A helping hand
Valley siblings mowing yards for free to assist community
-Submitted photo <br> Brenden Valley, front, and Laila Valley, back, mow one of the many lawns they have taken on this summer.
-Submitted photo <br>Brenden Valley, 12, and Laila Valley, 11, have accepted the challenge of mowing 50 free lawns this summer. If the challenge is completed they will receive a free push lawnmower, trimmer and blower.
-Submitted photo <br>Laila Valley, right, and Brenden Valley, left, mow near the sidewalk of one of the properties they mowed for free.
-Submitted photo <br>Brenden Valley, left, and Laila Valley, right, stand by one of the properties they just finished weed eating.
-Submitted photo <br> Brenden Valley, front, and Laila Valley, back, mow one of the many lawns they have taken on this summer.
-Submitted photo <br>Brenden Valley, 12, and Laila Valley, 11, have accepted the challenge of mowing 50 free lawns this summer. If the challenge is completed they will receive a free push lawnmower, trimmer and blower.
-Submitted photo <br>Laila Valley, right, and Brenden Valley, left, mow near the sidewalk of one of the properties they mowed for free.
-Submitted photo <br>Brenden Valley, left, and Laila Valley, right, stand by one of the properties they just finished weed eating.
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For a lot of kids summer means sleeping in, video games and just hanging out with friends.
For siblings Brenden and Laila Valley, it's about helping people who need extra hands.
One afternoon their mother, Kim Valley, was just scrolling on Facebook when she came across a post that intrigued her.
It was an organization created by Rodney Smith Jr., called Raising Men Lawncare Service and Raising Women Lawncare Service.
The organization helps give back to the community, by allowing youngsters to help mow lawns for free.
The group challenges participants to mow 50 lawns for free for anyone with a disability, elderly, first responders and families of single parents.
When Brenden and Laila's mother Kim Valley brought this idea to them, they were quick to agree and got busy.
Brenden, 12, who is going into seventh grade, and Laila, 11, who is going into sixth grade, were excited to get to work. Even little brother Calan, 8, helps get in on the action using the trimmer sometimes.
"I was excited about helping people," Laila Valley said.
Kim Valley said they have just simply posted on Facebook what the kids are doing and have gotten a lot of responses and jobs to do.
"They haven't gone door to door, but we just mentioned it on Facebook and other people have given us ideas," she said.
After the challenge has been completed the pair will receive a brand new push mower, trimmer and blower.
"I was pretty excited and ready to go," Brenden Valley said. "I want to help people and go out and do the work. It will be nice to get the new equipment.
"I want to lend a helping hand to people who need help."
The pair do the lawns for free, but have also gotten a few donations from some of the families.
"We've had a few people donate money and even a 3D wooden puzzle," Kim Valley said. "They've brought out chips and water on hot days."
Even once the yards hit 50, Brenden and Laila still plan to mow yards for free.
"I want to keep doing it all summer to help people out," he said.
The two have been working side-by-side to complete the jobs and it helps having two mowers going when there are big yards and on hot days.
"We just have to keep hydrated and wear the right clothes," Brenden Valley said. "Sometimes on big yards, I'll run one and she'll have one. Or one of us will get a drink and the other will keep working."
The Valleys are over halfway to their goal, as they have mowed 37 yards.
Sometimes the yards they mow aren't so easy to do.
"We did one the other day that was pretty much abandoned," Brenden Valley said. "One yard, a man was helping his mom and she passed away and now he's helping his sister and it was pretty tall.
"I raised the mower a bit to knock it down and then we went over it again where it should be."
The responses from the people are overwhelmingly supportive.
"They say thank you and God bless you," Laila Valley said.