HELPING OUT … Parker Felt is out helping his community one yard at a time. Parker is wearing the white shirt before transitioning to orange after reaching ten yards. (PHOTO BY BROOKE FELT)
By: Jacob Kessler
Parker Felt has been participating in the 50 Yard Challenge since April. The program is being run by the Raising Men Lawn Care Service which also runs the Raising Women Lawn Care Service.
They challenge you to mow the grass or shovel the snow for 50 houses. The goal besides getting to 50 yards is also to do this service, free of charge, for Veterans, single mothers, the disabled and elderly.
In order to accept the challenge parents, take a picture of their child holding up a sign saying that they accept the 50 Yard Challenge and send in an application.
Brooke Felt, who is Parker’s mother said, “It took about a week or two to get the white shirt, shade and ear protection, then after the first ten yards he received his orange shirt.”
Parker, who is currently in his orange shirt now, has worked on fifteen yards of his 50 yard challenge.
The program starts each participant off with a white shirt. After they complete their first 10 yards, they then transition to an orange shirt.
Each 10 yards after that then transitions them to another color. The colors after orange change to green at twenty, blue at thirty, red at forty and black at fifty.
“I like to help people out and I like stuff outside,” said Parker. Brooke explained that he was excited when he heard about the program and decided to apply.
“When I first saw it on Facebook, he had been talking about doing his own lawn care business, so I asked him if he wanted to do it. He is still plugging away at it.”
When the fifty-yard challenge is complete the black shirt has another surprise. The owner, Rodney Smith, brings the black shirt, will cut a lawn with Parker and will give him a brand-new lawn mower, weed eater and blower. It is a good gesture to a great act of selflessness.
Jacob can be reached at publisher@thevillagereporter.com