Uncasville boy completes 50 Yard Challenge
Jun. 25—MONTVILLE — After a year of hard work, Uncasville's 13-year old Joey Nenna has completed the 50 Yard Challenge.
With that achievement he got to meet Rodney Smith Jr., creator of the challenge and founder of Raising Men Lawn Care Service. The challenge is a part of that organization's efforts to encourage boys and girls around the globe to cut 50 lawns for free for veterans, elderly, single mothers and disabled people in their communities. Those who complete the challenge are visited by Smith and awarded a new lawnmower, weed eater and leaf blower.
"I like doing yard work and helping people," Joey said after his mother pulled him away from the backyard, where he was mowing, for an interview. He described Smith as "fun" and "kind and generous."
Nenna started the challenge in July 2020, when he sent a picture of himself holding up a sign that said he accepted the 50 Yard Challenge to Smith. He hopes to one day become a landscaper, so the challenge was a natural fit.
"His dad and I are so proud of his accomplishment," said Heather Nenna, Joey's mother. "He worked so hard to reach his goal and he wanted to join this challenge so badly so he could do it."
She described how she rarely has to motivate her son to do the yard work. In fact, he would sometimes do work without her knowing, because it "had to be done," and when he didn't document a yard he completed for the challenge, he would say, "there will be another one."
Apart from mowing lawns, Joey also raked leaves and shoveled snow. In his last task to complete the challenge, he tackled a two-day project to clean up someone's beach area with a friend who had completed the 50 Yard Challenge before him.
Joey enjoyed the challenge so much, he's moving onto another challenge with Raising Men Lawn Care Service: shoveling snow at 50 homes.
"He's always been helpful but this gave him that push," his mother said. "It also encouraged him to talk to people and get a little outside of his comfort zone to ask if he could help with their yards ... He will never shy away from hard work!"
Joey advises those thinking of doing the challenge to "sign up and never give up — try your hardest and help people."
