girls to get out there and make

a difference. So I think the first three years was just raising men. Then a few girls were starting to sign up and we was giving them raising men t-shirts. They didn't sit well with me. So I came up with raising women. So when girls sign up, they got a raising women's t-shirt. Cool. And we're seeing a lot of young ladies signing up. And I gotta tell you that some of these young ladies can move better than these guys.

Yeah, they outworked the fat ladies. For sure. It's like, wow, they pay attention to details. Like, wow, but you're trying to encorge both boys and girls to get out there and make a difference. But yeah, you can find us on social media at our website at weareraisingman.com or we are raising women.com or raising men and women.com or we take them all to the same website

and they can go to the 50 yard challenge page and just sign their kids up. And once they sign up, I'll send them a white t-shirt along with the safety glasses and air protection and a ladder with some tips on how to stay safe and stuff like that and they can get started. That is phenomenal. You know what? You've literally cut grass, cut your, you've literally mowed your way across the United States. It was just phenomenal. And if you're, if you're sitting around thinking, well, I'd like to do something good in my community, but I just don't know how.

All you got to do is listen to your story. You're a guy who literally stopped one day to help an elderly man, Mo is lawn, and as created a movement that's reached over 4,000 kids, and I guess over 200,000 are so lawn so far, and all the hearts and minds you've touched through your generosity and your compassion, and have turned in a simple act of mowing a lawn into a mentorship for kids about how to give back and how to grow community, how to raise awareness for autism, breast cancer, how to try to reconnect, police officers with the community, how to help people who couldn't get out of their home storm COVID, all of these things from cutting Mr. Brown's grass one day. And if you hear this story and you still can't figure out a way to go do something in your community, you just not try. And you are a beautiful illustration of you don't have to

come from anywhere to become somebody and overcome disabilities, overcome green card issues, to overcome going to boarding schools of 16 to end up with a master's and social work and and be doing the things that you've done and accomplished so far. I'm just I'm humbled by your story, man. And I know you hear it all the time now. You have to. And I know that you know, everybody that hears your story has got to be so inspired by it. But I wanna tell you, from a guy who talks to a lot of inspiring people

who do a lot of inspiring things, bro, you are a special human being. And it is my honor to get to know you, and I really appreciate you joining me. I appreciate you having me. And I appreciate all of you for joining us this week. If Rodney or another guest has inspired you in general or better yet to take action by taking part in the 50 yard challenge, donating to raising men and women long-care service

or something else entirely, please let me know. I'd love to hear about it. You can write me any time at billatnormalfokes.us and I swear to you, I'll respond. And if you enjoyed this episode, share it with friends and on social. Subscribe to the podcast, rate, and review it. All the things that will help grow.

And Army of Normal folks, I'm Bill Courtney. I'll see you next week. you