12-Year-Old Serves Community Through Mowing Mission

Most kids spent their summers relaxing, but twelve-year-old Dylan Spears decided to spend his helping others.

He had a goal to mow fifty lawns for free and hit his goal, but he’s decided to keep going.

Spears joined the national organization, ‘Raising Men and Women’, to try their 50 Yards Challenge. Through mowing, he's not only transformed lawns but also deepened connections with people in his community.

“I wanted to do it so I could help people who couldn't do their lawn themselves,” Spears said.

Since June, Spears has turned overgrown grass into manicured lawns for homeowners like Cindy Kok and her husband, free of charge.

“They were looking especially for veterans, disabled and elderly, and I knew my husband was having a lot of trouble doing the yard and I kind thought we kind of fit in all those categories,” Kok said.

Spears learned everything he knows from his boss Bruce, but he knows him as Grandpa.

It’s hard work for Spears, but it doesn’t go unnoticed.

“It's a tremendous help,” Kok said. “My husband would spend three days trying to get the yard mowed and the weed eating wouldn't get done. It always looked half done and when you like your yard you like it to look nice.”

With every yard Spears works on is a reminder that helping others can cultivate more than green grass.

“Never thought we would be in this position but here we are,” Kok said. “God showed up at just the right time to meet the needs we had. We are thankful.”

Spears hopes to inspire other kids to join Raising Men and Women and help more people in need. For more information on the organization, click here.