MOWED OVER BY GIRL’S GOOD DEED

Las Cruces 10-year-old is recognized for helping out her neighbors in need by taking care of their lawns.

LAS CRUCES — While some kids were cooped up inside watching television or playing video games this summer, 10-year-old Natoria Martinez was outside mowing lawns.

In fact, the Las Cruces girl mowed 50 lawns, completing the 50-yard challenge started by Rodney Smith Jr., founder of Raising Men Lawn Care Service, a nonprofit in Huntsville, Alabama.

Martinez, who is starting fifth grade in the fall, is the only child from New Mexico and only the second female in the country to complete Smith’s 50-yard challenge.

As a reward, Smith presented Martinez with a brand new lawnmower, weed wacker and leaf blower at the Las Cruces Codes Enforcement Department on Monday. In turn, Martinez donated the lawn-care equipment to Codes Enforcement to inspire other people and children to volunteer with the Golden Shield Yard Assistance Program of Las Cruces.

The city’s GSYAP program was created in 2015 to provide yard care for citizens over the age of 60 whose circumstances make it difficult for them to maintain a yard. Volunteers care for the yards at no charge to the homeowner.

Raising Men Lawn Care service is a similar program. Smith started it to keep boys and girls on a positive path while learning and understanding their value in society. RMLS encourages youth across the nation to provide free lawn care to elders, those who are disabled, single mothers and veterans who do not have the time, resources and/ or money to maintain their yards.

Martinez said she started the challenge two years ago and completed her 50th lawn three weeks ago.

“It feels good to complete the challenge because it helps reach my goal and change the world to be better,” Martinez said. “It makes me feel happy for the people since they can’t do it and they have nobody, but they have the Codes Enforcement to help them.”

Smith said he is proud of Martinez for achieving her goal. He said he traveled to Las Cruces from Abilene, Texas, where he honored other children, and was on his way to Salt Lake City, Utah.

“She’s a superstar. She worked hard for over two years to complete the goal. Every summer she’s out there working very hard for her community,” Smith said. “It’s a beautiful thing to see.”

Smith said he was inspired to create his organization after he saw an elderly man struggle to mow his lawn.