Beverly Thomas was in trouble. The 79-year-old retired nurse in Willoughby, Ohio was summoned to court due to the state of her lawn. The judge told Thomas she could possibly be jailed for failing to maintain her property. Fortunately, Thomas was saved by people she never even met.
Thomas has arthritis and tremors, making yard work incredibly difficult for her to do. She also lives on a fixed income, unable to afford either landscaping or legal bills. She had no idea what to do.
“I went to court and heard [the judge] say that I can be put in jail over it, making it sound like a crime, then I got nervous and had trouble sleeping at night,” Thomas said to News 5 Cleveland.
Local news viewers reached out
After Thomas’ plight was reported on the local news, she had a knock on her door the following day. Standing right in front of her were the two people she needed most: a lawn care professional and an attorney offering their services.
“They said, ‘We don’t know each other, but we just showed up at the same time.’ Wow, good people at that same time, amazing and reassuring,” Thomas said.
The lawn care professional, Norburt Sanek, came across Thomas’ story while on Facebook. Since he was nearby and could do something, he felt compelled to act. He and the attorney weren’t alone.
Dozens of people reached out to News 5 Cleveland to see how they could help Thomas. Sanek organized volunteers to help. Some even took the day off work to drive down to Thomas’ home to cut grass, pull weeds, and haul trash.
The assistance goes national
While significant progress had been made on Thomas’ property, Sanek knew that Thomas still needed more help that couldn’t be accomplished through human muscle. So, he set up a GoFundMe for Thomas.
“We are asking for $6,000 to cover the cost of removing dangerous trees, a dumpster to haul away debris, paying her fines and court costs, installing a security system and building her a small garden that reflects her love of nature,” wrote Sanek on Thomas’ GoFundMe page.
When the Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging caught wind of the story, they decided to chip in. The agency provides advocacy and assistance for senior citizens so they can live independently.
“I know that she has a GoFundMe account going on right now and we’re actually willing to match it up to $3,000,” said Christopher Hall, the chief operating officer for the Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging.
As of this writing, Thomas’ GoFundMe is a little over $5,000 of its $6,000 goal. Many of the donations came from locals and people across the country alike. Thomas was astounded that so many strangers would show up to help her, whether it was through volunteer work or donations.
“I didn’t know there were kind people out there willing to help like this. I’m touched,” Thomas said. “I hope God blesses them for giving of their time to help somebody who can’t do it anymore. Thank you one and all.”
How to help the elders in your community with their lawns
If Thomas’ story speaks to you, you may notice a neighbor’s lawn growing neglected. It might be worth it to knock on their door and offer to mow or trim hedges.
If you’re not comfortable doing that or lack the tools, you can still help. Search online for volunteer groups in your area that can help this person. There are also national nonprofit organizations such as I Want To Mow Your Lawn Inc. that could provide the help your neighbor needs.
